From 11 to 14 September the Northern Capital of Russia will host the X St Petersburg International United Cultures Forum. In anticipation of and during the forum, the Mariinsky Theatre will present a series of special events, offering residents and visitors a feast of stellar performances and magnificent productions.
Tomorrow, 10 September, Francesco Cilea’s opera Adriana Lecouvreur will grace the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. The Italian composer’s most renowned work delves into the life of the celebrated Comédie-Française actress and influential figure of the Enlightenment theatre. It is well-known that the French writer and philosopher Voltaire was among Lecouvreur’s admirers. Although absent from the original libretto, Voltaire makes an appearance on the Mariinsky stage, adding a touch of elegance to Isabelle Partiot-Pieri’s production. The leading roles will be performed by the acclaimed soloists Hibla Gerzmava, Migran Agadzhanyan, Yulia Matochkina, Alexey Markov, Dmitry Grigoriev and Yevgeny Akhmedov.
On 11 September, coinciding with the first day of the X St Petersburg International United Cultures Forum, the Mariinsky Theatre’s Historic Stage will ceremoniously inaugurate its new, 242nd season. The performance will be Dead Souls, the magnum opus of the living classical composer Rodion Shchedrin. The Mariinsky Theatre’s rendition is a dynamic, vibrant and witty production by Vasily Barkhatov, with designs by Zinovy Margolin. In 2012 this production garnered nominations in seven categories for the Golden Mask, ultimately winning the country’s most prestigious theatre award for “Best Artist’s Work in Musical Theatre”.
On the same day the Mariinsky Theatre’s New Stage will present a dazzling premiere from the previous season – Verdi’s Nabucco, the opera that catapulted the young Italian composer to fame. The chorus assumes a central dramatic role, with the choral episodes constituting the work’s true highlights. It also marks the first appearance of a Verdian heroine with the “frenzied soprano” part, as described by the composer himself. The leading roles will be performed by Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar and Zinaida Tsarenko, both Grand Prix winners of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, along with the renowned vocalists Tatiana Serjan and Stanislav Trofimov.
On 12 and 13 September the New Stage will host Puccini’s Madama Butterfly – this year commemorates the 120th anniversary of the work’s world premiere. For over a century the opera has enjoyed immense success and captivated audiences with the poignant story of Cio-Cio-San, a Japanese girl who falls in love with the American naval lieutenant Pinkerton.
On 14 September, the final day of the X St Petersburg International United Cultures Forum, two more performances featuring the Mariinsky Theatre’s finest voices await the audience. The Historic Stage will present Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin in Yuri Temirkanov’s legendary classic production. The New Stage will resonate with Bizet’s Carmen, featuring the opera stars Ekaterina Semenchuk, Yevgeny Akimov, Natalya Pavlova and Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar.
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