• Young talents: prize-winners of the XVI International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition
• Ballet on a tour: Washington D.C.
• Orchestra on a tour: Amsterdam, Khanty-Mansiysk, Irkutsk, Yakutsk
• Opera on a tour: Tokyo
• The Nutcracker: marking 10 years of the production by Mihail Chemiakin

This month our theater presents an unusual project: a series of five concerts by the prize-winners of the XVI International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition. Each of the five evenings, from 6 to 22 February, the stage of the Mariinsky Concert Hall will see a solo recital by one of the young artists, a prize-winner of the competition. Winners of this international competition, which have proven the authenticity and the triumph of Russian school of music, will present a wide range of classical masterpieces of piano repertoire.

A series of performances by the five finalists during one month don’t just show a new initiative, but also reflect the policy of the Mariinsky Theatre, aimed at supporting young artists and providing them with unique opportunities to perform at, admittedly the best, in terms of acoustics, musical venue in Russia.

Next week, during the six evenings the ballet troupe of our theater will present a performance of Giselle whilst on our traditional tour to Washington D.C. Tours by the Mariinsky Ballet (annual) and the Mariinsky Opera (biennial) are held on stage of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on a regular basis and form an important cultural initiative aimed at strengthening cultural relations and partnership between Russia and the United States. Seven shows of Giselle, starring a variety of casts, from experienced to young artists, aroused a great interest among the public — the majority of tickets were sold in record time since the sales started in December 2010. The most dedicated fans of our theater have told us about their plans to make a special trip to Washington D.C. to attend our performances. Thanks, enjoy!

A large-scale tour by the Symphony Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre starts next week. Wide geography of this tour includes world-class concerts halls, such as Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, as well as some Russian cities where the performance of the orchestra of such level is a rare but very welcome event. In each of the three cities of the upcoming tour: Khanty-Mansiysk, Irkutsk (we will visit them on the way from Amsterdam to Japan), and Yakutsk (will visit on the way from Japan to St Petersburg) our Orchestra had already performed in the past.

For two nights of this tour in Amsterdam, we will participate in the Russia festival, presenting the last two symphonies by Shostakovich, as well as works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Stravinsky. In Russian cities we will play a range of masterpieces of Russian and Western European classics. These concerts will be featuring pianist Denis Matsuev and cellist Sergei Roldugin. All concerts on this tour will be conducted by Valery Gergiev.

A major tour by the opera company of our theater will start in Tokyo at the end of next week. The unusual thing of this tour is that, during the nine days we shall perform at the three greatest halls of the Japanese capital, presenting a variety of completely different music programs. Operas by Richard Strauss Die Frau ohne Schatten and Giacomo Puccini Turandot, regularly performed in the repertoire of our theater will be presented in staged performances, directed, respectively, by Jonathan Kent and Charles Roubaud. Two concert programs in Tokyo will present a great masterpiece by Berlioz, his opera Les Troyens and also highlights from Wagner’s operas. A concert in Yokohama will feature the brightest samples of Russian classical music. Such vivid and intense touring shows a high demand for our theater in Japan. Valery Gergiev will conduct all performances and concerts.

Exactly 10 years ago, within the framework of the First International Ballet Festival Mariinsky, on 12 February 2001, The Nutcracker, a ballet by Tchaikovsky, was presented in its new version, choreographed by Kirill Simonov. The famous artist Mihail Chemiakin proposed a new, in many ways revolutionary staging and production design, which transmit the very special spirit of E.T.A.Hoffmann’s tales. This production demands one to seriously think about important life values. 10 years of this production showed its high popularity, and dispelled the myth that The Nutcracker is exclusively a Christmas tale for little kids. For many adults, the production by Mihail Chemiakin became an opportunity to open the new faces of the wise tales of E.T.A.Hoffmann.