The Mariinsky Theatre cancels plans due to Hurricane Sandy

Performances by the Mariinsky Orchestra and Stradivarius Ensemble under the baton of Valery Gergiev as part of a tour of Canada and the USA have coincided with Hurricane Sandy which is affecting the east coast of North America. The Mariinsky Orchestra, however, had no intention of cancelling its tour and up until the very last minute not only successfully resisted this unprecedented natural disaster but also, according to the American press, outdid the hurricane in terms of its power.

The final leg of the tour was due to be a concert featuring works by Rodion Shchedrin, Dmitry Shostakovich and Richard Strauss on 31 October at Carnegie Hall. The New York public had been impatiently awaiting the arrival of the St Petersburg musicians, whose performances here have always proved tremendous successes. Tickets for this concert had been practically sold out. Nevertheless, the Mariinsky Orchestra’s concert at Carnegie Hall has been cancelled due to the severe weather conditions which pose great risk to people’s lives and safety.

It is well-known that New York is currently in the grip of a disastrous hurricane: many districts have been left without power and have been flooded while the subway has been closed. Due to high winds, the arm of a construction crane directly opposite Carnegie Hall has snapped and continues to hang at the level of the upper floors of the skyscraper being built. Streets leading to the concert hall have therefore been closed and residents of nearby buildings have been evacuated.