An agreement has been signed between the Mariinsky Theatre and the Samara Region

During the recent fifth anniversary Mstislav Rostropovich festival in Samara, an agreement on long-term collaboration was signed at a meeting between Nikolai Merkushkin, the region’s Governor, and Valery Gergiev, Artistic and General Director of the Mariinsky Theatre.

The document envisages mutually advantageous cultural collaboration involving co-productions and performances by the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra and Mariinsky Opera Company soloists with the Opera and Ballet Theatre in Samara among other possibilities.
It should be noted that this agreement, so important for the cultural development of the region, was reached in a large degree thanks to the construction of an international-standard concert hall at the regional capital’s renovated Opera and Ballet Theatre. As Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported, at the meeting Valery Gergiev stressed that “not all cities with a population of a million or more in Russia today can boast such excellent concert venues as those in Samara.” The maestro then went on to state that the creative process should have an active role to play in the regions.
Valery Gergiev also said that “I am convinced that the Governor will support the serious cultural development taking place here, as the Samara Region offers tremendous opportunities for popular stars to perform.”