Saint Petersburg

State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

since 1992

Over the years the theatre has had the following names: 1783–1886 – Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre (The Big Stone Theatre) 1860–1917 – Imperial Mariinsky Theatre 1920–1934 – State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (GATOB) 1935–1991 – Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet Since 1992 – State Academic Mariinsky Theatre The historic building of the Mariinsky Theatre is located in St. Petersburg, on Theatre Square, and was constructed in the third quarter of the 19th century. The theatre traces its history back to 1783, when Catherine the Great issued a decree establishing the "Committee for the Management of Spectacles and Music" and opening the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre for performances by Russian and European troupes. The building on Karuselnaya Square (later renamed Theatre Square) survived a fire and subsequent reconstruction. The fire also destroyed the Theatre-Circus, designed by architect A. Cavos, which stood opposite the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre. It was on this very site that Cavos erected a new building for the Imperial troupe in 1859–1860 — the Mariinsky Theatre, named in honor of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, the wife of Emperor Alexander II. The inaugural season opened with M.I. Glinka's opera "A Life for the Tsar". In 1886, following the closure of the dilapidated Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, the entire Imperial opera and ballet troupe permanently relocated to the Mariinsky building. In the 19th century, the stage was graced by European stars such as A. Patti, P. Viardot-Garcia, M. Taglioni, and F. Elssler. It was served by ballet masters Ch. Didelot, J.-J. Perrot, A. Saint-Léon, and M. Petipa, and conducted by K. Cavos, K.N. Lyadov, and E.F. Napravnik. Masters of Russian musical theatre also created their art here, including E.I. Istomina, A.P. Glushkovsky, E.A. Teleshova, M.N. Muravyova, L.I. Ivanov (ballet), E.S. Sandunova, O.A. Petrov, and A.Y. Petrova-Vorobyova (opera), among others. F.I. Chaliapin not only sang on the Mariinsky stage but also served as the artistic director of its opera troupe from 1918 to 1920. This stage hosted the premieres of works by great Russian composers: M.I. Glinka, P.I. Tchaikovsky, M.P. Mussorgsky, and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. In the early 20th century, the career of choreographer M.M. Fokine began here; the Legat brothers, T.P. Karsavina, A.P. Pavlova, M.F. Kshesinskaya, and A.Y. Vaganova danced here, and the innovative director Vs.E. Meyerhold staged opera productions. In 1920, the theatre was renamed the State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (GATOB), and in 1935, it was named after S.M. Kirov. With the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, part of the troupe was evacuated to Molotov (Perm). During the Siege of Leningrad, the building was subjected to numerous artillery bombardments; on September 19, 1941, a high-explosive bomb destroyed the right wing of the theatre. Repair work began in late 1943. In the summer of 1944, the troupe reunited in Leningrad, and on September 1, 1944, the theatre opened its season with M.I. Glinka's patriotic opera "Ivan Susanin". The world fame of the Soviet musical theatre is inextricably linked to the names of GATOB ballet masters Y.N. Grigorovich, L.V. Yakobson, and V.I. Vainonen; it was here that the great 20th-century ballerina G.S. Ulanova began her creative path. Mariinsky Theatre productions were designed by famous early 20th-century artists (A.N. Benois, A.Y. Golovin, K.A. Korovin) and leading figures of Soviet scenic design (F.F. Fedorovsky, S.B. Virsaladze). An important stage in the theatre's history was the period from 1976 to 1988, when GATOB was led by maestro Y.Kh. Temirkanov, who significantly expanded the collective's international activities. The historical name "Mariinsky Theatre" was restored in 1992 at the initiative of V.A. Gergiev. The online collection of the Bakhrushin Theatre Museum features set and costume design sketches, photographs, posters, programs, and archival documents reflecting the rich history of the performing arts at the Mariinsky Theatre.