Interviews

In the new season the Mariinsky Theatre continues to honour the great Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, whose 165^th anniversary is being widely celebrated this year. At the beginning of September Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra will present works by the symphonic genius at the Moscow Concert Hall Zaryadye, while a combined symphony orchestra of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres will perform under maestro Gergiev on the Historic Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre.

The first concert at Zaryadye will take place on 6 September and feature Mahler’s Fourth and Fifth symphonies, with soprano Anastasia Kalagina as soloist. On 7 September the programme will include the First and Seventh symphonies. On 9 September the Moscow audience will hear one of Mahler’s most monumental and emotionally charged works – the Second Symphony (Resurrection), with soloists Anastasia Kalagina (soprano) and Zinaida Tsarenko (mezzo-soprano). On 10 September, again with Zinaida Tsarenko, the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev will play Mahler’s Third Symphony – one of the most complex masterpieces of the Austro-German symphonic tradition.

On 8 September at the Historic Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre a combined symphony orchestra of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres will be conducted by Valery Gergiev in a performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. Conceived by the composer as the “symphony of symphonies”, it crowns the epic symphonic cycle that Mahler created over the course of two decades. The work requires enormous performing forces: a greatly expanded symphony orchestra, organ, two mixed choirs, a boys’ choir and a group of soloists. Its world premiere took place in Munich on 12 September 1910 and was met with triumphant acclaim.

On 11 September the Festival of Chinese Culture will open in St Petersburg at the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre and will continue on 15 September in Moscow at the Main Stage of the Maly Theatre.

The festival is part of the programme for the Russia–China Year of Culture and will form a highlight of the XI St Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures. Events are presented with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and ROSCONCERT. The Chinese martial arts troupe Long Yun was founded in 2006 by the world-famous actor, director, producer and martial arts master Jackie Chan, who personally selected eleven talented, creative and highly skilled young performers from among millions of kung fu practitioners across China. Eleven Warriors of the Long Yun troupe honour the essence of martial arts, expressing emotion through movement and presenting kung fu as a unique artistic discipline.

In St Petersburg and Moscow the troupe will present Eleven Warriors, a programme consisting of five acts – Weapons, Spirit, Mastery, Silence and Celebration. Born of ancient Chinese traditions, the production traces the story of kung fu from its philosophical origins to its most refined contemporary techniques. Mastering diverse forms of Chinese martial arts, the troupe reveals the depth with which kung fu is rooted in the culture of their homeland. The central idea: the purpose of combat is to defend and to overcome – but martial practice becomes art only when discipline is transformed into a structured way of learning that transcends aggression. In fact, the literal meaning of “kung fu” is not “combat” but “the pursuit of skill and perfection”.

The troupe has already appeared in hundreds of performances and featured in dozens of films. Over the past three years alone it has performed in more than sixty countries. Their original artistry and mastery have been acclaimed worldwide and recognised by leading martial arts masters.

The programme will also feature Zhang Lu (guqin), a soloist of the Jun Tian Fang Music Ensemble, which has been recognised by the Government of China as a national intangible cultural heritage organisation. Zhang Lu is a laureate of numerous competitions (including the Third Yulong Yangchun Guqin Competition) and a recipient of prestigious scholarships such as the National Scholarship. She is a member of the Guqin Professional Committee of the Chinese National Orchestra Society.

On 3 September at 14:00 at the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre soloists of the opera company together with the Mariinsky Chorus and the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev will dedicate a concert to the memory of the great Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin, who passed away on 29 August.

The programme will open with the first part of the Russian liturgy for a cappella choir The Sealed Angel. Shchedrin was inspired to create this work by Nikolai Leskov’s story of the same name. “There are no direct narrative links with the literary source,” the composer explained, “but Leskov’s central idea – the indestructibility of artistic beauty, the magical, elevating power of art – is something I sought to convey through the language of music. In the story Leskov often cites the opening lines of Old Believers’ chants, and I set some of those texts to music.” The concert will also include Gustav Mahler’s Sixth Symphony.

Rodion Shchedrin and the Mariinsky Theatre were bound by many years of genuine friendship and creative collaboration. Each year the theatre presents a festival on the composer’s birthday; entire subscription series have been devoted to his artistic legacy, and Shchedrin himself was a frequent guest on all of the Mariinsky Theatre’s stages. For the opening of Mariinsky II he composed his large-scale two-act opera The Lefthander, and the same building now houses a chamber hall that bears the name of our great contemporary.

In his later years the Mariinsky Theatre truly became Shchedrin’s home. Today the theatre’s repertoire boasts an unparalleled collection of his works: the ballets The Little Humpbacked Horse, Carmen Suite and Anna Karenina; the operas Dead Souls, The Enchanted Wanderer, The Lefthander, Boyarina Morozova, A Christmas Tale, Not Love Alone and Lolita; as well as numerous symphonic works including Poetoria, The Sealed Angel and The Adventures of the Monkey.

At the heart of Shchedrin’s vivid and original output lies his own libretti, almost always rooted in Russian literary classics. More than any other composer, he succeeded in creating truly Russian music – works in which profound traditions and modernity intertwine, where familiar characters and elements of the national cultural code are given striking new life in musical form.

Throughout September the Mariinsky Theatre will honour the memory of Rodion Shchedrin with performances of his works in all their diversity: the operas Not Love Alone (5 September), Dead Souls (12 September), The Enchanted Wanderer (22 September), Boyarina Morozova (23 September), Lolita (25 September) and The Lefthander (29 September); the third part of the Trumpet Concerto (5 September); and The Sealed Angel in its entirety (28 September).

In the early hours of today, at the age of ninety-two, the great Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin passed away. The world has lost not only one of the foremost creative figures of our age, but an artist whose voice has become part of the very fabric of modern music.

Rodion Shchedrin was a phenomenon – a singular presence and an entire epoch in the history of world culture. His operas, ballets and symphonic works have for decades enjoyed triumphs on the most prestigious stages across the globe.

His legacy is beyond price: music of inexhaustible invention that continues to strike a profound chord in audiences everywhere.

This is a tragedy of immense magnitude, an irreparable loss for the world of art.

On 25 and 26 July the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will host the premiere of a new production of Sorochintsy Fair, the final opera by Modest Musorgsky. This staging will mark the closing premiere of the Mariinsky Theatre’s 242^nd season. The production is directed and choreographed by Ilya Ustyantsev, with set design by Yekaterina Malinina, costume technology by Maria Sedykh, and lighting by Vadim Brodsky. Its musical director is Valery Gergiev.

Sorochintsy Fair was Musorgsky’s last opera, begun in 1874 and based on the short story of the same name from Nikolai Gogol’s Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka. The composer masterfully captured the poetry and humor of Gogol’s tale, bringing to life the customs and folk spirit of its vivid characters. A vibrant village fair unfolds before the audience – lively, colourful, filled with merriment and dance. Street cries, quarrels and banter mingle with authentic folk melodies, romantic arias, and duets celebrating nature’s beauty and the joy of true love.

As with Salammbô and Khovanshchina, Musorgsky left Sorochintsy Fair unfinished. While many composers attempted to complete it, the version by Vissarion Shebalin – composed and orchestrated in 1931–1932 – has proved the most enduring. This is the version presented at the Mariinsky Theatre today.

The opera was first performed in concert on 16 March 1911 in St Petersburg, with its stage premiere following two years later in Moscow at the Free Theatre. In this new Mariinsky production, director and choreographer Ilya Ustyantsev seeks to move beyond mere illustration of the original tale. As he notes, the creative team aims to explore the deeper dilemmas faced by the characters: the tension between personal gain and the preservation of one’s soul and friendships.

Every year the Music Festival Stars of the White Nights brings together the leading lights of the international opera stage – brilliant artists whose names have long become synonymous with artistry and excellence. This July, audiences can look forward to an exceptional constellation of world-renowned performers. Featured in opera productions at the Mariinsky Theatre will be Ambrogio Maestri, Albina Shagimuratova, Hibla Gerzmava, Hovhannes Ayvazyan, Olga Borodina, Vladislav Sulimsky, Mikhail Petrenko, Sergei Skorokhodov, Alexey Markov, Dmitry Korchak, Tatiana Serjan and Irina Churilova.

On 3 July the Historic Stage will present Tchaikovsky’s immortal Russian opera Eugene Onegin – his celebrated “lyrical scenes”. In this legendary production staged by Yuri Temirkanov, the principal roles will be sung by an outstanding cast: Alexey Markov, Maria Bayankina, Dmitry Korchak, Yekaterina Sergeyeva and Mikhail Kit. The performance will be conducted by Timur Zangiev.

On 8 July the Mariinsky II will host a performance of Francesco Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur, a tale of love, jealousy, passion, and betrayal centred on the celebrated actress of the Comédie-Française – one of the most influential theatrical figures of the Enlightenment. The principal roles will be sung by Tatiana Serjan, Hovhannes Ayvazyan (also appearing in Verdi’s Il trovatore on 10 July), Zinaida Tsarenko, Dmitry Grigoriev and Alexander Mikhailov. Making his Mariinsky Theatre debut as Michonnet will be the acclaimed Italian baritone Ambrogio Maestri.

Audiences will have a second opportunity to hear Ambrogio Maestri on 11 July, when he makes his Mariinsky Theatre debut in the title role of Donizetti’s delightful comic opera Don Pasquale. This is a must-see event: the celebrated singer has conquered the world’s most prestigious stages not only with his formidable vocal prowess but also with his extraordinary dramatic gifts – particularly in comedic roles. Joining him on stage will be Boris Stepanov and Oleg Balashov.

On 9 July the Mariinsky II will present one of the most enigmatic works in the Russian operatic repertoire – Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades. The cast will feature a stellar lineup: Olga Borodina, Vladislav Sulimsky, Irina Churilova, Dmitry Golovnin and Daria Tereshchenko.

On 12 July the audience will be treated to Wagner’s life-affirming opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, a production of rare beauty that became the centerpiece of the company’s landmark 240^th season and crowned its unique collection of Wagner operas. The performance will feature the brilliant Sergei Skorokhodov and Mikhail Petrenko (who received the Russian opera award Casta Diva for his role in this opera). Conductor is Christian Knapp.

On 16 July the festival will present Verdi’s masterpiece Otello, brought to life by a golden duo of vocal stars. The title role will be performed by Honoured Artist of the Republic of Armenia Hovhannes Ayvazyan, while the role of Desdemona will be sung by People’s Artist of Russia and Abkhazia, the incomparable Hibla Gerzmava. Leading the Mariinsky Orchestra will be maestro Valery Gergiev.

A special treat for festivalgoers will be three performances by Honoured Artist of Russia and People’s Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan Albina Shagimuratova. On 14 July the audience’s beloved soprano will appear in one of her signature roles – Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor (concert performance), with Sergei Skorokhodov and Miroslav Molchanov also in the cast. On 23 and 26 July her flawless interpretation of the spellbinding aria Casta diva will grace the stage in Bellini’s Norma, the highly anticipated new production that opened the 2025 Stars of the White Nights festival.

The XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The festival’s Artistic Director is Valery Gergiev.

On 26 June the awards ceremony for the II Rachmaninoff International Competition for Pianists, Composers and Conductors took place at the Petrovsky Travel Palace in Moscow.

Soloists of the Mariinsky Orchestra, Alexey Krasheninnikov (violin) and Eduard Kiprsky (piano), were among the winners in the composition category. Krasheninnikov was awarded 2^nd prize and a Silver Medal, while Kiprsky received 3^rd prize and a Bronze Medal as well as the special prize for the best piano work.

Mariinsky Theatre guest conductors Alexei Aslanov and Yuri Demidovich shared 3^rd prizes and Bronze Medals in the conducting category. The Mariinsky Orchestra was honoured with a diploma “For Outstanding Work at the Competition”.

Established in 2021 on the eve of the 150^th anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s birth, the Rachmaninoff International Competition is a prestigious platform for showcasing and discussing the achievements of today’s leading performers and composers. The competition is held in three disciplines – piano, composition and conducting – which reflect the essence of Rachmaninoff’s genius: an unparalleled piano virtuoso, an exceptional conductor and a great composer whose musical legacy continues to inspire generations.

On 4, 5 and 6 July the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will host one of the most anticipated premieres of the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights – Giuseppe Verdi’s Ernani, adapted by the renowned Bulgarian bass and opera director Orlin Anastassov. The production team includes set and costume designer Denis Ivanov, choreographer Yulia Smirnova, chorus master Konstantin Rylov and principal répétiteur Yuri Kokko. The production is under the musical direction of Valery Gergiev.

The Mariinsky Theatre is rightly known as the “House of Verdi”. Its repertoire currently features fourteen operas by the composer, and Ernani will soon become the fifteenth – a brilliant addition to this unique Verdi collection.

Ernani is among Verdi’s early works. At the time the young composer – whose success after Nabucco (1842) and I Lombardi alla prima crociata (1843) was soaring – received commissions from Italy’s most prestigious theatres. For his fifth opera he chose Victor Hugo’s drama Hernani as the basis. This was Verdi’s first collaboration with librettist Francesco Maria Piave, who would go on to become one of his most trusted creative partners. From the outset the composer was deeply involved in shaping the libretto, seeking to bring the principles of dramatic theatre into opera.

Ernani premiered on 9 March 1844 at La Fenice in Venice and was met with great acclaim. Its popularity grew with each performance, and within two years the opera had conquered the stages of fourteen Italian cities and gone on to achieve international recognition. The St Petersburg premiere took place on 18 September 1846 at the Bolshoi (Stone) Theatre, presented by the Imperial Italian Opera Company. Ernani remained in the repertoire for over thirty years and was performed by both Italian and Russian artists.

Though Verdi’s later masterpieces gradually eclipsed Ernani, the opera never vanished entirely: arias and ensembles from the work continued to be performed in concert halls worldwide. In December 2024 the Mariinsky Theatre revisited the opera with a chamber version accompanied by piano. Now this emotionally charged drama returns to the stage in all its orchestral and theatrical richness – in a full-scale production by Orlin Anastassov. Much like Verdi himself, who was known to involve himself in every detail of a production – from coaching singers to advising set designers – Anastassov brings to the rehearsal process not only his directorial vision but also his deep experience as a singer, guiding performers through the material with authority and insight.

“Choosing Ernani for a Mariinsky production felt natural – there are very few Verdi operas left that the theatre hasn’t explored. I know this work intimately; I’ve sung it often and directed it before. When I proposed it to maestro Valery Gergiev, he responded immediately – the St Petersburg audience is always eager for something new and unexpected. I wanted to create something never before seen here – and I believe I’ve succeeded,” says Anastassov.

His approach to direction involves meticulous study of both the score and the libretto, reading between the lines – and between the notes. He places great emphasis on understanding the historical context, the composer’s style and the interplay between characters within musical numbers. No less important is his attentive and individual work with singers, bringing out their strengths and shaping the dramatic arc through their interpretations.

This production will make full use of the Mariinsky II’s cutting-edge technical capabilities, including a rotating stage that transforms the space before the audience’s eyes. “It will be a visually stunning production in every sense,” says Anastassov. “And extremely dynamic – with no pauses between scenes, everything unfolds continuously. Ernani may not be the most famous of Verdi’s operas, but it is a phenomenal work. I’ve approached it with enthusiasm and absolute confidence from the start – and I have no doubt the result will be magnificent.”

The premiere of Ernani takes place as part of the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights, presented with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Artistic Director of the festival is Valery Gergiev.

On 9 and 10 June the Mariinsky Ballet Company will tour the Armenian capital of Yerevan. The performances will take place on an open-air stage in Tumanyan Park. On the first evening the programme will feature one-act ballets by Michel Fokine; on the second evening audiences will enjoy a ballet divertissement drawn from masterpieces of the world repertoire. The tour will feature stars of the St Petersburg ballet stage alongside rising young artists. The Mariinsky Orchestra will be conducted by Arseny Shuplyakov.

The programme for 9 June includes Les Sylphides (known in Russia as Chopiniana) set to the music of Chopin, and Scheherazade to music by Rimsky-Korsakov. Fokine’s plotless ballet Les Sylphides, a lyrical homage to the Romantic era, was revived by Agrippina Vaganova in 1931 and continues to captivate audiences with its ethereal beauty and weightless dance. The principal roles will be performed by Maria Shirinkina, Nikita Korneyev, Camilla Mazzi and Vlada Borodulina.

Another Fokine ballet on the programme, Scheherazade, remains one of the most vivid and influential productions of the early 20^th century. Based on the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, the ballet caused a sensation at its Opéra de Paris premiere. The rich scenic designs by Léon Bakst, the groundbreaking choreography and Rimsky-Korsakov’s evocative score secured the work an enduring place in the history of ballet. The principal roles will be performed by Viktoria Tereshkina, Kimin Kim and Soslan Kulaev.

On 10 June Yerevan audiences can look forward to a colourful divertissement featuring Carmen Suite (Bizet–Shchedrin), the famous choreographic miniature The Dying Swan to music by Saint-Saëns, the Pas de deux from Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and Minkus’ Don Quixote, as well as the Pas de trois from Adan’s Le Corsaire. A special treat for residents and visitors of Yerevan will be excerpts from Khachaturian’s ballet Gayane and the Adagio from Spartacus.

The line-up of performers includes Diana Vishneva, Viktoria Tereshkina, Renata Shakirova, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Kimin Kim, Philipp Stepin, Maria Shirinkina, Roman Belyakov, Konstantin Zverev, Yevgeny Konovalov, Nikita Korneyev, Vlada Borodulina, Maxim Izmestiev, Yevgenia Savkina and Nail Khairnasov.

In June and July the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres will embark on a major series of reciprocal tours in St Petersburg and Moscow. First, however, on 9, 10 and 11 June the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev will perform at the Zaryadye Moscow Concert Hall. In this anniversary year celebrating the 185^th anniversary of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s birth, the orchestra and maestro will present a lavish programme devoted to the composer’s works. Across three evenings the complete cycle of Tchaikovsky’s numbered symphonies will be performed.

On 9 June at the Grand Hall the programme will include Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams), Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) and Piano Concerto No. 3. The 10 June programme will feature Symphony No. 2, Symphony No. 5 and Variations on a Rococo Theme for cello and orchestra. The closing concert on 11 June will present Symphony No. 3, Symphony No. 4 and the Violin Concerto. Valery Gergiev will conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra throughout the cycle.

At the end of June a major cultural exchange will take place between Russia’s two leading theatres. From 25 to 29 June, as part of the Verdi Festival at the Historic Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow audiences will see one of this season’s most acclaimed new productions from St Petersburg – Verdi’s Aida, staged by the renowned Italian director Giancarlo del Monaco. The production, which has captivated audiences since its premiere, will be performed in Moscow by Mariinsky Theatre soloists, the combined symphony orchestras of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres, and the Chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre.

Meanwhile, the Bolshoi’s New Stage will host the Mariinsky Ballet from 27 to 29 June. Moscow audiences can look forward to an evening of contemporary one-act ballets set to music by Stravinsky. The programme includes Pulcinella and Jeu de cartes choreographed by Ilya Zhivoi, as well as Dancescenes by Vyacheslav Samodurov – a vibrant choreographic interpretation of Stravinsky’s Symphony in C and one of this year’s standout dance events.

During the same period St Petersburg will welcome the long-awaited tour of the Bolshoi Ballet. From 27 to 29 June the Bolshoi Theatre troupe will present one of the most visually striking works in its repertoire – the ballet The Master and Margarita, set to music by Alfred Schnittke and Milko Lazar, choreographed by Edward Clug. The performance will take place within the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights. The cast will feature leading stars of the Bolshoi Ballet, with the celebrated Mariinsky prima ballerina Diana Vishneva dancing the role of Margarita on 28 June. Anton Grishanin will conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra.

In July Moscow audiences can look forward to a particularly special dance event – a joint project of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres: an evening of four legendary ballets by Igor Stravinsky. These iconic one-act ballets of the early 20^th century will be performed on 10 and 11 July at the Bolshoi’s Historic Stage. The programme includes The Firebird and Petrouchka in Michel Fokine’s choreography (Bolshoi Theatre), as well as The Rite of Spring in Millicent Hodson’s choreography after Vaslav Nijinsky, and Les Noces choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska (Mariinsky Theatre).

It is worth recalling that the reciprocal tours between the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres were revived in February 2024 – the first such exchange in two decades – when both companies performed on each other’s stages. In the year marking the 180^th anniversary of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s birth, the Mariinsky Opera brought The Maid of Pskov, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya and Christmas Eve to the Bolshoi Theatre. In turn, the Bolshoi presented Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride in St Petersburg. The primary outcome of nearly eighteen months of creative collaboration between the two theatres has been to give audiences in both capitals the opportunity to enjoy the finest examples of musical theatre on their home stages.

Over this period St Petersburg audiences have experienced productions of The Tsar’s Bride (Rimsky-Korsakov), Boris Godunov (Musorgsky), Luisa Miller and Rigoletto (Verdi), Béatrice et Bénédict (Berlioz), Il viaggio a Reims (Rossini) and ballets including Spartacus (Khachaturian), Jewels (set to music by Fauré, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky), Ivan the Terrible (Prokofiev), The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky–Krasavin) and Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev).

Meanwhile, Moscow audiences have seen Mariinsky Theatre productions of The Maid of Pskov, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya, Christmas Eve (Rimsky-Korsakov), Khovanshchina (Musorgsky), Ruslan and Lyudmila and A Life for the Tsar (Glinka), Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer), I puritani (Bellini), Eugene Onegin, The Enchantress and The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky), as well as Wagner’s monumental tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen. The Mariinsky Ballet’s tour at the Bolshoi Theatre featured The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Asafiev), Don Quixote (Minkus), Shurale (Yarullin), The Young Lady and the Hooligan and Leningrad Symphony to music by Shostakovich.