The Mariinsky`s Stars of the White Nights International Music Festival directed by Valery Gergiev was held from May 24 to July 17, in St Petersburg for the thirtieth time.

Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, Puccini's opera Manon Lescaut and a concert by French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard open the Mariinsky Theatre's Stars of the White Nights festival on 27 May. St Petersburg's foremost summer music festival will run until 15 August 2021.

The newest and greatest achievements of performers over the course of the season, premieres, appearances by guest stars, recitals by outstanding vocalists and instrumentalists and evenings of chamber music await festival guests. Valery Gergiev is the event's Artistic Director.

About "The Stars of the White Nights" Festivals

Artistic Director – Maestro Valery Gergiev
Mariinsky Theatre, New Theatre and Concert Hall

The Stars of the White Nights is one of the brightest stars of the music and theatre universe and has emerged to be one of the most popular and grandiose music forums in its context and scale.The Stars of the White Nights Festival was created in 1993 by Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Theatre Artistic and General Director. Maestro Gergiev says that he conceived the first Festival as a "musical gift" to the city from the Mariinsky and its star-artists. From the very beginning the Festival has been focused on the masterpieces of the world's music discovering for its audience some rarely performed or undeservedly forgotten pieces.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival has gained in strength, popularity and international acclaim. The duration for the Festival it has expanded from ten days to three months during the last sixteen year. Renowned conductors and star-artists take as great honour the invitation to perform at the Stars of the White Nights. Each year the Festival programme includes the Theater's finest opera and ballet productions, great symphonic works, masterpieces of chamber music and new premieres. 

During the last years the Festival programme has included the works created by the great classical composers – Beethoven symphonies, Prokofiev's and Tchaikovsky's operas, ballets and symphony music. Major events at the Stars have included the production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, in addition to the Shostakovich and Mahler Symphonies series.

This festival is a must for ballet, opera and classical music amateurs. The annual Stars of the White Nights Festival takes an inspiration for its name from the short summer season when the sun never sets, and the beauty of St-Petersburg White Nights contributes to the festival's special atmosphere and its world-class programme of concerts, as audience comes out of the historic theatre at midnight into daylight to stroll along the streets of the theatrical setting of St Petersburg.

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XVIII International Ballet Festival MARIINSKY

21-31 March 2019 

Artistic Director of the Festival – Valery Gergiev

The international ballet festival is one of the most significant events in the ballet season, drawing ballet-lovers from all over the world to St Petersburg. The main strategy of the festival is to attract stars of world ballet to Russia’s cultural capital. Regu lar participants in the festival include Mariinsky Theatre stars Diana Vishneva, Ulyana Lopatkina, Alina Somova, Viktoria Tereshkina, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Igor Zelensky, Leonid Sarafanov, Andrian Fadeyev and Vladimir Shklyarov. Since it was established, the Mariinsky international ballet festival has seen performances by such internationally acclaimed stars as Vladimir Malakhov, Agnes Letestu, Aurelie Dupont, Mathieu Ganio (Opera National de Paris), Roberto Bolle, Maria Kowroski, Manuel Legris, Alina Cojocaru, Johan Kobborg, Paloma Herrera, Nikolai Tsiskaridze and Svetlana Zakharova at the theatre. In line with tradition, each festival opens with a ballet premiere and it concludes with a gala concert featuring stars of international ballet. 


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MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL 2019: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
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The international festival CONTEXT. Diana Vishneva provides access to the best practices of contemporary dance. Each year the festival brings world premieres, unique collaborations, and critically acclaimed productions created by both recognized and emerging choreographers to the Russian audience. The festival also features documentary film screenings and a broad educational programme.

The festival takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia, on the famed Arts Square in the heart of the city. This magnificent square designed by Italian architect Carlo Rossi is home to the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, the State Russian Museum, the Mussorgsky Theatre, the Ethnographic Museum and the Grand Hotel Europe. Presiding over it all is the imposing monument of Alexandre Pushkin, Russia’s most famous bard.

The XVII International Winter Festival "Arts Square", will be held from December 14 – 25, 2016.
The atmosphere of one of the most European of Russian cities complements this year’s program which represents the European classics.

The Arts Square Festival, to be held in December 2016, has invites the best musicians of the world – interpreters of music of different eras, genres and styles. Among them – Denis Matsuev, Sarah Chang, Mihaela Martin, Momo Kodama, Julia Fischer, Alexander Malofeev, Alexander Knyazev, Miroslav Kultyshev and the others.

MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL 2014: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
ARCHIVE: 2013 | 2012| 2011| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

The festival takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia, on the famed Arts Square in the heart of the city. This magnificent square designed by Italian architect Carlo Rossi is home to the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, the State Russian Museum, the Mussorgsky Theatre, the Ethnographic Museum and the Grand Hotel Europe. Presiding over it all is the imposing monument of Alexandre Pushkin, Russia’s most famous bard.

The XVI International Winter Festival "Arts Square", will be held from December 13 – 25, 2015.
The atmosphere of one of the most European of Russian cities complements this year’s program which represents the European classics.

The Arts Square Festival, to be held in December 2015, has invites the best musicians of the world – interpreters of music of different eras, genres and styles. Among them – Boris Berezovsky, Alina Pogostkina, Yuja Wang, Ildar Abdrazakov, Peter Donohoe, Alexander Ghindin, Olga Peretyatko and the others.

About "The Stars of the White Nights" Festivals

Artistic Director – Maestro Valery Gergiev
Mariinsky Theatre, New Theatre and Concert Hall

The Stars of the White Nights is one of the brightest stars of the music and theatre universe and has emerged to be one of the most popular and grandiose music forums in its context and scale.The Stars of the White Nights Festival was created in 1993 by Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Theatre Artistic and General Director. Maestro Gergiev says that he conceived the first Festival as a "musical gift" to the city from the Mariinsky and its star-artists. From the very beginning the Festival has been focused on the masterpieces of the world's music discovering for its audience some rarely performed or undeservedly forgotten pieces.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival has gained in strength, popularity and international acclaim. The duration for the Festival it has expanded from ten days to three months during the last sixteen year. Renowned conductors and star-artists take as great honour the invitation to perform at the Stars of the White Nights. Each year the Festival programme includes the Theater's finest opera and ballet productions, great symphonic works, masterpieces of chamber music and new premieres. 

During the last years the Festival programme has included the works created by the great classical composers – Beethoven symphonies, Prokofiev's and Tchaikovsky's operas, ballets and symphony music. Major events at the Stars have included the production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, in addition to the Shostakovich and Mahler Symphonies series.

This festival is a must for ballet, opera and classical music amateurs. The annual Stars of the White Nights Festival takes an inspiration for its name from the short summer season when the sun never sets, and the beauty of St-Petersburg White Nights contributes to the festival's special atmosphere and its world-class programme of concerts, as audience comes out of the historic theatre at midnight into daylight to stroll along the streets of the theatrical setting of St Petersburg.

WHITE NIGHTS 2015: Mariinsky Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
ARCHIVE:  2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | History (before 2001)

MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL 2014: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
ARCHIVE: 2013 | 2012| 2011| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL 2014: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
ARCHIVE: 2013 | 2012| 2011| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

The Arts Square Festival, to be held in December 2014, has invites the best musicians of the world – interpreters of music of different eras, genres and styles. Among them – the winners of the Grammy award, Joshua Bell and the Berlin Academy for Early Music, pianist Boris Berezovsky, and Alexei Lyubimov and German Ensemble Recherche, my colleagues, Alexander Dmitriev, Nikolai Alekseev and Vladimir Jurowski who will come to Saint Petersburg for the first time together with the Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra

The Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre is presenting a new series of the Contemporary Piano Faces international festival – there will be concerts together with the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev as well as recital programmes by unique musicians from various generations and different schools who all have their own “voice”, unlike that of any other performer: Denis Matsuev, Christian Blackshaw, Goran Filipec, Ohad Ben-Ari, Vladimir Milosevic, Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua, Nikita Abrosimov, Ignasi Cambra, Sangwon Kim, Edisher Savitski and Vakhtang Kodanashvili.

Denis Matsuev: “It was a wonderful initiative on behalf of Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre to establish a festival with such a wonderful and subtle name as Contemporary Piano Faces in order to come together and present audiences with utterly different piano schools from all over the world.
“Of course, it is important to understand that the Soviet (Russian) piano school is, in my opinion, the best; first and foremost, it brought to life the art of singing on the piano, it existed in the “closed” USSR in a kind of detached manner. Today young pianists have the opportunity to take master classes and change their teachers. And so the various piano schools, including the Russian one, have mixed together. And I believe there’s something positive about that.
“At the Contemporary Piano Faces festival you will be able to see different generations and different schools. That is just great, because piano music is tremendously popular throughout the world.”

Valery Gergiev has stated that the festival’s task is to invite musicians to St Petersburg who have already won international acclaim but who are, as yet, less well known in Russia and to introduce new names and clear the path for young talents as well as to popularise piano music.

MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL 2014: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
ARCHIVE: 2013 | 2012| 2011| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

The festival presents the greatest operas and ballets based on Russian fairytales at the Mariinsky Theatre, masterpieces of Russian symphony music and vocal programmes at the Concert Hall. The festival strives to revive the traditions of the secular Maslenitsa celebrations with vivid and colourful performances, balls and concerts that are open to all.

Russia’s most ancient and beloved festival of Maslenitsa (Shrovetide) was celebrated on a grand scale in the pre-Revolutionary capital. The merriments of Maslenitsa visited every home and every family. The aristocracy, government officials, the intelligentsia and city residents at large were all involved. In Tsaritsino Park and at the Admiralty there were public celebrations throughout Maslenitsa week, palaces and townhouses hosted dances and masked balls and theatre playbills dazzled with the titles of the finest productions.
Several years ago the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of Maslenitsa celebrations. The festival programme invariably includes the finest productions, among them works based on fairytales as well as vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of open-to-all performances, which were run by the Imperial Theatres during Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of charity concerts.
Reviving the primordially Russian tradition of Maslenitsa student balls, the Mariinsky Theatre and the St Petersburg University have, for several years now, been inviting students to take part in bidding farewell to winter.
The programme of the university ball includes public entertainment, dancing, music (featuring Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes and fireworks.
Last season the festival’s motto was Igor Stravinsky. Audiences had the opportunity to see a broad ranging retrospective of the composer’s music.
Valery Gergiev said that “Maslenitsa itself in Russia is a phenomenon, I believe, that is dear to us all on some subconscious level. We didn’t see with our own eyes the stunning festivities of the early 20^th century, when the young Stravinsky was probably enchanted by the atmosphere of Maslenitsa. It is not by chance that one can sense – in so many of his works – the biting frost, the snow, the merriment, probably very tasty food and a good time had by all. And he was able to convey this very well in his wonderful music.” Maslenitsa at the Mariinsky is also a festival of stars. Regular participating performers include the acclaimed pianists Denis Matsuev and Alexei Volodin and the renowned violinists Sergey Khachatryan and Vadim Repin.
The Maslenitsa music festival, which brings together folkloric traditions and the “society glamour” of the Imperial theatre, will be taking place this season at the Mariinsky Theatre and the Concert Hall for the seventh time.

The Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre is presenting a new series of the Contemporary Piano Faces international festival – there will be concerts together with the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev as well as recital programmes by unique musicians from various generations and different schools who all have their own “voice”, unlike that of any other performer: Denis Matsuev, Christian Blackshaw, Goran Filipec, Ohad Ben-Ari, Vladimir Milosevic, Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua, Nikita Abrosimov, Ignasi Cambra, Sangwon Kim, Edisher Savitski and Vakhtang Kodanashvili.

Denis Matsuev: “It was a wonderful initiative on behalf of Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre to establish a festival with such a wonderful and subtle name as Contemporary Piano Faces in order to come together and present audiences with utterly different piano schools from all over the world.
“Of course, it is important to understand that the Soviet (Russian) piano school is, in my opinion, the best; first and foremost, it brought to life the art of singing on the piano, it existed in the “closed” USSR in a kind of detached manner. Today young pianists have the opportunity to take master classes and change their teachers. And so the various piano schools, including the Russian one, have mixed together. And I believe there’s something positive about that.
“At the Contemporary Piano Faces festival you will be able to see different generations and different schools. That is just great, because piano music is tremendously popular throughout the world.”

Valery Gergiev has stated that the festival’s task is to invite musicians to St Petersburg who have already won international acclaim but who are, as yet, less well known in Russia and to introduce new names and clear the path for young talents as well as to popularise piano music.

The Arts Square Festival, to be held in December 2012, has invites the best musicians of the world – interpreters of music of different eras, genres and styles. Among them – the winners of the Grammy award, Joshua Bell and the Berlin Academy for Early Music, pianist Boris Berezovsky, and Alexei Lyubimov and German Ensemble Recherche, my colleagues, Alexander Dmitriev, Nikolai Alekseev and Vladimir Jurowski who will come to Saint Petersburg for the first time together with the Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra

The Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre is presenting a new series of the Contemporary Piano Faces international festival – there will be concerts together with the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev as well as recital programmes by unique musicians from various generations and different schools who all have their own “voice”, unlike that of any other performer: Denis Matsuev, Christian Blackshaw, Goran Filipec, Ohad Ben-Ari, Vladimir Milosevic, Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua, Nikita Abrosimov, Ignasi Cambra, Sangwon Kim, Edisher Savitski and Vakhtang Kodanashvili.

Denis Matsuev: “It was a wonderful initiative on behalf of Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre to establish a festival with such a wonderful and subtle name as Contemporary Piano Faces in order to come together and present audiences with utterly different piano schools from all over the world.
“Of course, it is important to understand that the Soviet (Russian) piano school is, in my opinion, the best; first and foremost, it brought to life the art of singing on the piano, it existed in the “closed” USSR in a kind of detached manner. Today young pianists have the opportunity to take master classes and change their teachers. And so the various piano schools, including the Russian one, have mixed together. And I believe there’s something positive about that.
“At the Contemporary Piano Faces festival you will be able to see different generations and different schools. That is just great, because piano music is tremendously popular throughout the world.”

Valery Gergiev has stated that the festival’s task is to invite musicians to St Petersburg who have already won international acclaim but who are, as yet, less well known in Russia and to introduce new names and clear the path for young talents as well as to popularise piano music.

The festival presents the greatest operas and ballets based on Russian fairytales at the Mariinsky Theatre, masterpieces of Russian symphony music and vocal programmes at the Concert Hall. The festival strives to revive the traditions of the secular Maslenitsa celebrations with vivid and colourful performances, balls and concerts that are open to all.

Russia’s most ancient and beloved festival of Maslenitsa (Shrovetide) was celebrated on a grand scale in the pre-Revolutionary capital. The merriments of Maslenitsa visited every home and every family. The aristocracy, government officials, the intelligentsia and city residents at large were all involved. In Tsaritsino Park and at the Admiralty there were public celebrations throughout Maslenitsa week, palaces and townhouses hosted dances and masked balls and theatre playbills dazzled with the titles of the finest productions.
Several years ago the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of Maslenitsa celebrations. The festival programme invariably includes the finest productions, among them works based on fairytales as well as vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of open-to-all performances, which were run by the Imperial Theatres during Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of charity concerts.
Reviving the primordially Russian tradition of Maslenitsa student balls, the Mariinsky Theatre and the St Petersburg University have, for several years now, been inviting students to take part in bidding farewell to winter.
The programme of the university ball includes public entertainment, dancing, music (featuring Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes and fireworks.
Last season the festival’s motto was Igor Stravinsky. Audiences had the opportunity to see a broad ranging retrospective of the composer’s music.
Valery Gergiev said that “Maslenitsa itself in Russia is a phenomenon, I believe, that is dear to us all on some subconscious level. We didn’t see with our own eyes the stunning festivities of the early 20^th century, when the young Stravinsky was probably enchanted by the atmosphere of Maslenitsa. It is not by chance that one can sense – in so many of his works – the biting frost, the snow, the merriment, probably very tasty food and a good time had by all. And he was able to convey this very well in his wonderful music.” Maslenitsa at the Mariinsky is also a festival of stars. Regular participating performers include the acclaimed pianists Denis Matsuev and Alexei Volodin and the renowned violinists Sergey Khachatryan and Vadim Repin.
The Maslenitsa music festival, which brings together folkloric traditions and the “society glamour” of the Imperial theatre, will be taking place this season at the Mariinsky Theatre and the Concert Hall for the seventh time.

MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL 2013: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
ARCHIVE: 2012| 2011| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

The Arts Square Festival, to be held in December 2012, has invites the best musicians of the world – interpreters of music of different eras, genres and styles. Among them – the winners of the Grammy award, Joshua Bell and the Berlin Academy for Early Music, pianist Boris Berezovsky, and Alexei Lyubimov and German Ensemble Recherche, my colleagues, Alexander Dmitriev, Nikolai Alekseev and Vladimir Jurowski who will come to Saint Petersburg for the first time together with the Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra

The festival presents the greatest operas and ballets based on Russian fairytales at the Mariinsky Theatre, masterpieces of Russian symphony music and vocal programmes at the Concert Hall. The festival strives to revive the traditions of the secular Maslenitsa celebrations with vivid and colourful performances, balls and concerts that are open to all.

Russia’s most ancient and beloved festival of Maslenitsa (Shrovetide) was celebrated on a grand scale in the pre-Revolutionary capital. The merriments of Maslenitsa visited every home and every family. The aristocracy, government officials, the intelligentsia and city residents at large were all involved. In Tsaritsino Park and at the Admiralty there were public celebrations throughout Maslenitsa week, palaces and townhouses hosted dances and masked balls and theatre playbills dazzled with the titles of the finest productions.
Several years ago the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of Maslenitsa celebrations. The festival programme invariably includes the finest productions, among them works based on fairytales as well as vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of open-to-all performances, which were run by the Imperial Theatres during Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of charity concerts.
Reviving the primordially Russian tradition of Maslenitsa student balls, the Mariinsky Theatre and the St Petersburg University have, for several years now, been inviting students to take part in bidding farewell to winter.
The programme of the university ball includes public entertainment, dancing, music (featuring Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes and fireworks.
Last season the festival’s motto was Igor Stravinsky. Audiences had the opportunity to see a broad ranging retrospective of the composer’s music.
Valery Gergiev said that “Maslenitsa itself in Russia is a phenomenon, I believe, that is dear to us all on some subconscious level. We didn’t see with our own eyes the stunning festivities of the early 20^th century, when the young Stravinsky was probably enchanted by the atmosphere of Maslenitsa. It is not by chance that one can sense – in so many of his works – the biting frost, the snow, the merriment, probably very tasty food and a good time had by all. And he was able to convey this very well in his wonderful music.” Maslenitsa at the Mariinsky is also a festival of stars. Regular participating performers include the acclaimed pianists Denis Matsuev and Alexei Volodin and the renowned violinists Sergey Khachatryan and Vadim Repin.
The Maslenitsa music festival, which brings together folkloric traditions and the “society glamour” of the Imperial theatre, will be taking place this season at the Mariinsky Theatre and the Concert Hall for the seventh time.

Traditionally, the festival participants are the star performers of the musical world linked with Maestro Temirkanov and the St. Petersburg Philharmonia by longtime creative and friendly ties. However, the festival also presents new names: this year’s "Arts Square" will once again see the return of John Lill and Yefim Bronfman, Natalia Gutman and Elisso Virsaladze. On the other hand, for the first time, St. Petersburg will hear Leo Nucci and Roberto Aronika, Giuseppe Albanese and Aimi Kobayashi.

The festival presents the greatest operas and ballets based on Russian fairytales at the Mariinsky Theatre, masterpieces of Russian symphony music and vocal programmes at the Concert Hall. The festival strives to revive the traditions of the secular Maslenitsa celebrations with vivid and colourful performances, balls and concerts that are open to all.

Russia’s most ancient and beloved festival of Maslenitsa (Shrovetide) was celebrated on a grand scale in the pre-Revolutionary capital. The merriments of Maslenitsa visited every home and every family. The aristocracy, government officials, the intelligentsia and city residents at large were all involved. In Tsaritsino Park and at the Admiralty there were public celebrations throughout Maslenitsa week, palaces and townhouses hosted dances and masked balls and theatre playbills dazzled with the titles of the finest productions.
Several years ago the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of Maslenitsa celebrations. The festival programme invariably includes the finest productions, among them works based on fairytales as well as vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of open-to-all performances, which were run by the Imperial Theatres during Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of charity concerts.
Reviving the primordially Russian tradition of Maslenitsa student balls, the Mariinsky Theatre and the St Petersburg University have, for several years now, been inviting students to take part in bidding farewell to winter.
The programme of the university ball includes public entertainment, dancing, music (featuring Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes and fireworks.
Last season the festival’s motto was Igor Stravinsky. Audiences had the opportunity to see a broad ranging retrospective of the composer’s music.
Valery Gergiev said that “Maslenitsa itself in Russia is a phenomenon, I believe, that is dear to us all on some subconscious level. We didn’t see with our own eyes the stunning festivities of the early 20^th century, when the young Stravinsky was probably enchanted by the atmosphere of Maslenitsa. It is not by chance that one can sense – in so many of his works – the biting frost, the snow, the merriment, probably very tasty food and a good time had by all. And he was able to convey this very well in his wonderful music.” Maslenitsa at the Mariinsky is also a festival of stars. Regular participating performers include the acclaimed pianists Denis Matsuev and Alexei Volodin and the renowned violinists Sergey Khachatryan and Vadim Repin.
The Maslenitsa music festival, which brings together folkloric traditions and the “society glamour” of the Imperial theatre, will be taking place this season at the Mariinsky Theatre and the Concert Hall for the seventh time.

The festival will see performances by Alina Cojocaru ( Royal Opera House, Covent Garden ), David Hallberg and Daniil Simkin ( American Ballet Theatre ), Polina Semionova ( Staatsballett Berlin ), Mathieu Ganio ( Opera de Paris ), leading Bolshoi Theatre soloists Natalia Osipova, Svetlana Zakharova, Maria Alexandrova and Andrei Uvarov and lead Mariinsky Theatre Diana Vishneva, Ulyana Lopatkina, Alina Somova, Viktoria Teryoshkina, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Igor Zelensky, Leonid Sarafanov, Andrian Fadeyev and Vladimir Shklyarov.

In line with tradition, the festival opens with a premiere. This year it will be Rodion Shchedrin’s ballet Anna Karenina with choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, making it the ballet master’s latest work for the Mariinsky Theatre. In the premiere performances the lead roles will be performed by Diana Vishneva ( 15 April ) and Ulyana Lopatkina ( 16 April ), two outstanding Mariinsky Theatre ballerinas with different artistic temperaments and performing styles. They will be partnered by Andrian Fadeyev ( 15 April ) and Yuri Smekalov ( 16 April ).
More information

MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL 2010: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet theatre | Mariinsky hall plan | Mariinsky Slide Show | Mariinsky 3D View | About Valery Gergiev
ARCHIVE: 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

Maslenitsa, or Pancake Week, one of Russia`s most traditional festivals, was celebrated in style in the country`s pre-Revolutionary capital. Maslenitsa festivities entered every home and were welcomed by every family. The most august figures and officials, the intelligentsia and the city`s nobles all took part in the revelry. Throughout Maslenitsa, Tsaritsino Meadow and the Admiralty Gardens played host to folk celebrations, and in the city`s palaces and mansions there were parties and masked balls, with theatre playbills listing the finest productions.
Several years ago the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of Maslenitsa festivities. The Festival programme invariably includes wonderful productions, among them works based on fairy-tales as well as interesting vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of open-to-all celebrations established by the Imperial Theatres for Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of charity concerts. The Mariinsky Theatre and the University of St Petersburg have revived the ancient Russian tradition of Pancake Week, organising student balls for several years now, to bid farewell to winter. The University programme includes parties, dancing, music (with Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes, fireworks and, of course, the burning of the straw scarecrow of Maslenitsa.

The Stars of the White Nights is one of the brightest stars of the music and theatre universe and has emerged to be one of the most popular and grandiose music forums in its context and scale.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival was created in 1993 by Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Theatre Artistic and General Director.Maestro Gergiev says that he conceived the first Festival as a "musical gift" to the city from the Mariinsky and its star-artists. From the very beginning the Festival has been focused on the masterpieces of the world’s music discovering for its audience some rarely performed or undeservedly forgotten pieces.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival has gained in strength, popularity and international acclaim. The duration for the Festival it has expanded from ten days to three months during the last sixteen year. Renowned conductors and star-artists take as great honour the invitation to perform at the Stars of the White Nights. Each year the Festival programme includes the Theater’s finest opera and ballet productions, great symphonic works, masterpieces of chamber music and new premieres.

During the last years the Festival programme has included the works created by the great classical composers – Beethoven symphonies, Prokofiev's and Tchaikovsky's operas, ballets and symphony music. Major events at the Stars have included the production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, in addition to the Shostakovich and Mahler Symphonies series.

This festival is a must for ballet, opera and classical music amateurs. The annual Stars of the White Nights Festival takes an inspiration for its name from the short summer season when the sun never sets, and the beauty of St-Petersburg White Nights contributes to the festival’s special atmosphere and its world-class programme of concerts, as audience comes out of the historic theatre at midnight into daylight to stroll along the streets of the theatrical setting of St Petersburg.

The International Ballet Festival Mariinsky was launched in 2001. The Festival‘s main aim is to draw the stars of world ballet to Russia‘s cultural capital. The Mariinsky Ballet Company is known well beyond St Petersburg, though guest appearances by renowned illustrious foreign dancers and companies were very rare prior to the Mariinsky Ballet Festival.

Each year the Mariinsky Ballet Festival brings together the world‘s best dancers and the playbill lists a programme of works performed by various ballet companies. In line with tradition, the Mariinsky Theatre will present a premiere at the opening of the Festival, which will conclude with a grand gala concert by stars of world ballet.


Schedule 14 March 2009 - 22 March 2009 (ARCHIVE)

Maslenitsa, or Pancake Week, one of Russia‘s most traditional festivals, was celebrated in style in the country‘s pre-Revolutionary capital. Maslenitsa festivities entered every home and were welcomed by every family. The most august figures and officials, the intelligentsia and the city‘s nobles all took part in the revelry. Throughout Maslenitsa, Tsaritsino Meadow and the Admiralty Gardens played host to folk celebrations, and in the city‘s palaces and mansions there were parties and masked balls, with theatre playbills listing the finest productions.

Several years ago the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of Maslenitsa festivities. The Festival programme invariably includes wonderful productions, among them works based on fairy-tales as well as interesting vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of open-to-all celebrations established by the Imperial Theatres for Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of charity concerts. The Mariinsky Theatre and the University of St Petersburg have revived the ancient Russian tradition of Pancake Week, organising student balls for several years now, to bid farewell to winter. The University programme includes parties, dancing, music (with Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes, fireworks and, of course, the burning of the straw scarecrow of Maslenitsa.

Romeo and Juliet is a ballet by Sergei Prokofiev based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Music from the ballet was extracted by Prokofiev as three suites for orchestra and as a piano work.

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by William Shakespeare concerning two young "star-cross’d lovers" and the role played by their tragic suicides in ending a long-running family feud. It is one of the most famous of Shakespeare’s plays, one of his earliest theatrical triumphs, and is thought to be the most archetypal love story of the Renaissance and indeed the history of Western culture.

Several ballet adaptations of the story have been made, the first written in the 18th century. The best known feature music by Sergei Prokofiev, and a variety of choreographers have used this music. The first version featuring Prokofiev’s music was performed in 1938.

Music For the Ballet Fragment 1 Fragment 2


Schedule 30 October 2008 - 18 December 2008 (ARCHIVE)

The Stars of the White Nights Festival is one of the most popular and important events in terms of contemporary music and theatre.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival was initiated in 1993 by Valery Gergiev, Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre. The maestro says that he envisaged the first Festival as a "musical gift" to the city from the Mariinsky Theatre and the soloists who agreed to perform. From the first, the Festival turned to the best of world music, including works that are rarely performed or have been undeservedly forgotten.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival has gained in strength, popularity and international acclaim. Over fifteen years, the ten-day Festival has expanded to cover two or three months in summer. Renowned conductors and soloists consider it a special honour to perform at the Stars of the White Nights. Every year the Festival programme includes the Theatre's best opera and ballet productions, grandiose symphony works, chamber music and new theatre premieres. In recent years the Festival playbill has included programmes of works by supreme classical composers – Beethoven and Prokofiev's symphonies and opera and ballet and symphony music by Tchaikovsky. One major event in recent years was the staging of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, in addition to the Shostakovich Symphonies and Mahler Symphonies series.

This festival is a must for ballet, opera and classical music lovers. The annual White Nights Festival derives its name from the short summer season when the sun never sets, and the beauty of these White Nights contributes to the festival’s special atmosphere and its world-class programme of concerts, as audiences exit the historic theatre at midnight into daylight to stroll home through the theatrical setting of St Petersburg.

The Stars of White Nights 2009" International Festival will take place 10 May - 27 July 2009.


Playbill of "The Stars of the White Nights 2008" International Festival



Schedule 10 May 2008 - 27 July 2008 (ARCHIVE)

The International Ballet Festival Mariinsky was launched in 2001. The Festival‘s main aim is to draw the stars of world ballet to Russia‘s cultural capital. The Mariinsky Ballet Company is known well beyond St Petersburg, though guest appearances by renowned illustrious foreign dancers and companies were very rare prior to the Mariinsky Ballet Festival.

Each year the Mariinsky Ballet Festival brings together the world‘s best dancers and the playbill lists a programme of works performed by various ballet companies. In line with tradition, the Mariinsky Theatre will present a premiere at the opening of the Festival, which will conclude with a grand gala concert by stars of world ballet.

Schedule 13 March 2008 - 23 March 2008 (ARCHIVE)

Maslenitsa, or Pancake Week, one of Russia‘s most traditional festivals, was celebrated in style in the country‘s pre-Revolutionary capital. Maslenitsa festivities entered every home and were welcomed by every family. The most august figures and officials, the intelligentsia and the city‘s nobles all took part in the revelry. Throughout Maslenitsa, Tsaritsino Meadow and the Admiralty Gardens played host to folk celebrations, and in the city‘s palaces and mansions there were parties and masked balls, with theatre playbills listing the finest productions.

Several years ago the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of Maslenitsa festivities. The Festival programme invariably includes wonderful productions, among them works based on fairy-tales as well as interesting vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of open-to-all celebrations established by the Imperial Theatres for Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of charity concerts. The Mariinsky Theatre and the University of St Petersburg have revived the ancient Russian tradition of Pancake Week, organising student balls for several years now, to bid farewell to winter. The University programme includes parties, dancing, music (with Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes, fireworks and, of course, the burning of the straw scarecrow of Maslenitsa.

Schedule 28 February 2008 - 09 March 2008 (ARCHIVE)

This festival celebrates the 125th anniversary of the founding of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the St. Petersburg Symphonic Orchestra.

Schedule 28 December 2007 - 07 January 2008 (ARCHIVE)

X INTERNATIONAL EARLYMUSIC FESTIVAL

The International EARLYMUSIC Festival, established in St Petersburg in 1998, is now recognised as one of Russia‘s leading musical forums. The Festival takes places annually in September-October and presents the musical legacy of the Middle-Ages, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras to audiences in St Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk, performed by world-renowned ensembles and soloists.

Schedule 16 September 2007 - 07 October 2007 (ARCHIVE)

Sixth International Elena Obraztsova Competition of young opera singers is held in St-Petersburg from 18 to 30 August 2007.

The Competition is run by The Elena Obraztsova Cultural Center.

Schedule 18 August 2007 - 30 August 2007 (ARCHIVE)