In 2018, the Mariinsky Theatre will mark 200 years since the birth of Marius Petipa, whose artistic career is closely intertwined with the St. Petersburg theatre. The Mariinsky II will host a unique exhibition to celebrate the ballet master’s anniversary.
The Mariinsky Theatre exhibits genuine ballet costumes of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It was then that Marius Petipa created his best ballets, namely La Bayadère, The Sleeping Beauty, The Pharaoh's Daughter, Swan Lake (together with Lev Ivanov), Raymonda, as well as his revivals of Giselle and Le Corsaire, which have survived thanks to the great master. The exhibition will feature costumes used in the afore-mentioned productions, as well as in Don Quixote and The Talisman, theatre props, repertoire books, photographs, playbills and other items from the Mariinsky Theatre archives.
The exhibition will also feature a truly priceless item – a piece of a stage costume (waistcoat) with the inscription “M. Petipa”. Other unique items include Pavel Gerdt’s costume from The Pharaoh's Daughter ballet and the photo album of Pierina Legnani, who was the first ever performer of the lead part in Swan Lake. The album was a gift from the corps de ballet artists of the Mariinsky Theatre.
The upcoming performances to mark 200 years since the birth of Marius Petipa include Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s ballets The Sleeping Beauty (18 and 19 April, 10 and 11 May; Mariinsky II) and Swan Lake (17 and 19 May; the Mariinsky Theatre), and Alexander Glazunov’s Raymonda (25 and 26 April, the Mariinsky Theatre).
The exhibition will run until the end of the 2017/2018 season.
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