The Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg is part of the galaxy of world-class stage venues. His visit is an important point of the tourist program of stay in the Northern capital of Russia. The official website of the Mariinsky Theater helps to get acquainted with the theater's repertoire and pre-book tickets for performances.
History
Empress Catherine II is considered the ideological founder of the theater. By her order, a theater troupe was organized, performing in the premises of the capital's conservatory. In 1783, the opening of the building of the circus theater took place on Carousel Square (later renamed Teatralnaya). As a result of the fire, the old building burned down. The new theater was commissioned to build by the Italian architect Alberto Cavos. The troupe was under the patronage of the imperial family, therefore it received the name of the wife of Emperor Alexander II - Maria Alexandrovna. The opening of the Mariinsky Theater was marked by the premiere of the opera A Life for the Tsar by M. Glinka.
At the end of the 19th century. the inner space has undergone a change. The architect V. Schroeter substantially supplemented the theater complex with premises with workshops and dressing rooms. The stage was converted for choreographic performances. After the establishment of power by the Bolsheviks, the Mariinsky Theater was transferred to the custody of the Commissariat of Education. During the Great Patriotic War, the troupe was in evacuation beyond the Urals. In Perm, the artists continued to stage performances and returned to Leningrad after the blockade was lifted. At the beginning of the 21st century. the Mariinsky has new stages in St. Petersburg and branches in other cities. Since the end of the 80s. the artistic director is conductor V. Gergiev.
Reconstructions and first performance
On October 2, 1860, the first performance was given in the building of the Mariinsky Theater. For the premiere, they chose Mikhail Glinka's patriotic opera A Life for the Tsar. It has become the "calling card" of the renowned St. Petersburg theater. However, historians believe that the title of the first production should be borne by G. Paisiello's opera "Lunar World".
The main building of the Mariinsky has undergone several renovations:
- in 1802-1803 (according to the project of Tom de Thomon) the layout and appearance were changed
- 1968-1970 (according to the project of Salome Gelfer) the left wing of the building was enlarged, the removal of crystal fragments embedded in the walls violated the acoustics of the hall
Return of the historical name
After the establishment of Soviet power in 1917, the name of the theater was abolished. They began to call him the State. In 1919 the team was awarded the title of Academic. In the 30s. in memory of S. Kirov, the theater was awarded the right to bear his name.
The theater troupe was twice awarded honorary orders:
- Lenin (1939)
- October Revolution (1983)
In January 1992, the Leningrad Order of Lenin and the Order of the October Revolution, the Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov received its historical name - Mariinsky.
Playgrounds
The Mariinsky Theater has 6 stages. They are located in different cities of the Russian Federation:
- St. Petersburg -3 (main and second stages, concert hall)
- Vladikavkaz - 2 (Opera and Ballet Theater and Philharmonic Society of North Ossetia)
- Vladivostok - 1 (Primorskaya)
The main building of the Mariinsky Theater
Mariinsky -1, where the main stage of the famous theater is located, is an old building of the 19th century. Its project was developed by the architect A.K. Kavos and supplemented by V.A.Shreter at the end of the 19th century. The body is made in the style of classicism. A turret rises above the domed pommel.
The interior design impresses with its luxury and splendor of decoration. The hall, foyer and hall are decorated with sculptures, modeling, wall paintings. Authors of paintings:
- E. Fracioli
- A. Golovin
The pattern of the curtain on the stage corresponds to the texture of the imperial train of Maria Alexandrovna. It is the emblem of the Mariinsky Theater.
The hall is designed for 1609 seats. Stage dimensions:
- width - 30 m
- depth - 20 m
- height - 24-25 m
Second scene
The Mariinsky-2 was created specifically for the needs of the theater and in accordance with modern technical requirements. Its parameters:
- hall capacity - 2 thousand people
- area - 80 thousand square meters
- floors - 7
Architects from Russia, Canada, Great Britain, Austria worked on the project and the improvement of the interior space. The seats in the hall are arranged in several tiers. The central position is occupied by the box for guests of honor (analogue of the Tsar's box). The stage is equipped with technical means that allow you to quickly change the scenery. The depth of 80 m allows for a powerful acoustic effect. The second stage was opened to the public in 2013.
Concert hall (third stage)
Mariinsky-3 was created on the basis of pre-revolutionary decoration workshops. The building was built in accordance with the sketches of the architect V. Schroeter. it completely burned out in the fire.
The new premises were developed by a tandem of specialists:
- architect K. Fabre (France)
- engineer Toyota (Japan)
The Concert Hall is designed for vocal and symphonic performances, as well as audio recordings. Its main characteristics:
- volume -1.3 thousand cubic meters
- capacity - 1110 seats
- length - 52 m
- width - 24 m
- height - 14 m
In 2009, a French-made organ was installed in the room. The building is a monument of urban planning and is included in the list of cultural heritage sites of the Russian Federation.
Seaside scene
The most remote stage of the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater is located in the Far East region. It is located at the Opera and Ballet Theater in Vladivostok. The new building was under construction for the APEC summit. The design work was carried out by specialists from Omsk.
The building has 2 halls:
- Large - in the shape of a horseshoe for 1,356 seats. Designed for large scale events and galas.
- Small - with a single-level stage and a parterre, designed for 305 seats. For chamber performances, master classes.
During construction, preference was given to natural materials (wood, stone), which contributed to the creation of a powerful acoustic effect. Also, the building is equipped with equipment for the needs of people with special needs (ramps, elevators). The opening of the Primorskaya stage took place in 2013.
National Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania
The building of the North Ossetian Opera and Ballet Theater in Vladikavkaz (Tkhapsaeva St., 18) has been a stage for the Mariinsky since 2017. The complex of premises along the bank of the Terek was designed by the architect IV Ryabikin in 1910. Construction works were carried out in the 50s. under the direction of architect T. Butaeva. The building has been declared a national treasure of republican significance.
The hall can simultaneously accommodate 680 people. Scene:
- width - 14 m
- height - 12 m
North Ossetian State Philharmonic
Since 2017, the Mariinsky Theater has been renting the building of the North Ossetian Philharmonic. For 10 years, artists from St. Petersburg will be able to perform stage activities in the premises of the former Lutheran cathedral, located at the address: Vladikavkaz, Miller street 34. The German church (19th century) was transformed into a cultural and educational institution in 1944. In 2015-16. the room has been overhauled. The historical appearance of the building has remained unchanged.
Classical heritage in the repertoire
The stage area of the Mariinsky Theater became famous in the history of theatrical art in Russia as a venue for premiere performances of classics of the ballet and opera genre. In the 19th - early 20th centuries. Mariinsky artists were involved in the first productions:
- ballets - The Little Humpbacked Horse, The Golden Fish, The Sleeping Beauty, Raymonda, Chopiniana, Petrushka
- operas - "A Life for the Tsar", "Ruslan and Lyudmila", "Mermaid", "The Stone Guest", "May Night", "Snow Maiden", "The Night Before Christmas", "Boris Godunov", "The Maid of Orleans", "The Enchantress "," The Queen of Spades "," Iolanta "," Prince Igor "
During the Soviet period, the creative baggage of the theater troupe was replenished with performances imbued with a revolutionary spirit and meeting the requirements of socialist realism. However, the classics were not forgotten. The annual playbill of the Mariinsky Theater necessarily includes, along with the premieres, the audience's favorite productions from the past repertoire. The Mariinsky Theater continues to show Swan Lake, Giselle, Carmen, etc.
Troupes
The creative team of the theater includes 2 troupes:
- ballet
- operatic
The ballet troupe was born at the end of the 18th century. Its backbone was made up of court dancers, graduates of the French dance school under the direction of J. Lande. In the 19-20 centuries. renowned choreographers collaborated with the Mariinsky artists:
- S. L. Didlo
- M.Petipa
- V. Meyerhold
- V. Vainonen
- L. Jacobson
- S.Kaplan
The history of the theater includes the names of outstanding dancers - Vaclav Nezhinsky, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov. The glory of Russian ballet was confirmed and supported by ballerinas - Matilda Kshesinskaya, Anna Pavlova, Galina Ulanova. Until the beginning of the 19th century. mostly foreign artists performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. In the 30-40s. 19th century a Russian opera troupe was gradually formed. The repertoire of the theater was constantly replenished with new operas by European and Russian composers, which contributed to the expansion of the troupe and the attraction of artists with exceptional singing skills to its composition.
The first voices of the Mariinsky Theater were:
- Osip Petrov
- Fyodor Chaliapin
- Medea and Nikolai Figner
- Sophia Preobrazhenskaya
- Leonid Sobinov
The troupes include artists with the titles of Honored and People's, laureates of national and international competitions.
Festivals
The artistic collective of the Mariinsky Theater takes an active part in cultural events organized in the city on the Neva. Since 1993, at the initiative of V. Gergiev, the Stars of the White Nights arts festival is regularly held in the northern capital. It has international status, highly recommended itself at the world level and is included in the Top 10 musical concert programs of the classical genre.
During the festival, the most famous performers and collectives perform on the stage of the Mariinsky, presenting novelties in the field of symphonic and chamber music, opera and ballet. Stars of the White Nights help to reveal new talents and establish close partnerships between theater companies. Residents and guests of the city have the opportunity, within the framework of the festival, to get acquainted with the national art and cultural heritage of other countries.
Theater stages host a number of genre festivals:
- ballet "Mariinsky"
- orchestral brass music "Brass Evening at the Mariinsky"
- contemporary music "New Horizons"
Theatrical performances from the Mariinsky's repertoire are constantly included in the Moscow Easter and Maslenitsa festival programs. The management of the theater pays great attention to familiarizing the younger generation with the masterpieces of world classics. Especially for children and youth, the Mariinsky Theater arranges:
- festival of children's musical theater-studios
- art schools visiting the theater
- children's and youth orchestras "Mariinsky NEXT"
Opening hours and ticket prices
Tickets are purchased directly at the box office of the theater (Mariinka-1, Mariinka-2, Concert Hall). They are open from 11 am to 7 pm daily. There is a break at the box office of the Concert Hall from 2 pm to 3 pm. From 18.30h. only tickets for the current day are sold. The ticket price depends on the performance and the place in the hall. Regular viewers recommend listening to opera performances from the 3rd tier of the Main Hall of the Mariinsky Theater, and watching the ballet from the mezzanine. It is believed that the most comfortable location for viewing the stage is closer to the center of the hall.
The ticket price for performances varies from 1,340 to 12,000 rubles. Approximate cost of tickets in different buildings of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg:
Main scene:
- Parterre - 3100-11860 rubles.
- Mezzanine-2660-4480 rubles.
- 1 tier - 2440-2660 rubles.
- Balcony - 2000 rubles.
- 1 tier - 2200 rubles.
New scene:
- Mezzanine - 3540-5580 rubles.
- Benoir - 4480 - 5360 rubles.
- 1 tier - 2880-4480 rubles.
- Parterre - 4700-5800 rubles.
Concert hall:
- Parterre - 2440 - 2660 rubles.
- Amphitheater - 1890 - 2660 rubles
- Mezzanine floor -1560-2440 rubles.
- Balcony -2200 -2440 rubles.
You can choose a convenient place and order tickets in advance through the official website of the Mariinsky Theater.
Where is it and how to get there
The theater occupies 3 buildings in St. Petersburg, located at different addresses:
- main stage (Mariinka-1) - Theater Square, 1
- 2nd stage (Mariinka-2) - st. Decembrists, 34
- 3rd stage (concert hall or Mariinsky-3) - st. Decembrists, 37
The theater can be easily reached by using ground or underground transport:
- metro - st. "Sadovaya" (Frunzensko-Primorskaya line), Art. "Sennaya Ploschad" and "Nevsky Prospekt" (Moscow-Petrogradskaya Line), Art. Gostiny Dvor (Nevsko-Vasileostrovskaya line), st. "Spasskaya" (Right-bank line)
- by bus –No 2, 3, 6, 22, 27, 70
- by shuttle taxi - No 1, 2, 62, 124, 154,169, 180, 186, 350
