From 1 August the Stars of the White Nights festival will be running at all of the Mariinsky Theatre's principal venues – for the first time since 18 March the historic theatre will be open to the public. The first performance will be Verdi's opera Rigoletto, to be conducted by Valery Gergiev (starting at 19.30). The title role is to be performed by Vladislav Sulimsky and the role of Gilda by Olga Peretyatko, one of the most sought-after sopranos of the present day. The singer, who has appeared at the world's great stages, admits that for her this will be a very special evening, as her last appearance on the historic stage was as a member of the Mariinsky Children's Chorus. Also engaged for the performance are Alexander Mikhailov (the Duke), Mikhail Kolelishvili (Sparafucile), Anna Kiknadze (Maddalena) and Alexander Gerasimov (Count Monterone).
The historic theatre will employ the same safety measures successfully undertaken at the Mariinsky II and the Concert Hall. The number of seats available to the public has been reduced by half – no more than 780 members of the public will be able to attend – and the principle of "chessboard seating" will be in force. When entering the theatre members of the public will have their temperature taken using specially installed thermal imaging equipment, and upon entry and while in the foyers before the performance starts the principle of social distancing must be observed and individual means of protection must be used throughout audience attendance in the theatre building.
Other theatre venues are also coming back into expolitation – audience cafes opened on 29 July. In order to comply with sanitary norms, the number of tables has been reduced, audiences will be provided with antiseptic gels and be asked to observe social distancing in queues, while food and drinks will be sold in individual packaging. The box-offices at the historic Mariinsky Theatre and the Mariinsky II will also re-open on 1 August, followed on 3 August by those at the Concert Hall and the theatre's box-office located at Gostiny Dvor.
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