Valery Gergiev speaks with the Japanese media

Valery Gergiev

Today, during a tour by the Mariinsky Theatre to Japan, there was a press conference at which maestro Gergiev thanked Japanese audiences for their warm welcome and shared his plans for the future development of the theatre. The conductor stated that one priority was to take care of the new generation.

“It seems to me that each theatre must, first and foremost, think about the young generation,” Valery Gergiev said according to ITAR-TASS. The maestro said that the new stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, which opens in May next year, is not a luxury but rather a necessity: “There are five million people living in St Petersburg. It’s a beautiful city, and that’s why there are so many tourists. We want more people to be able to see performances by our theatre, school children and students in particular.”

As ITAR-TASS related, maestro Gergiev said that the new stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will have unique technical abilities. Using new technology will mean that highly complex stage sets can be changed in just two hours. The auditorium, which will seat two thousand people and somewhat resemble New York’s famous Lincoln Center (the home of the Metropolitan Opera), will be the largest audience venue in Russia.

But Valery Gergiev’s plans are not limited to mere artistic aspirations: the new stage will be not just a theatre but a truly educational facility as well. Its three foyers will serve as a venue for various academic events – such as lectures and conferences dedicated to current issues dealing with music.