The significance of the Mariinsky Theatre in my life could be discussed endlessly. Ironically, its impact and defining role only become apparent over time. When you work there, you are often too young to comprehend the influence of fate, the people guiding you, and the honor of being part of it all. The Mariinsky Theatre has given me more than any other organization could. I often wonder why this is so and what it is about the theatre that leaves a long-lasting impression on your soul. Perhaps it conveys not only the apparent knowledge and skills that we, as ballet dancers, start to acquire at the Vaganova Academy but also a great deal of indirect influence that affects you subliminally — things you don’t consciously realize are shaping you: the general culture, the aesthetic atmosphere, and the spirit of the infamous Mariinsky Theatre tradition.
The Mariinsky Theatre upholds a unique ballet tradition that I believe is exclusive to this institution. Observing individuals who have been part of this tradition, it’s impossible not to notice that they stand out, not always in positive ways, but often in negative ones. I was privileged to enter the Mariinsky Theatre in 1991 when Oleg Mikhailovich Vinogradov directed the ballet. In 1995, I witnessed a significant change in the ballet company when a new one replaced the Soviet era, and dancer Makhar Vaziev took over as the manager. His arrival brought about substantial changes in the repertoire, and, as critics and art historians have noted (and I generally agree with them), the theater began to catch up on the repertoire that had been missed during the Soviet years. Choreography was introduced by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Frederick Ashton, and many other European choreographers. All of this was made possible through the active influence of ballet critic Pavel Gershenzon. The theater transformed and introduced us to a culture that we were previously unfamiliar with. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to participate in all the significant productions during this period.
I danced male roles at the Mariinsky Theatre from 1991 to 2011 in the following ballets:
(Composer / Ballet (choreographer))
L. Delibes, Coppélia (O. Vinogradov), Mazurka
L. Minkus, Don Quixote (M. Petipa), Toreadors, Fandango, Gypsy Dance
A. Adam, Giselle (J. Perrot, J. Coralli), Peasant Dance
L. Minkus, La Bayadère (M. Petipa), Kshatriyas, Dance with Parrots
F. Gerold, La Fille Mal Gardée (O. Vinogradov), Peasant Dance
A. Adam, Le Corsaire (M. Petipa, P. Gusev), Corsairs
A. Glazunov, Raymonda (M. Petipa, K. Sergeyev), Knights, Panaderos, Mazurka
P. Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake (M. Petipa, L. Ivanov), Spanish Dance, Mazurka
B. Asafiev, The Flames of Paris (V. Vainonen), Basque Dance
P. Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty (M. Petipa, K. Sergeyev), King, Waltz, Minuet, Mazurka
J. Bayer, Fairy Doll (N., S. Legat, K. Sergeyev), Waltz, Bowing Gentleman
G. Løvenskiold, La Sylphide (A. Bournonville), Reel, Witches
P. Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker (V. Vainonen), Pink Waltz, 4 Cavaliers, Mice
C. Gounod, Faust, Walpurgis Night (L. Lavrovsky)
N. Rimsky-Korsakov, Sadko (E. Smirnov), Buffoons, Underwater Kingdom
P. Tchaikovsky, Anna Karenina (A. Prokofsky)
N. Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade (M. Fokin, A. Liepa), Bacchanalia, Slave
I. Stravinsky, The Firebird (M. Fokin, A. Liepa), Monsters, Нeroes
S. Prokofiev, Cinderella (O. Vinogradov), Courtiers, Waltz
S. Prokofiev, Cinderella (K. Sergeyev), Courtiers, Waltz, Shoemaker’s dance
I. Stravinsky, The Fairy’s Kiss (A. Ratmansky)
Y. Khamon, Middle Duet (A. Ratmansky), Angel
S. Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet (L. Lavrovsky), Duke, Pillow Dance, Folk Dance
P. Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin (D. Bryantsov), Polonaise
P. Tchaikovsky, The Queen of Spades (Yu. Temirkanov, O. Vinogradov), Gavotte
P. Tchaikovsky, Mazeppa (F. Lopukhov), Ukrainian dance
B. Asafiev, The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (R. Zakharov), Krakowiak, Tatar dance
A. Glazunov, The Seasons (K. Sergeyev), Bacchanalia
R. Drigo, Class Concert (K. Sergeyev)
S. Prokofiev, The Stone Flower (Y. Grigorovich), Singles Dance, Fair, Stones
A. Melikov, Legend of Love (Y. Grigorovich), Courtiers
B. Asafiev, The Bronze Horseman (R. Zakharov), Dutch Dance
A. Borodin, Prince Igor, Polovtsian Dances (M. Fokin)
A. Dvořák, Fading Leaves (E. Tudor)
G. Verdi, Aida (I. Belsky)
M. Mussorgsky, Boris Godunov (A. Tarkovsky)
S. Prokofiev, War and Peace (A. Konchalovsky, S. Gritsai)
S. Banevich, Kai and Gerda (L. Lebedev)
M. Glinka, Ivan Susanin (S. Koren, A. Lopukhov)
S. Prokofiev, Duenna (S. Androsov)
M. Glinka, Ruslan and Lyudmila (M. Fokin)
F. Yarullin, Shurale (L. Yakobson)
C. Debussy, Eternal Spring (L. Yakobson)
A. Khachaturian, Spartacus (L. Yakobson)
Etc.
In conclusion, as posted on its website, I will provide a historical overview of the Mariinsky Theatre. The Mariinsky Theatre, with over two centuries of history, has been home to many great artists. One of the notable figures is Osip Petrov, a prominent bass and the founder of the Russian opera performing school. Renowned singers such as Fyodor Shalyapin, Ivan Yershov, Medea and Nikolai Figner, and Sofia Preobrazhenskaya all developed their skills and gained fame on the stage. Additionally, distinguished ballet artists like Matilda Kshesinskaya, Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Galina Ulanova, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov also achieved great success. George Balanchine, a celebrated choreographer, began his artistic journey here. The Mariinsky Theatre traces its lineage back to 1783 when, on July 12th, an edict was issued establishing a theatrical committee «for the management of spectacles and music.» On October 5th of the same year, the grand opening of the Bolshoi Stone Theatre on Carousel Square took place, which was later renamed the square to Theater Square, a name that remains today.
The Bolshoi Theatre, designed by Antonio Rinaldi, was astonishing due to its immense size, majestic architecture, and a stage equipped with the latest theatrical technology of that era. Its opening performance was Giovanni Paisiello’s opera «Il Mondo della Luna» («The World of the Moon»). The Russian troupe alternated performances with Italian and French ones, presenting dramatic spectacles and vocal instrumental concerts. Saint Petersburg was constantly under construction, continuously evolving its appearance. In 1802-1803, Thomas de Thomon, a brilliant architect and draftsman, undertook a significant renovation of the theatre’s interior layout and decoration, noticeably altering its exterior appearance and proportions. The renovated Bolshoi Theatre, now with a grand and festive appearance, became one of the city’s architectural landmarks, alongside the Admiralty, the Stock Exchange, and the Kazan Cathedral.
On the night of January 1st, 1811, a major fire broke out at the Bolshoi Theatre. In just two days, the rich interior decor of the theatre was destroyed by flames, and its facade was severely damaged. Thomas de Thomon, who had designed the restoration project for his beloved creation, did not live to see it realized. The renovated Bolshoi Theatre reopened on February 3rd, 1818. The reopening featured a prologue titled «Apollo and Pallas in the North» and Charles Didelot’s ballet «Zephyr and Flora,» set to music by composer Katarino Cavos. During the «Golden Age» of the Bolshoi Theatre, the repertoire after the fire included Mozart’s «The Magic Flute,» «The Abduction from the Seraglio,» and «Titus’s Mercy.» Russian audiences were also captivated by «Cinderella,» «Semiramide,» and «The Barber of Seville» by Rossini, among others. In May 1824, Weber’s «Der Freischütz,» a work of great significance for the birth of Russian romantic opera, premiered at the theatre. Additionally, the theatre hosted vaudevilles by Alyabyev and Verstovsky, and one of the most beloved repertoire operas became Kavos’s «Ivan Susanin,» which continued until the appearance of Glinka’s opera on the same subject. Pushkin immortalized the theatre in his verses.
In 1836, architect Alberto Cavos, the son of a composer and conductor, replaced the dome of the theatre hall with a flat one to improve acoustics. He placed an art workshop and a hall for painting decorations above it. Cavos also removed columns in the auditorium that obstructed the view and distorted the acoustics, giving the hall its familiar horseshoe shape. These changes increased its length and height, accommodating up to two thousand spectators.
The first performance of Glinka’s opera «A Life for the Tsar» took place after a fire on November 27th, 1836. Interestingly, Glinka’s second opera, «Ruslan and Lyudmila,» premiered exactly six years later, on November 27th, 1842. These dates mark significant moments in the history of the Petersburg Bolshoi Theatre and Russian culture. The theater also featured performances of European masterpieces by composers such as Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Meyerbeer, Gounod, Weber, and Thomas.
Performances of the Russian opera troupe were later staged at the Alexandrinsky Theatre and the Circus Theatre, located opposite the Bolshoi Theatre, where ballet and Italian opera performances continued. When the Circus Theatre burned down on New Year’s Eve, 1859, architect Alberto Cavos built a new theatre on its site. The Mariinsky Theatre was named in honor of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, the wife of Alexander II. The new building opened for its first theatre season on October 2, 1860, with a performance of Glinka’s «A Life for the Tsar,» conducted by Konstantin Lyadov, the chief conductor of the Russian Opera and father of the future renowned composer Anatoly Lyadov.
The Mariinsky Theatre strengthened and developed the great traditions of the first Russian musical stage. With the arrival of Eduard Napravnik in 1863, who replaced Konstantin Lyadov as chief conductor, the theatre’s most glorious era began. Over half a century after Napravnik’s leadership at the Mariinsky Theatre, there were premieres of the most significant operas in Russian music history. These include «Boris Godunov» by Mussorgsky, «The Maid of Pskov,» «A Night in May,» «Snow Maiden» by Rimsky-Korsakov, «Prince Igor» by Borodin, «The Maid of Orleans,» «The Enchantress,» «The Queen of Spades,» «Iolanta» by Tchaikovsky, «The Demon» by Rubinstein, and «The Oresteia» by Taneyev. In the early 20th century, the theatre’s repertoire included operas by Wagner (including the «Ring Cycle»), Richard Strauss’s «Elektra,» Rimsky-Korsakov’s «The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh,» and Mussorgsky’s «Khovanshchina.’’
Marius Petipa, who led the theatre’s ballet troupe in 1869, continued the traditions of his predecessors, Jules Perrot and Arthur Saint-Leon. Petipa zealously preserved classical performances such as «Giselle,» «Esmeralda,» and «Le Corsaire,» making only careful edits. His production of «La Bayadère» brought a grand choreographic composition to the ballet stage, where «dance resembled music.» Petipa’s fortunate encounter with Tchaikovsky, who asserted that «ballet is also a symphony,» led to the birth of «The Sleeping Beauty» — a genuine musical and choreographic poem. In collaboration with Petipa and Lev Ivanov, «The Nutcracker» choreography emerged. After Tchaikovsky’s death, «Swan Lake» gained a second life on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre — again in the joint choreography of Petipa and Ivanov. Petipa solidified his reputation as a symphonic choreographer with the production of Glazunov’s ballet «Raymonda.» His innovative ideas were picked up by the young Mikhail Fokin, who staged in the Mariinsky Theatre «Pavillon d’Armide» by Cherepnin, «Swan» by Saint-Saëns, «Chopiniana» to the music of Chopin, as well as ballets created in Paris — «Scheherazade» to the music of Rimsky-Korsakov, «Firebird,» and «Petrushka» by Stravinsky.»
In 1885, when the Bolshoi Theatre closed, a large part of its performances was transferred to the Mariinsky Theatre. The chief architect of the imperial theatres, Victor Schröter, added a three-story building to the left wing of the Mariinsky Theatre for theatre workshops, rehearsal halls, power stations, and boiler rooms. In 1894, under Schröter’s guidance, the theatre underwent significant reconstruction, including the replacement of wooden rafters with steel and reinforced concrete, the addition of side wings, and the expansion of audience foyers. The main facade was also reconstructed, giving the theatre a more monumental appearance.
In 1886, ballet performances, previously staged at the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, were moved to the Mariinsky Theatre. The Saint Petersburg Conservatory was built on the site of the Bolshoi Kamenny.
On November 9th, 1917, the Mariinsky Theatre was declared state property by government decree and transferred to the People’s Commissariat for Education. In 1920, it was renamed the State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (GATOB), and in 1935, it was named after S.M. Kirov. Alongside classics from the past century, the theatre staged modern operas in the 1920s and early 1930s, such as Sergei Prokofiev’s «Love for Three Oranges,» Alban Berg’s «Wozzeck,» Richard Strauss’s «Salome» and «The Knight of the Rose». The theatre also featured ballets that established the popular new choreographic direction, the so-called dram-ballet, including Reinhold Glière’s «The Red Poppy,» Boris Asafiev’s «Flames of Paris» and «Fountain of Bakhchisarai,» and Alexander Krein’s «Laurencia,» Prokofiev’s «Romeo and Juliet, » etc.
The last pre-war opera premiere at the Kirov Theatre was Wagner’s Lohengrin, with the second performance concluding late in the evening of June 21, 1941. However, the performances scheduled for June 24 and 27 were replaced with Ivan Susanin. During the Great Patriotic War, the theatre was evacuated to Perm, where several new productions were premiered, including Aram Khachaturian’s ballet Gayane. Upon returning to Leningrad, the theatre opened its season on September 1, 1944, with Glinka’s opera Ivan Susanin.
During the 1950s through the 1970s, the theatre presented renowned ballets such as Farid Yarullin’s Shurale, Aram Khachaturian’s Spartacus, and Boris Tishchenko’s The Twelve, all choreographed by Leonid Yakobson. They also showcased Sergei Prokofiev’s The Stone Flower and Arif Melikov’s The Legend of Love, both choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich, as well as Dmitri Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony choreographed by Igor Belsky. In addition to producing new ballets, the theatre diligently preserved the classical ballet repertoire. In the opera repertoire, alongside works by Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Verdi, and Bizet, operas by Prokofiev, Dzerzhinsky, Shaporin, and Khrennikov were also featured.
From 1968 to 1970, the theatre underwent a major reconstruction based on Salomea Gelfer’s design, resulting in an extended left wing, giving the building its current appearance. During the 1980s, a significant stage in the history of the theatre was marked by the production of Tchaikovsky’s operas Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades. These operas were directed by Yuri Temirkanov, who took over the theatre in 1976. These productions, which are still part of the theatre’s repertoire, introduced a new generation of artists.
Valery Gergiev became the theater’s chief conductor in 1988. On January 16, 1992, the theater reclaimed its original name, the Mariinsky Theatre. In 2006, at the initiative of the Mariinsky Theatre’s Artistic Director and General Manager, Valery Gergiev, the theater’s company and orchestra gained the use of a new Concert Hall on Pisarev Street. In 2013, the Mariinsky Theatre opened its second stage located across the Kryukov Canal.
