The world-famous Mariinsky Theatre is celebrating its 225th anniversary. Yesterday, it began the celebrations with an impressive gala-concert. It featured the cream of its opera and ballet troupes.
The event brought together practically all members of the country’s political and cultural elite. President Vladimir Putin attended the concert and congratulated the company on the event, saying, “Let me congratulate you on the 225th anniversary of the renowned Mariinsky Theatre. This theatre has long been a cradle of Russian musical culture in St Petersburg. There are many theatres in the world, but, the Mariinsky is really a unique company. Over the past two centuries it has demonstrated the highest levels of musical art”.
The oldest Russian theatre of opera and ballet, the Mariisnky was established in 1783 at the behest of Tsaritsa Yekaterina Fyodorovna Veliki. Then, the troupe performed 4 productions a year, while the current playbill offers 150 opera and ballet productions and a varied concert repertoire from its two symphony orchestras. There is also the Academy of Young Singers, where young prodigies from all over Russia and abroad have a unique opportunity to combine an intensive education in the Mariinsky Theatre with performances on its famous stage. Today, the Mariinsky Theatre can boast a unique troupe, featuring such world-famous opera and ballet artists as Anna Netrebko, Ulyana Lopatkina, Olga Borodina, Diana Vishnyova, Vladimir Galuzin, and Andrian Fadeyev.
The Artistic Director of the Mariinsky, the outstanding Russian conductor Valeri Gergiev, has contributed much over the past 10 years to make the troupe one of the most popular worldwide. Thanks to his amazing energy, the theatre has presented up to 10 to 12 premières each year. Maestro Gergiev regularly invites foreign musicians and stage designers to work at the Mariisnky and organises large and impressive festivals. However, one of his major achievements is a high artistic level for all stage production under his direction.
“While staging an opera or a ballet, one has to think of the, so to speak, ‘life expectancy’ of his brainchild. Some productions are popular for 10 years, some for 30 and more. Sometimes, it happens that a concept of the production remains unchanged for a century! I plan the repertoire taking into account the theatre’s history”, Maestro Gergiev remarked.
The anniversary celebrations of the Mariinsky Theatre will continue during all of 2008. The climax of the celebrations will be in June, when St Petersburg traditionally hosts the “White Nights” festival.
28 February 2008
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=23544&cid=62&p=28.02.2008 (in Russian and English)
