Mariinsky Theatre facts for kids
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Mariinsky Theatre, August 2022
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| Address | 1 Theatre Square Saint Petersburg Russia |
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| Coordinates | 59°55′32″N 30°17′46″E / 59.92556°N 30.29611°E |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 2 October 1860 |
| Years active | 1860–present |
| Architect | Alberto Cavos |
| Tenants | |
| Mariinsky Ballet Mariinsky Opera Mariinsky Orchestra |
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The Mariinsky Theatre (Russian: Мариинский театр, romanized: Mariinskiy teatr) is a famous opera house in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It opened in 1860 and quickly became one of the most important music theaters in Russia. Many famous operas and ballets by composers like Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov were first performed here.
For a long time during the Soviet era, it was known as the Kirov Theatre. Today, the Mariinsky Theatre is home to the amazing Mariinsky Ballet, Mariinsky Opera, and Mariinsky Orchestra. Since 1988, the famous conductor Valery Gergiev has been in charge of the theatre.
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The Theatre's Name History
The Mariinsky Theatre is named after Empress Maria Alexandrovna, who was the wife of Tsar Alexander II. You can even see a statue of the Empress in the main entrance hall! The theatre's name has changed several times over the years, often because of big changes in the country's history.
Here's how its name has changed:
- 1860 – 1920: Imperial Mariinsky Theatre (Russian: Императорский Мариинский театр)
- 1920 – 1924: State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Russian: Государственный академический театр оперы и балета)
- 1924 – 1935: Leningrad State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Russian: Ленинградский государственный академический театр оперы и балета)
- 1935 – 1992: Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Russian: Государственный академический театр оперы и балета имени С. М. Кирова). It was named after a leader called Sergey Kirov.
- 1992 – present: State Academic Mariinsky Theatre (Russian: Государственный aкадемический Мариинский театр)
Even though the building is called the Mariinsky Theatre today, the ballet and opera companies sometimes still use the Kirov name. They do this for brand recognition because the Kirov name became very famous during the Soviet times.
How the Theatre Began
The story of the Mariinsky Theatre started in 1783. That's when Catherine the Great decided to create a drama, opera, and ballet group in Saint Petersburg. Before that, Italian ballet groups had performed for the Russian royal family since the early 1700s.
A special building was designed for this new group of artists by Antonio Rinaldi. It opened in 1783 and was called the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre. This theatre was built on Carousel Square, which was later renamed Theatre Square because of the building. The words "Kamenny" (meaning "stone") and "Bolshoi" (meaning "big") were used to show it was a large stone building, different from smaller wooden theatres.
In 1836, the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre was updated by Albert Cavos, who was the son of an opera composer. This theatre then became the main place for the Imperial Ballet and opera.
Later, in 1849, a new building called the Equestrian circus opened on Theatre Square. This building, also designed by Albert Cavos, was made so it could also be used as a theatre.
A Stage for Masterpieces
The Mariinsky Theatre and its earlier building, the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, were where many famous operas by Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky were first performed. In 1886, the Imperial Ballet (which moved to the Mariinsky Theatre in 1870) and the Imperial Opera moved to the Mariinsky Theatre. This happened because the old Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre was thought to be unsafe.
Many other important works had their first performances here, including:
- Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov in 1874.
- Tchaikovsky's operas The Queen of Spades in 1890 and Iolanta in 1892.
- The updated version of Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet in 1940.
- Khachaturian's ballet Spartacus in 1956.
Other well-known shows included Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Golden Cockerel in 1909 and Prokofiev's ballet Cinderella in 1946.
The Mariinsky Theatre has been home to many talented conductors and musicians over the years. Famous conductors include Mikhail Zhukov and Israel Chudnovsky.
Famous Ballet Dancers
The ballet school connected to the Mariinsky Theatre has trained many world-famous dancers. Some early stars include Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, and Vaslav Nijinsky. Later, under the teaching of Agrippina Vaganova, dancers like Galina Ulanova, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, and Mikhail Baryshnikov became legends. More recently, dancers like Ulyana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, and Svetlana Zakharova have also come from this school, now called the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet.
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The Mariinsky Theatre Today
Under Yuri Temirkanov, who was the main conductor from 1976 to 1988, the Opera Company continued to put on exciting new versions of both modern and classic Russian operas.
In April 2022, a conductor named Gavriel Heine, who had worked closely with Valery Gergiev, left the theatre.
Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall
A new building, the Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, opened in spring 2007. It was designed by a French architect named Xavier Fabre.
Mariinsky Theatre Second Stage
A Canadian company, Diamond and Schmitt Architects, worked with a local partner to design a new building called The Second Stage. It has 1,830 seats and was built to work alongside the original Mariinsky Theatre. Construction started in 2003, but with a different design at first. The new design team took over in 2009. People hoped that with Mariinsky II finished, Saint Petersburg would have something similar to New York City's Lincoln Center.
The construction of Mariinsky II was finished in May 2013.
Mariinsky Branch Theaters
The Mariinsky Theatre also has other stages in different parts of Russia. These include locations in Vladivostok (opened in 2016) and Vladikavkaz (added in 2017). This helps the theatre share its culture with more people across the country.
Mariinsky Record Label
In 2009, the Mariinsky Theatre started its very own record label. This label releases recordings of performances by the Mariinsky Orchestra and other artists. It is managed by the same team that runs the LSO Live label in London.
Some of the music released on this label includes:
- Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 3 / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, performed by Denis Matsuev and conducted by Valery Gergiev.
- Shchedrin: The Enchanted Wanderer, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
- Shostakovich: The Nose, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
- Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos 1 & 15, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
- Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex / Les Noces, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
- Tchaikovsky: 1812, Moscow Cantata, Marche Slave, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
See also
In Spanish: Teatro Mariinski para niños
