News

On 6 and 7 March (at 12:00 and 19:00) the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will host performances of the mystical opera Mandragora by Tchaikovsky–Dranga, created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The world premiere took place on 19 June 2025 at Mariinsky II as part of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, where it became one of the most widely discussed events. Now audiences will have the opportunity to experience this unique work.

The idea for the opera Mandragora arose after Pyotr Tchaikovsky became acquainted with Professor of Botany Sergey Rachinsky. A man of many talents, Rachinsky was also a mathematician and folklorist who wrote extensively on the arts, including literature and music. He authored the libretto of Mandragora. Although the complete text has not survived, a synopsis reached us through a letter Rachinsky wrote to the composer’s brother, Modest Tchaikovsky.

Mandragora became one of Tchaikovsky’s fantastical stage works that he left unfinished. “I was ready to undertake this libretto, but friends dissuaded me, insisting the opera would prove unstageable,” the composer wrote. The only completed fragment is the evocative and magical Chorus of Flowers and Insects on Ivan Kupala Night. It was first performed in Moscow on 18 December 1870 under the baton of Nikolai Rubinstein.

Today, a century and a half later, modern technology offers audiences the chance to glimpse what Mandragora might have been. Composer Peter Dranga, together with artificial intelligence, has completed Tchaikovsky’s opera. A neural network assisted in reconstructing the libretto as well as in developing the scenography and costume designs. Dranga rebuilt the opera’s structure and composed additional music and text, drawing on the surviving materials and the artistic language of Tchaikovsky and Rachinsky.

“The creation of Mandragora demanded the utmost respect for its source and a deep immersion in the style of Tchaikovsky and Rachinsky. Artificial intelligence became an important partner in this process: it helped structure the dramaturgy and refine the visual imagery and stage design. When technology makes it possible to hear the voice of an era, it is not magic – it is true art,” noted Peter Dranga.

The production is directed by Ilya Ustyantsev, with choreography by Dmitry Pimonov. The chorus master is Konstantin Rylov; the répétiteur in charge is Yevgenia Isupova.

From 3 to 12 March the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will embark on major spring tour in St Petersburg. Audiences in the Northern Capital of Russia will see exclusive productions by the Vladivostok company: Tchaikovsky’s fairytale The Nutcracker, Adam’s romantic Le Corsaire and the troupe’s calling card – Amirov’s One Thousand and One Nights. As part of the tour, the Primorsky Stage will also present in St Petersburg for the first time this season’s ballet premiere – La Fille mal gardée set to music by Louis Hérold. In total, twelve performances will take place on the Mariinsky Theatre’s Historic and New stages.

The programme opens with Fikret Amirov’s One Thousand and One Nights, one of the Primorsky Stage productions especially beloved by St Petersburg audiences. This enchanting dance vision of the world of Arabian tales, created by People’s Artist of Russia Eldar Aliev, forms part of the “Golden Fund of Russia’s Theatrical Productions”. It is the work the company most frequently performs on tour. One Thousand and One Nights has enjoyed repeated success in Russia, China, Oman, Qatar and Belarus. Performances will take place on 3, 4 and 9 March (at 14:00 and 19:00). Leading roles will be danced by Lada Sartakova, Irina Sapozhnikova, Razmik Marukyan, Sergei Borovykh, Anna Samostrelova, Liliya Berezhnova, Sergei Umanetc and Erlan Suyunbek. The performances will be conducted by Vitaly Shevelev.

On 5, 6 and 8 March (at 14:00 and 19:00) the Historic Stage will host Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. This fairy-tale production, staged exclusively by Artistic Director of Ballet of the Primorsky Stage, Eldar Aliev, has been performed with success in Vladivostok and on tour for more than ten years, consistently drawing enthusiastic acclaim. The principal roles will be danced by Sergei Umanetc, Anastasia Kaplina, Lada Sartakova, Denis Klepikov, Mikhail Shulaev, Alisa Pestova, Irina Sapozhnikova, Alexei Golubov, Maria Popova, Lilia Berezhnova and Sergei Amanbaev. The performances will be conducted by Dušan Vilić.

On 7 March at 14:00 and 19:00, audiences will see the thrilling sea adventure ballet Le Corsaire by Adam in a new interpretation. Eldar Aliev’s version, first staged in Indianapolis and brought to Vladivostok in April 2015, is an authorial edition incorporating fragments of choreography by Marius Petipa. Its defining feature is the deliberate rejection of pantomime in favour of continuous dance action, lending the production heightened dynamism. The principal roles will be performed by Anna Samostrelova, Lilia Berezhnova, Razmik Marukyan, Sergei Amanbaev, Irina Sapozhnikova, Lada Sartakova, Shizuru Kato and Denis Klepikov. Vitaly Shevelev will take the conductor’s stand.

The most intriguing highlight of the tour will be performances of La Fille mal gardée set to music by Louis-Joseph-Ferdinand Hérold. This production, staged by People’s Artist of the USSR Oleg Vinogradov with designs by People’s Artist of Russia Vyacheslav Okunev, premiered at the Primorsky Stage in October last year. One of the oldest ballet comedies, it immediately won audiences’ hearts with its charming characters, light-hearted plot, witty pantomime and elegant choreography. The principal roles on 11 and 12 March will be performed by Lada Sartakova, Denis Klepikov, Irina Sapozhnikova and Shizuru Kato. Vitaly Shevelev will take the conductor’s stand.

On 26 and 27 February Mariinsky-2 will present the first ballet premiere of the season – Round Dances to music by Rodion Shchedrin. Choreography, sets and costumes are created by Honoured Art Worker of Russia Vyacheslav Samodurov, whose Dance Scenes became one of the most talked-about ballet events of the last season. The upcoming premiere continues the Maya and Rodion Festival and is dedicated to the composer’s memory. The evening will also feature the legendary Carmen Suite by Bizet–Shchedrin. Valery Gergiev conducts the premiere performances.

From 20 November to 16 December last year the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres hosted the Grand Tribute Festival Maya and Rodion, dedicated to the memory of the outstanding composer and the legendary ballerina, whose contribution to Russian and world culture is immeasurable. For the Mariinsky the project held special significance: Rodion Shchedrin and Maya Plisetskaya shared decades of close friendship and fruitful artistic collaboration with the theatre.

Today the Mariinsky’s repertoire includes a unique collection of Shchedrin’s works: all of his operas have been staged, three of his ballets are represented, and his choral, symphonic and chamber compositions – many of which were premiered here – are regularly performed. The ballet based on Round Dances – Shchedrin’s Fourth Concerto for Orchestra – will receive its first staging at the theatre. In addition to the classical instruments of the symphony orchestra, the score calls for recorder, Russian wooden spoons, sleigh bells of a Russian troika, and prominent solos for piccolo clarinet and piccolo trumpet.

On 6 February (19:00), 7 February (13:00 and 19:00) and 8 February (13:00 and 19:00) the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre presents the first performances of one of the most eagerly awaited premieres of the season – Modest Musorgsky’s monumental opera Boris Godunov.

The new production is created by renowned Bulgarian theatre artists: stage director Orlin Anastassov and set designer Denis Ivanov. On 6 and 8 February (19:00) the title role will be sung by People’s Artist of Russia Ildar Abdrazakov. Valery Gergiev will conduct all premiere performances.

The Mariinsky Theatre hosted the world premiere of Boris Godunov on 27 January 1874, yet the opera’s journey to the stage proved long and arduous. Musorgsky submitted his first version to the Directorate of the Imperial Theatres in 1869, but officials rejected it. Refusing to abandon the work, the composer undertook major revisions: he expanded the cast, added new scenes, and reshaped existing ones. Even then acceptance came slowly. Only through the determination of leading soloists of the Russian Opera Company did Boris Godunov finally reach the Imperial stage.

The opera’s early-stage life remained turbulent. After just twenty-six performances, theatres withdrew it from the repertoire in 1882. A decisive turning point arrived in 1898, when the Moscow Private Opera staged Boris Godunov in Rimsky-Korsakov’s edition, with Feodor Chaliapin in the title role. Success followed immediately. Russian theatres embraced the opera, including the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky, and soon the world’s leading stages followed. Milan, Paris, London and New York acclaimed Chaliapin’s portrayal of the tormented tsar. Since then the opera’s international stature has only grown, securing Boris Godunov a place among the most frequently performed Russian operas.

Several versions of the score now coexist. Musorgsky continued revising the opera after its premiere; later Rimsky-Korsakov and Pavel Lamm produced their own editions, while the Kirov Theatre performed the opera for a decade in Dmitri Shostakovich’s orchestration. For this new Mariinsky Theatre production the theatre returns to Musorgsky’s original authorial version of 1869.

Gifted with exceptional literary instincts, Musorgsky wrote the libretto himself, drawing on Alexander Pushkin’s tragedy and Nikolai Karamzin’s History of the Russian State. The idea of portraying the people as a central dramatic force gripped the composer profoundly. In Boris Godunov he revealed both the rebellious energy of the narod (people/folk/nation) and the devastating solitude of a ruler abandoned by his subjects.

The Mariinsky Theatre’s new production reunites a creative team already familiar to St Petersburg audiences from their acclaimed staging of Verdi’s Ernani. Anastassov and Ivanov approach Boris Godunov on a truly monumental scale. Designers have constructed six vast scenic pavilions, each equipped with mobile modules. These elements transform before the audience’s eyes, lending the performance a striking cinematic fluidity.

The production draws on classical theatrical traditions and historical research, yet it avoids museum-like reconstruction. Architecture and costumes reinterpret historical forms through metaphor rather than literal replication. This approach invites the audience to engage actively with the drama and its meanings.

Two opposing visual motifs shape the scenography. Ice, cold and snow evoke the Little Ice Age during Boris’ reign – a time of relentless winter and catastrophic famine. In contrast, gold and brilliance symbolise power and authority. Costume workshops hand-covered the boyars’ garments with vast quantities of metal leaf, an extraordinarily demanding process. Ice and gold thus embody two colliding worlds – the people and the tsar – each carrying its own burden of tragedy.

Cast includes:
Boris Godunov: Ildar Abdrazakov, Yevgeny Nikitin, Gleb Peryazev, Stanislav Trofimov
Shuisky: Yevgeny Akimov, Dmitry Golovnin, Alexander Mangutov
Pimen: Yuri Vorobiov, Mikhail Petrenko, Oleg Sychov
Grigory Otrepyev: Gamid Abdulov, Kirill Belov, Roman Shirokikh
The Holy Fool: Andrei Zorin, Andrei Popov
Andrey Shchelkalov: Vyacheslav Vasilyev, Vladislav Kupriyanov, Pavel Yankovsky
Varlaam: Mikhail Kolelishvili, Miroslav Molchanov, Yakov Strizhak

On 30 January the Mariinsky II will host the premiere of a new production of one of Mozart’s rare masterpieces, Idomeneo, rè di Creta. The production is directed by Roman Kocherzhevsky, well known for his work in dramatic theatre. The majestic ancient myth will come to life in a visually rich performance enhanced by striking multimedia elements.

This new staging is timed to coincide with two major anniversaries celebrated in January 2026: the 270^th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the 245^th anniversary of the opera’s world premiere. Valery Gergiev will conduct. Further premiere performances will take place on 2 and 28 February (at 13:00 and 19:00).

The ancient myth of the Cretan king who came close to sacrificing his only son to the god Poseidon inspired many composers, yet it was Mozart’s Idomeneo, rè di Creta that achieved lasting fame. The opera received its world premiere on 29 January 1781 at the Residenztheater Munich. In Russia the work appeared already in the following century, with its first performance in St Petersburg dating from 1820. By the twentieth century opera seria as a genre was widely regarded as outdated, despite the genius of Idomeneo. In recent decades, however, interest in this score has grown steadily, and the opera has returned to leading stages worldwide.

Idomeneo, rè di Creta is among Mozart’s most innovative works. Rethinking and enriching the traditional forms of opera seria, the composer created a new type of heroic opera. The scale and psychological depth of the characters, the vivid theatricality and dramatic momentum of Idomeneo are no less impressive than the remarkable freedom and richness of its musical dramaturgy.

The new production is conceived for a broad audience. Experienced opera-goers will appreciate the harmonious synthesis of contemporary stage technologies with an homage to the classic Idomeneo staging by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Those new to opera will discover the work’s strong educational dimension. The production seeks to demonstrate that beyond its outstanding musical qualities, Idomeneo also offers a genuinely compelling and gripping dramatic narrative – one made accessible through this new interpretation.

Audiences can expect not only visual cues and “guideposts” introducing the ancient world, but also an impressive multimedia design. Squares, harbours, cliffs and temples – these and other spaces will be vividly recreated on stage using large-scale screens, fully immersing the audience in the world of this great myth.

Cast includes:
Idomeneo – Gamid Abdulov, Alexander Mikhailov, Dmitry Voropaev, Igor Morozov, Sergei Skorokhodov
Idamante – Roman Shirokikh, Klim Tikhonov, Boris Stepanov, Evelina Agabalayeva, Ekaterina Sergeeva, Irina Shishkova, Daria Rositskaya
Ilia – Antonina Vesenina, Kristina Gontsa, Yekaterina Savinkova, Aigul Khismatullina, Yulia Suleymanova, Anna Denisova, Lyudmila Razumkova
Elettra – Zhanna Dombrovskaya, Inara Kozlovskaya, Anzhelika Minasova, Ekaterina Sannikova, Diana Kazanlieva, Oxana Shilova, Anastasia Kalagina
Arbace – Stanislav Leontiev, Yegor Chubakov, Yevgeny Akhmedov, Alexander Trofimov, Oleg Losev, Alexander Timchenko

From 20 to 29 December the Mariinsky Theatre will host the XX Mariinsky International Piano Festival. Audiences can look forward to a rich and diverse programme comprising twenty outstanding concerts featuring renowned pianists alongside gifted young musicians.

The festival brings together Mira Yevtich, Vadim Monastyrsky, Vladimir Vishnevsky, Sergey Davydchenko, Yan Fang, Ilya Papoyan, Abisal Gergiev, Miroslav Kultyshev, Mira Marchenko, Oleg Vainshtein, Elizaveta Ukrainskaia, Xenia Bashmet, Daniil Sayamov, Anton Gornatko, Irina Lizanets, Pavel Nersessian, Irina Ten and Daniil Yekimovsky. Also taking part are Alexander Trostiansky (violin), the Komitas Quartet, students of Zora Zucker, and the Mariinsky Orchestra. The founders of the festival are Valery Gergiev and Mira Yevtich.

On 19 December, on the eve of the festival’s opening, a concert will be given by Ilya Papoyan, 3^rd prize and Bronze Medal winner of the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition, together with the Mariinsky Orchestra. The programme features six keyboard concerti by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Papoyan will appear again on 21 December, performing Bach’s French Overture, Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 1.

On 20 December the official opening of the festival will take place at the Concert Hall. Appearing are Abisal Gergiev, 2^nd prize winner of the Northern International Music Competition (2024), Sergey Davydchenko, 1^st prize and Gold Medal winner of the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition, and the Mariinsky Orchestra.
The artists will perform Rodion Shchedrin’s Piano Concerti Nos 1 and 2. The evening is dedicated to the memory of the outstanding Russian composer. At 19:00 the Rachmaninoff Hall will host a recital by Anton Gornatko, laureate of international competitions. The programme features works by Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy and Liszt.

On 21 December the Concert Hall welcomes Vladimir Vishnevsky, winner of numerous prestigious international contests and 1^st prize and Gold Medal recipient of the Rachmaninoff International Competition for Pianists, Composers and Conductors (2025). The programme features Bach–Busoni, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Liszt, Chopin and Ravel.

On 22 December a concert by the Mariinsky Orchestra, conducted by Oleg Khudyakov, 1^st prize winner in conducting at the 2^nd Rachmaninoff International Competition, will take place. Soloists: Mira Yevtich, co-founder of the festival, and Abisal Gergiev. The programme features Mozart’s Piano Concerti Nos 23 and 24 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.

On 23 December the Rachmaninoff Hall hosts Alexander Trostiansky (violin) and Irina Lizanets (piano). The programme features Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas Nos 4 and 9, Shchedrin’s Menuhin Sonata and Enescu’s Violin Sonata No. 1.

On 24 December four events will take place across the Mariinsky Theatre’s stages. At 13:00 at the Concert Hall: Pavel Nersessian, Honoured Artist of Russia, Professor of the Moscow Conservatory and Boston University. The programme features works by Bach, Chopin, Brahms and Ravel. At 19:00 there: Oleg Vainshtein, Honoured Artist of Russia, Associate Professor of the St Petersburg Conservatory. The programme features works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Borodin–Kamensky. At 19:00 at the Rachmaninoff Hall: Irina Ten, laureate of international competitions. The programme features Liszt’s Après une lecture de Dante, the Concert Suite from The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky–Pletnev), Scriabin’s 24 Preludes and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 2. At 19:30 at the Stravinsky Hall: Mira Marchenko, Honoured Teacher of Russia. The programme features Schumann’s Kinderszenen and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Sonata in G major.

On 25 December an evening dedicated to the memory of Vsevolod Zaderatsky, composer and pianist. Daniil Sayamov, Pavel Nersessian and Daniil Yekimovsky will perform works by Zaderatsky, including the Sonata No. 2, Microbes of Lyricism, Notebook of Miniatures, Porcelain Cups, 24 Preludes and the world premiere of the Sonata No. 3.

On 26 December Mira Yevtich will play with the Komitas Quartet, a distinguished string ensemble founded in 1924. The programme features works by Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Mahler, Mirzoyan and Komitas–Aslamazyan.
On the same day, in keeping with festival tradition, the Prokofiev Hall will host a concert by students of Zora Zucker, whose pedagogical legacy is inseparable from St Petersburg’s musical life. The programme features works by Banevich, Chopin, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Liszt.

On 27 December at the Concert Hall the audience will hear the Mariinsky Orchestra, conducted by Fyodor Khandrikov. Soloist: Xenia Bashmet, laureate of international competitions. The programme features works by Bach, Britten, Haydn, Turina and Tchaikovsky. At 19:30 at the Rachmaninoff Hall Elizaveta Ukrainskaia will perform. The programme features works by Bach–Busoni, Brahms, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff.

On 28 December at the Concert Hall Miroslav Kultyshev, Honoured Artist of Russia, will play Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 6, Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 8 and Tchaikovsky’s Twelve Pieces. At 19:00 at the Rachmaninoff Hall Yan Fang, acclaimed Chinese pianist, will perform works by Leibak, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Scriabin, Bach–Busoni and the celebrated Ode to the Yellow River by Xian Xinghai and Yin Chengzong. At 14:00 at the Stravinsky Hall Vadim Monastyrsky, Honoured Artist of Russia, will play Bartók’s Suite, Schubert’s Six Moments musicaux, Liszt’s Sonetto 104 del Petrarca and Piano Sonata in B minor.

On 28 December Daniil Sayamov will perform with the Mariinsky Orchestra in a concert dedicated to the memory of Rodion Shchedrin. The programme features his Piano Concerti Nos 3 (Variations and Theme) and 4 (Sharp Keys).

On 29 December the closing concert will take place. The XX Mariinsky International Piano Festival concludes with a gala concert dedicated to the memory of Rodion Shchedrin. The Mariinsky Orchestra, together with pianists Yan Fang and Sergey Davydchenko, will perform Shchedrin’s Piano Concerti Nos 5 and 6 (Concerto lontano).

From 11 to 14 December the Primorsky Stage will host the ballet programme of the X International Mariinsky Far East Festival. Audiences will be treated to Gala Concert. Carmen Suite, Don Quixote and A Thousand and One Nights, featuring distinguished principal ballerinas and soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre from St Petersburg.

The festival opens with two evenings honouring the great Maya Plisetskaya, whose artistry reshaped the language of dance, expanded the expressive range of choreography, and made the performer an integral author of the artistic statement. Her repertoire encompassed more than one hundred roles – from classical to contemporary. Works emblematic of Plisetskaya’s legacy will be presented on 11 and 12 December in the programme Gala Concert. Carmen Suite, with the participation of Mariinsky prima ballerinas Ekaterina Kondaurova, Renata Shakirova and Maria Ilyushkina.

On 13 December the Primorsky Stage will present Minkus’ Don Quixote with guest soloists from St Petersburg.

The programme continues on 14 December with A Thousand and One Nights, a vivid embodiment of an Eastern tale in music and dance featuring Renata Shakirova. Composed in 1979 by Azerbaijani composer Fikret Amirov, the ballet transports the audience into the world of Arab legends. At the Primorsky Stage it is shown in the choreographic version by Eldar Aliev – a Baku native who created a new edition for the Far Eastern company while preserving the full colour and poetry of the original narrative. A Thousand and One Nights is widely regarded as part of the Golden Fund of Russian Theatrical Productions.

The operatic programme of the anniversary X International Mariinsky Far East Festival took place earlier, on 10 and 11 October. Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra presented in Vladivostok major works by this year’s jubilee composers – Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Gustav Mahler – as well as the recent acclaimed premiere of the Primorsky Stage Company, Verdi’s Il trovatore.

The Mariinsky Theatre has traditionally prepared a dazzling array of holiday events for audiences of all ages. Vivid productions, fairy-tale narratives and magnificent music make it irresistible – for children and adults alike – to immerse themselves in the world of winter magic during the New Year season.

On the final day of the outgoing year, 31 December, audiences will enjoy a packed programme across all stages of the theatre.

At the Historic Stage Tchaikovsky’s enchanting ballet The Nutcracker will be performed at 13:00 and 18:00.

At the New Stage Shchedrin’s opera A Christmas Tale (celebrating the tenth anniversary of its premiere) will be presented at 13:00 and 18:00.

At the Concert Hall the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble will give its traditional New Year’s concert under the direction of the incomparable Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici (18:00).

The theatre opens its doors for the first performances of the new year on 2 January 2026. Throughout the holiday period it will offer numerous performances of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, ensuring that everyone has the chance to experience the quintessential winter fairy tale. Audiences will be able to see Vasily Vainonen’s classical production and Mihail Chemiakin’s celebrated version, as well as the staging by St Petersburg’s Leonid Yacobson Ballet Theatre (Vainonen’s choreography revised by Nikolai Tsiskaridze). The operatic programme for the January holidays opens with Shchedrin’s A Christmas Tale, based on Samuil Marshak’s The Twelve Months (2 January at 13:00 and 19:00); Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte in its spellbinding multimedia staging (3 January at 13:00 and 19:00); and the season’s vibrant new production – Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel, directed by Anna Shishkina (3 January at 13:00 and 19:00, and 10 January at 13:00 and 19:00).

Other holiday highlights include Prokofiev’s sparkling comedy The Love for Three Oranges (4 January at 11:30, 15:30, and 19:30); the legendary Rimsky-Korsakov masterpieces The Tale of Tsar Saltan (8 January at 13:00 and 19:00) and Christmas Eve (6 January at 11:00, 15:30, and 20:00); Johann Strauss’ effervescent operetta Die Fledermaus (10 January at 13:00 and 18:00); Banevich’s opera The Story of Kai and Gerda in its updated staging (5 January at 12:00 and 18:00); Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel (7 January); Wagner’s uplifting and exuberant Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (11 January); and Glinka’s magical operatic poem Ruslan and Lyudmila in a shortened version adapted for family audiences (5 January at 12:00 and 18:00).

On 7 January the celebration of Orthodox Christmas will be marked on the Mariinsky Theatre’s New Stage with a performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s epic mystery The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya. The concert playbill for the opening days of the New Year features two appearances by the renowned Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble and its Artistic Director Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici (2 and 7 January), an unforgettable concert by the ensemble Renaissance Percussion (8 January) and a cornerstone of Russian sacred music – Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, performed on Christmas Eve (6 January) by the Mariinsky Chorus.

On 24, 25 and 26 November the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will host the premiere performances of a new production of Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel. The family-oriented fairytale staging is being created by director Anna Shishkina, set designer Varvara Pletneva and costume designer Antonia Shestakova. The first premiere performance will be conducted by the production’s music director, Valery Gergiev.

Composed in 1907, The Golden Cockerel was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s final opera and the last Russian opera of the classical period. Its world premiere took place on 24 September 1909, presented by Zimin’s Opera Company at the Solodovnikov Theatre in Moscow; a subsequent performance followed at the Bolshoi Theatre on 6 November. Before its appearance at the Mariinsky Theatre, the work even travelled to Paris: on 21 May 1914 the Ballets Russes presented a hybrid opera-ballet version at the Palais Garnier – a production that met with strong disapproval from the composer’s family. The Golden Cockerel debuted at the Mariinsky Theatre on 14 February 1919, with later stagings presented in 2003 and 2014.

This season the dazzling score of the Russian classic will be revealed in a fresh directorial interpretation. Anna Shishkina’s production will be shown on the stage of the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, a venue that has firmly established itself not only as an acoustically superb space but also as a unique theatrical playground.

“The very layout of the stage inspired us to imagine the kingdom of Dodon as a jewel-box – a kind of miniature, intimate world. At the same time the Concert Hall has impressive height, which we filled with stars, enormous chandeliers and draperies. In our production this becomes a realm of looming danger, overshadowing the small puppet-like town below. We wanted to bring to the stage a magical, surprising spectacle that will thoroughly enchant young audiences,” notes set designer Varvara Pletneva.

Audiences can expect a vivid, dynamic production suitable for the whole family. Choreographer Maria Korablyova is responsible for the dances and stage movement, promising a performance rich in theatrical physicality.

“This is indeed a satirical, pamphlet-like story that offers plenty of material for intellectual reflection. But for us the main task was to create a production for children – to bring in family audiences – which means that above all it is a fairytale. We want to preserve the energy of childhood play without diminishing the layers of meaning embedded by Pushkin and Rimsky-Korsakov,” explains director Anna Shishkina.

Tsar (King) Dodon: Andrei Serov, Denis Begansky, Ilya Bannik, Vadim Kravets, Vladimir Felyauer
The Astrologer: Alexander Mikhailov, Klim Tikhonov, Boris Stepanov, Stanislav Leontiev, Andrei Popov, Denis Zakirov
The Queen of Shemakha: Olga Pudova, Yulia Suleimanova, Aigul Khismatullina, Kristina Gontsa, Anna Denisova, Antonina Vesenina
Amelfa the Housekeeper: Elena Vitman, Anna Kiknadze, Daria Tereshchenko, Zlata Bulycheva
The Golden Cockerel: Kira Loginova, Marina Tekhtelyova, Isabella Andriasyan
The Voivode (Warlord) Polkan: Yakov Strizhak, Stepan Zavalishin, Miroslav Molchanov, Yevgeny Chernyadiev
Tsarevich (Prince) Guidon: Alexander Trofimov, Gamid Abdulov, Kirill Belov, Anton Khalansky, Dmitry Voropaev
Tsarevich (Prince) Afron: Maxim Daminov, Yaroslav Petryanik, Anatoly Mikhailov, Stepan Zavalishin

From 20 November to 16 December the two Russian capitals will host a large-scale musical tribute festival, Maya and Rodion, dedicated to the memory of the outstanding composer and the legendary ballerina. Events celebrating Maya Plisetskaya and Rodion Shchedrin will take place on the stages of the leading venues in Moscow and St Petersburg. The festival is presented with media support from Channel One Russia and the VK Video platform. Key events will be broadcast live, allowing audiences across all regions of Russia to join the celebration. In addition, screenings will be held in cinemas throughout the country with support from KINO.ART.PRO. The festival’s Music Director is Valery Gergiev.

“Today I have the opportunity to speak about two remarkable, truly great artists – Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya and Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin. On 20 November the entire Russian musical and theatrical community will mark the centenary of Maya Plisetskaya, one of the greatest ballerinas in history. We were close friends, and I am grateful to fate, and above all to Maya and Rodion, for the many happy moments – hundreds, even thousands of hours of communication: creative, human, deeply joyful. Many of Rodion Shchedrin’s works are part of the repertoire of the Mariinsky Theatre and now the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia as well. His muse, Maya Mikhailovna, always held his unwavering admiration. Theirs was a happy love that gave the world of opera and ballet, and the entire realm of classical music, countless new riches,” notes Valery Gergiev.

The festival will open at the Bolshoi Theatre on 20 November – the day of Plisetskaya’s birth – with a gala concert at the Historic Stage, featuring celebrated dancers. The programme spans a wide range of genres: from ballet excerpts and choreographic miniatures to the iconic Carmen Suite by Bizet–Shchedrin and a black-and-white documentary chronicle accompanied by orchestra. The event will be streamed live on VK Video, through the official Bolshoi Theatre community on VKontakte.

That same evening the Mariinsky Theatre’s New Stage will present the gala Maya Plisetskaya: A Portrait of an Era. The programme includes seminal works and excerpts from productions in which Plisetskaya shone throughout her career. Stars of the ballet company and the Mariinsky Orchestra will take part. It will be conducted by Arseny Shuplyakov. At the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre on 20 November the audience will hear Shchedrin’s Not Love Alone — an ironic and poignant opera woven from lively Russian chastushki.

On 22 and 23 November (12:00 and 18:00) the Bolshoi Theatre will present a major revival of the opera Dead Souls in the legendary 1977 production by director Boris Pokrovsky and designer Valery Levental. A significant event will be the live broadcast of the 23 November performance (18:00) on VK Video via the Bolshoi Theatre’s official VKontakte community. Ahead of the performances, on 17 November at 18:00, the Beethoven Hall of the Bolshoi Theatre will host a creative meeting with participants of the opera’s world premiere. It will be moderated by Marina Gaikovich, PhD in Art History, musicologist and critic. The meeting will also be streamed live.

On 22 November at 13:00 and 18:00 the Mariinsky-2 stage will present Shchedrin’s milestone opera The Lefthander, written specifically for the inauguration of the theatre’s New Stage.

On 12 December the same venue will host Shchedrin’s Lolita, an opera based on Vladimir Nabokov’s iconic novel. And on 16 December, the composer’s birthday, the main stages of the Mariinsky Theatre will resound with his masterpieces:
– at the Historic Stage – Carmen Suite (12:00) and The Little Humpbacked Horse (19:30);
– at the New Stage – Dead Souls (19:00) in Vasily Barkhatov’s production with sets by Zinovy Margolin;
– at the Concert Hall – Not Love Alone (19:00) in a production by Alexander Kuzin with designs by Alexander Orlov.

Further events of the Maya and Rodion tribute festival will be announced.