The Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres are set to welcome spring with a series of major events, including their most extensive exchange programme in recent years. Wagner’s monumental Der Ring des Nibelungen will travel to Moscow, where it will be presented twice on the Bolshoi Theatre’s Historic Stage. In return the Bolshoi Theatre will bring its acclaimed production of Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims to St Petersburg, followed by the ballet The Master and Margarita, set to music by Schnittke and Lazar. Later in the month, the two companies will join forces for performances in Tikhvin, the birthplace of Rimsky-Korsakov, and Pskov, where they will honour the legacy of Musorgsky

The Mariinsky Theatre is set to unveil a fascinating rarity – scenes from Modest Musorgsky’s unfinished opera Salammbô. This early work, a captivating glimpse into the composer’s burgeoning genius, receives its premiere on the Mariinsky Theatre’s New Stage on 22 and 23 February (at 13:00 and 19:00)

On 9 February, the birthday of Honoured Artist of Russia Vladimir Shklyarov, the Mariinsky Theatre will host an evening dedicated to the memory of the brilliant danseur noble on its Historic Stage. Stars of both the Mariinsky and Bolshoi ballets will participate in this special event. Arseny Shuplyakov will conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra

The Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre is set to embark on an extensive tour, taking its acclaimed production of Fikret Amirov’s ballet A Thousand and One Nights to Muscat, Oman, and then returning to its roots in St Petersburg

The Mariinsky Theatre is set to unveil a spectacular new production of Verdi’s operatic masterpiece, Aida, in February. This grand staging, helmed by the renowned Italian director Giancarlo del Monaco, will grace the Mariinsky-2 stage, with premiere performances scheduled for 7, 8 (at 13:00 and 19:00), 9 (at 13:00 and 19:00), 10 and 11 February