On 22 May one of the most anticipated premieres in recent years will take place on the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre: Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece Norma will finally receive its long-awaited stage production. The production is directed by the renowned stage director Sergey Novikov. The grand premiere of Norma will formally open the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights, the theatre’s most important annual event and the highlight of the season. Further performances will follow on 23 and 24 May (at 13:00 and 19:00)

On 14 May the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will present the premiere of a new production of Modest Musorgsky’s comic opera Sorochintsy Fair. Directed and choreographed by Ilya Ustyantsev, the staging features sets by Yekaterina Malinina, costumes by Maria Sedykh and lighting by Vadim Brodsky. The production is conducted by Valery Gergiev

On 20 April the Mariinsky Ballet Company will perform for the first time at the Erik Sapaev Mari State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Yoshkar-Ola. This landmark appearance will serve as the official opening of the All-Russian Competition for Ballet Artists and Choreographers. Audiences will be treated to an evening of celebrated one-act ballets by Michel Fokine: Chopiniana, Le Spectre de la rose, The Dying Swan and Scheherazade, performed by leading soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre

On 25, 26 (at 12:00 and 19:00) and 27 April (at 12:00 and 19:00) the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia will return to Mariinsky II with a series of guest performances. Every visit by the Moscow company is a highlight for St Petersburg audiences, and this time they will be treated to one of the Bolshoi Theatre’s recent opera premieres – Verdi’s Rigoletto, staged by the renowned Italian director Giancarlo del Monaco, who previously captivated local audiences with his production of Aida. Leading roles will be performed by star singers from both the Bolshoi and Mariinsky companies. The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra will be conducted by Anton Grishanin

This April and May the prestigious Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre will tour Russia with performances on the two foremost stages of the country – the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. The celebrated Chinese company will present its original dance drama, Wing Chun, Legend of Kung-Fu Master, to audiences in both capitals