Interviews

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.

Each year the Music Festival Stars of the White Nights brings audiences unforgettable appearances by world-renowned artists. Among this June’s special guests will be the brilliant Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto. This season he has prepared a very special gift for St Petersburg audiences: on 15 June the singer will give a solo recital, and on 17 June he will return to the Historic Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre to perform the title role in Massenet’s Don Quichotte.

Ferruccio Furlanetto will appear at the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre on 15 June. His richly varied recital programme will include selections from both Russian and European repertoire, featuring vocal works and celebrated opera excerpts. The programme will include Vier ernste Gesänge (“Four Serious Songs”) by Brahms, Musorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death, Rachmaninoff’s In the Silence of the Secret Night and Spring Waters, arias from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro, the death scene of Don Quixote from Massenet’s Don Quichotte, the monologue of Boris from Musorgsky’s Boris Godunov, and the aria of King Philip from Verdi’s Don Carlo. At the piano: Natalia Sidorenko.

On 17 June the incomparable Italian bass will return to the stage in a full production, appearing on the Historic Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre as Don Quixote in Massenet’s opera. This production holds particular significance for the artist. He was the original performer of the title role in Yannis Kokkos’ staging, which is still in the repertoire at the theatre today. In addition, in 2012 Ferruccio Furlanetto recorded Don Quichotte with young Mariinsky Theatre soloists and the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev – a recording that was highly praised by critics and received a GRAMMY nomination. The upcoming performance will also feature Anna Kiknadze, Andrei Serov, Kira Loginova, Evelina Agabalaeva, Nikolai Yemtsov and Alexander Trofimov in the principal roles.

The 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.

Today, on 22 May, the Mariinsky Theatre opens the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights with a grand celebration. Year after year the festival draws the attention of audiences from around the world who cherish musical and theatrical art. Stars of the White Nights remains one of the most prominent and anticipated cultural events of the Mariinsky Theatre – the culmination of its entire season. This year’s festival runs from 22 May to 3 August, with events scheduled across all of the theatre’s St Petersburg stages.

The operatic programme opens with one of the most anticipated premieres of recent years – Vincenzo Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece Norma, which finally receives a new full-scale stage production. The production is directed by Sergei Novikov, with Valery Gergiev as musical director. Premieres will take place on 22, 23 and 24 May, at 13:00 and 19:00, in Mariinsky II. The title role will be sung on opening night by the magnificent Albina Shagimuratova. Also performing in the leading roles are Ekaterina Lukash, Igor Morozov, Miroslav Molchanov, Varvara Solovyova and Savva Khastaev.

The ballet programme opens on the Historic Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre with one of the most celebrated orientalist ballets in the classical repertoire – La Bayadère by Ludwig Minkus. The principal roles will be danced by a stellar cast: Victoria Tereshkina, Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim.

The first concert of the festival at the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will feature the acclaimed Stradivarius Ensemble of the Mariinsky Theatre under the baton of Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici, performing the Concerto in D for string orchestra (Basel Concerto), the suite from Stravinsky’s Pulcinella and Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.

May and June will also see performances of the season’s recent premieres in opera and ballet. On 27 and 28 May Mariinsky II will present Dance Scenes by Vyacheslav Samodurov to music by Stravinsky. The first evening’s programme includes Pulcinella and Concert Dances; the second – Pulcinella and Jeu de cartes.

Among the recent operatic premieres on the festival bill is Verdi’s Aida, directed by Giancarlo del Monaco, with performances on 13, 14 and 15 June. Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, staged by Konstantin Balakin and Alexei Stepanyuk, will be performed on 29 June.

The Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will offer audiences a rich programme of operatic masterpieces. Throughout June the stage will host productions of Puccini’s La bohème, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi and Turandot, Verdi’s Falstaff and Rigoletto, Prokofiev’s War and Peace, Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, Mozart’s Idomeneo, rè di Creta and Le nozze di Figaro, Shchedrin’s The Enchanted Wanderer and Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde.

One of the most anticipated ballet events of the festival will be a guest appearance by the Bolshoi Ballet. From 27 to 29 June the company will perform the compelling production of The Master and Margarita, set to music by Alfred Schnittke and Milko Lazar, choreographed by Edward Clug.

A highlight of the June concert calendar will be the performance by audience favourite Denis Matsuev together with the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev. On 2 June Mariinsky II will resound with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 and Prokofiev’s Symphonies Nos. 1 and 5.

The Stars of the White Nights festival brings together the best and the newest achievements of the season. It promises audiences landmark premieres, world-class performers, dazzling guest appearances, rare repertoire gems and timeless classics performed by exceptional casts. Full details are available on the Mariinsky Theatre’s official website.

The festival is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The festival’s Artistic Director is Valery Gergiev.

The Mariinsky Theatre mourns the passing of the legendary choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, who died today at the age of 98. With his departure, an entire era in the history of ballet draws to a close. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues at this time of profound sorrow.

A People’s Artist of the USSR, Hero of Socialist Labour and recipient of the Lenin Prize, State Prizes of both the USSR and the Russian Federation, as well as the Order of Lenin, the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Class) and many other distinctions, Yuri Grigorovich shaped the course of ballet history – first in the Soviet Union and later in Russia – with his own hands.

His artistic journey began in St Petersburg, within the walls of the Kirov (now Mariinsky) Theatre. After graduating from Leningrad Choreographic School in 1946, he joined the company as a dancer, soon rising to become a soloist. From 1961 to 1964 he served as a choreographer for the Mariinsky Theatre.

It was on this very stage that Grigorovich directed his first ballets – The Stone Flower (1957) and The Legend of Love (1961). To this day both productions remain in the repertoire, continuing to move audiences and captivate full houses. For the dancers performing in these works remains a cherished privilege and a profound artistic joy.

Later, as Chief Choreographer and Artistic Director of the Ballet Company at the Bolshoi Theatre, Grigorovich created many more landmark productions and mentored several generations of extraordinary dancers. Ever forward-looking and attuned to the spirit of the times, he crafted works that now form part of the golden canon of ballet. However long ago they were created, his productions astonish with their artistic vitality and relevance.
As long as Yuri Grigorovich’s legacy lives on, so too will his memory – imperishable in the hearts of all who treasure the art of ballet.

On 22 May one of the most anticipated premieres in recent years will take place on the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre: Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece Norma will finally receive its long-awaited stage production. The production is directed by the renowned stage director Sergey Novikov. The grand premiere of Norma will formally open the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights, the theatre’s most important annual event and the highlight of the season. Further performances will follow on 23 and 24 May (at 13:00 and 19:00).

A benchmark of bel canto, Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma is widely recognised as his most perfect work. The opera was deeply admired by Richard Wagner – despite his being a composer of an entirely different style and artistic ethos – and Bellini himself regarded Norma as his crowning achievement, famously saying that if he could save only one of his operas from a shipwreck, it would be Norma.

The world premiere of the opera took place on 26 December 1831 at La Scala in Milan, and it became a defining moment not only for Italian opera but for the history of music as a whole. That outcome was far from obvious at the time: the singers were exhausted from the demanding preparations, and the audience responded with caution to the innovations in musical language and dramatic structure. However, the opera’s success grew with each subsequent performance, and Norma soon began its triumphant journey across Europe’s great musical stages.

At the Bolshoi (Stone) Theatre, the forerunner of the Mariinsky, the opera was first performed in 1843 by the Imperial Italian Opera Company. At the Mariinsky Theatre, which today is known as the Historic Stage, Norma was first heard in 1861, just one year after the theatre’s new building opened.

Throughout the 20^th century Norma disappeared from the Mariinsky stage. It was only a little over a decade ago that its revival began in the theatre’s modern history. The upcoming premiere has been preceded by a series of concert performances, showcasing one of the Mariinsky’s greatest assets – the kaleidoscope of world-class voices within its opera company.

“In the world of opera, Norma truly is a benchmark of performance – a summit that, once reached, lifts both singers and theatre to a new level of artistry: a place of interpretive freedom built on proven technical mastery,” says Sergey (Gennadievich) Novikov, the director of the long-awaited staging. His acclaimed productions of Delibes’ Lakmé, Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos and Musorgsky’s Salammbô have already won over the discerning St Petersburg public.
The production’s set and costume designer is Sergey (Sergeyevich) Novikov, the director’s namesake and collaborator on the striking Ariadne auf Naxos. Lighting design is by Ruslan Mayorov, and video design by Dmitry Ivanchenko. The musical director of the production is Valery Gergiev.

The setting of the opera – as in Felice Romani’s original libretto, based on Alexandre Soumet’s French tragedy of the same name – is Roman-occupied Gaul, in the sacred grove of the Druids. Although the story is rooted in the early years of our era, its dramatic heritage reaches back to Euripides’ Medea.

“Norma is an opera about the collapse of ideals,” says director Sergey Novikov. “The very name Norma, from Latin, means ‘standard’ or ‘model’. To grasp the dramatic stakes of the plot, you must imagine a revered figure falling from her pedestal: the saint becomes a sinner, the prophetess – a deceiver, the maiden of pure beauty – the concubine of the enemy. The opera makes it clear that the desacralisation of a leader is a true national tragedy, one that verges on existential loss. And yet, alongside this story of historical conflict, Bellini writes a hymn to sacrificial love – a love that redeems and forgives all. This is the opera’s central theme.”

The roles are being prepared by a distinguished cast: Norma – Albina Shagimuratova, Maria Bayankina, Irina Churilova, Inara Kozlovskaya, Anzhelika Minasova, Ekaterina Sannikova, Yekaterina Savinkova; Adalgisa – Ekaterina Lukash, Zinaida Tsarenko, Diana Kazanlieva, Daria Ryabokon, Irina Shishkova, Daria Tereshchenko, Daria Rositskaya; Pollione – Sergei Skorokhodov, Igor Morozov, Alexander Mikhailov, Roman Shirokikh, Yaramir Nizamutdinov; Oroveso – Mikhail Petrenko, Yuri Vorobyov, Miroslav Molchanov, Maharram Huseynov, Gleb Peryazev; Clotilde – Varvara Solovyova, Mairam Sokolova; Flavio – Oleg Balashov, Savva Khastaev, Mikhail Makarov.

On 14 May the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will present the premiere of a new production of Modest Musorgsky’s comic opera Sorochintsy Fair. Directed and choreographed by Ilya Ustyantsev, the staging features sets by Yekaterina Malinina, costumes by Maria Sedykh and lighting by Vadim Brodsky. The production is conducted by Valery Gergiev.

A striking departure from the grand historical dramas that define much of Musorgsky’s legacy – Boris Godunov, Khovanshchina – Sorochintsy Fair represents one of the composer’s rare forays into lyric-comic opera. Here the tragic weight of national history gives way to the riotous spirit of Gogol’s folkloric carnival.

Musorgsky began work on the opera in 1874, drawing on Gogol’s short story of the same name from the collection Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka. The composer brought Gogol’s vibrant characters to life with musical brilliance, painting scenes of a bustling country fair and fantastical gatherings of spirits with vivid colour. He also infused the score with poetic depictions of nature and tender folk melodies. Yet, despite its promise, the opera was left unfinished at the time of his death.

Over the years, several composers attempted completions – including Rimsky-Korsakov, Lyadov, Karatygin and Cherepnin – but it was Vissarion Shebalin’s 1931–32 version, completed and orchestrated with a deep respect for Musorgsky’s idiom, that has endured. This is the version now being performed at the Mariinsky Theatre.

The opera was first heard in concert on 16 March 1911 in St Petersburg, marking the thirtieth anniversary of Musorgsky’s death. Its first staged performance followed two years later in Moscow at the Svobodny Theatre.

For this new production Ilya Ustyantsev brings both directorial vision and choreographic finesse – skills honed in numerous Mariinsky Theatre productions (The Queen of Spades, A Christmas Tale, Die Fledermaus, The Maid of Orleans, L’elisir d’amore and Adriana Lecouvreur among others). His familiarity with the Concert Hall’s unique acoustics and spatial configuration informs a production that is as musically rich as it is theatrically dynamic.

“Staging a production in this venue – with its exceptional acoustics and the close relationship between stage and audience – is both a challenge and a pleasure,” says Ustyantsev. “It offers the opportunity to stage the action not only on the main platform but across the amphitheatre and atrium, creating a fuller, more immersive experience.”

One of the opera’s most memorable passages is the Dream of the Lad scene – a poetic interlude that combines musical whimsy, lyricism and psychological nuance. Ustyantsev’s choreographic treatment of the moment highlights its surreal, introspective beauty.

The creative team has remained deeply faithful to the spirit of both Musorgsky and Gogol, drawing on the imaginative legacy of these two cultural giants. Their goal: to realise onstage the vivid palette of imagery and emotion that the composer so treasured.

“Modest Petrovich Musorgsky was, without doubt, ahead of his time,” says Ustyantsev. “Today we turn to his music with growing frequency – a testament to its profound relevance. Its richness of content, its emotional integrity, its reflection of both social and inner life, continue to resonate. In developing this production we sought to engage with Musorgsky and Gogol as creative companions. And yet our task wasn’t merely to illustrate their work – it was to explore its inner questions: What matters most to these characters? Is life about profit and gain – or about preserving the soul, and the ties that bind us?”

On 20 April the Mariinsky Ballet Company will perform for the first time at the Erik Sapaev Mari State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Yoshkar-Ola. This landmark appearance will serve as the official opening of the All-Russian Competition for Ballet Artists and Choreographers. Audiences will be treated to an evening of celebrated one-act ballets by Michel Fokine: Chopiniana, Le Spectre de la rose, The Dying Swan and Scheherazade, performed by leading soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre.

Chopiniana, set to the music of Frédéric Chopin, is an homage to the Romantic era of ballet – a celebration of the ethereal dance tradition inspired by antique engravings of the first sylph, the legendary Marie Taglioni. The ballet, originally a plotless vignette choreographed by Fokine, premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre on 8 March 1908. Revived by Agrippina Vaganova in 1931, it continues to captivate St Petersburg audiences to this day. The principal roles in Yoshkar-Ola will be danced by Oxana Skorik, Timur Askerov, Camilla Mazzi and Bíborka Lendvai.

The idea for Le Spectre de la rose, choreographed to music by Carl Maria von Weber, came to Fokine after reading a Romantic poem by Théophile Gautier. Created in 1911 for the Ballets Russes, the ballet – a vision of fleeting beauty – became one of the most iconic works of the Diaghilev company.
In the upcoming performance Camilla Mazzi and Ramanbek Beishenaliev will appear in the leading roles.

The briefest of the evening’s works – lasting just four minutes – yet also its most iconic, The Dying Swan became a symbol of modern Russian ballet. Fokine called it “proof that dance should not merely please the eye but touch the soul”.
Created in collaboration with Anna Pavlova to music by Camille Saint-Saëns, the miniature united technical perfection with emotional depth, giving life to the lyrical and tragic image of the white swan. First performed on 22 December 1907 at the Mariinsky Theatre, it continues to mesmerise audiences today.
The role will be performed by Kristina Shapran.

Scheherazade premiered to sensational acclaim during the 1910 Ballets Russes season in Paris. The lush symphonic palette of Rimsky-Korsakov’s music, the rich imagery of The Arabian Nights, the vivid Orientalist designs by Léon Bakst and Fokine’s unprecedented movement vocabulary turned the ballet into an instant phenomenon and a cornerstone of modern ballet history.
At the Mariinsky Theatre today Scheherazade is presented in Andris Liepa’s 1994 reconstruction.
The leading roles in Yoshkar-Ola will be danced by Nadezhda Batoeva, Konstantin Zverev and Soslan Kulaev.

On 25, 26 (at 12:00 and 19:00) and 27 April (at 12:00 and 19:00) the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia will return to Mariinsky II with a series of guest performances. Every visit by the Moscow company is a highlight for St Petersburg audiences, and this time they will be treated to one of the Bolshoi Theatre’s recent opera premieres – Verdi’s Rigoletto, staged by the renowned Italian director Giancarlo del Monaco, who previously captivated local audiences with his production of Aida. Leading roles will be performed by star singers from both the Bolshoi and Mariinsky companies. The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra will be conducted by Anton Grishanin.

The libretto for Rigoletto is based on Victor Hugo’s controversial play Le Roi s’amuse, which was banned by French censors. Verdi foresaw the difficulties such a plot might provoke, yet he refused to abandon it. In a letter to librettist Francesco Maria Piave he wrote: “The subject is immense, powerful; the main character is one of the greatest creations that the theatre – of any time or nation – can boast of.” Verdi saw the dramatic potential of the central figure and considered him worthy of comparison with Shakespearean heroes.

Bringing the work to the stage, however, required tremendous effort. Even before it was completed, the opera faced an outright ban. Characters had to be renamed, and the libretto was revised multiple times to satisfy both the composer and the censors.

The world premiere of Rigoletto took place on 11 March 1851 at Venice’s Teatro La Fenice and was an immediate triumph. Critics praised its bold narrative and musical innovation, and the next day audiences were already singing the Duke’s famous canzone in the streets. The work quickly spread to Bergamo, Treviso, Rome, Trieste and Verona, and by 1852 it had begun its victorious journey across the world.

The Russian premiere was held in St Petersburg on 31 January 1853 at the Bolshoi (Kamenny) Theatre – the forerunner of today’s Mariinsky – performed by the Imperial Italian Opera Company. Three years later, in 1856, it was staged in Moscow. By 1859 it had entered the repertoire of the Imperial Russian Opera Companies in both capitals.

Today Verdi’s Rigoletto remains one of the most beloved operatic masterpieces worldwide. Its unforgettable melodies and emotional intensity continue to inspire directors, offering rich possibilities for reinterpretation – from searing psychological drama to philosophical parable or biting social satire.

In 2024 the Bolshoi Theatre presented a new production directed by Giancarlo del Monaco, marking his debut with the theatre. Scenic design was created by Antonio Romero, a Spanish artist known for his inventive and architectural stage visions. Costumes – inspired by high Italian fashion – were designed by Gabriela Salaverri. This creative team is already familiar to St Petersburg audiences: the same trio delivered the Mariinsky Theatre’s lavish new staging of Aida, premiered in February this year.

Del Monaco has set the action in the present day. “This is a story that could happen at any time, in any era,” says the director. “What mattered to me most was to show real, contemporary people on stage – flesh and blood – so that audiences might recognise themselves in them.”

Cast highlights for the St Petersburg performances:

25 April
Elchin Azizov, Guzel Sharipova, Alexey Tatarintsev, Yuri Vlasov, Alina Csertás, Mikhail Kazakov

26 April, 12:00
Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Yekaterina Savinkova, Roman Shirokikh, Alexander Borodin, Daria Belousova, Denis Makarov

26 April, 19:00
Elchin Azizov, Guzel Sharipova, Sergei Skorokhodov, Yuri Vlasov, Yulia Mazurova, Mikhail Kazakov

27 April, 12:00
Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Yekaterina Savinkova, Pavel Petrov, Daniil Akimov, Daria Belousova, Denis Makarov

27 April, 19:00
Vladislav Sulimsky, Guzel Sharipova, Alexey Tatarintsev, Yuri Vlasov, Alina Csertás, Vladislav Popov

This April and May the prestigious Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre will tour Russia with performances on the two foremost stages of the country – the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. The celebrated Chinese company will present its original dance drama, Wing Chun, Legend of Kung-Fu Master, to audiences in both capitals.

Performances will take place on 25 and 26 April (at 12:00 and 19:00) at the Historic Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre and on 30 April and 1 May (at 12:00 and 18:00) at Mariinsky II. These appearances mark a significant cultural event for both Russia and China, strengthening bonds of friendship and supporting an active cultural exchange during the 2025 Cross Year of Culture declared by the two countries.

Wing Chun, Legend of Kung-Fu Master is a dance drama that merges martial arts with choreography. This visually striking production combines choreographed combat, dynamic movement and sweeping storytelling across eras – transporting the audience from the late 20^th century to the depths of China’s cultural legacy.

The performance unfolds along two parallel storylines. One follows the life of Master Yip Man, who travels to Hong Kong to spread his martial art style. The other immerses the audience in the world of the 1990s Shenzhen Film Studio, where a movie inspired by Yip Man’s legacy is being produced.

While centred on a Chinese hero, the production also pays tribute to everyday people. It is a tale of striving toward ideals – one that unites the expressive beauty of dance with the mesmerising precision of traditional martial arts, making for a truly distinctive work of theatre.

The world premiere of Wing Chun took place in China in late 2022. Since then the production has been performed 242 times across 47 cities and 57 theatres worldwide – including prestigious venues such as Sadler’s Wells in London and the Palais des Congrès de Paris.

Founded on 28 March 2018, the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre includes an opera company, a dance troupe and a chorus – comprising a total of 140 artists. The ensemble has participated in numerous major events, including the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Spring Festival gala concerts broadcast by China Central Television (2019), the Shenzhen Spring Festival Gala (2019–2024) and celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (2020).

Today the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre is regarded as one of China’s most respected cultural institutions, seamlessly blending traditional Chinese aesthetics with the latest trends in global performing arts. Among its original productions are the operas Daughter of the Earth and The Pioneer and the contemporary dance drama Dream Hunter as well as Wing Chun, which will soon be unveiled to audiences in Russia’s two great cultural capitals.