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234th Season
 

"The Stars of the White Nights 2016" International Ballet and Opera Festival

26 May - 24 July 2016
Mariinsky Theatre and New Theatre
Artistic Director: Maestro Valery Gergiev 

In advance of the XXIV "Stars of the White Nights" Festival the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra under Valery Gergiev will perform Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem in Mariinsky-2 on May 23. The music festival will open with the premiere of "Samson and Dalila", an opera by of Camil Saint-Saens directed by Yannis Kokkos. Performance will be presented in Mariinsky-2 on May 28 and on June 2.

On May 26 the festival will open with a concert of the Austrian pianist Rudolf Bukhbinder accompanied by the Mariinsky Symphonic Orchestra conducted by maestro Valery Gergiev (Mariinsky-2, 6 p.m.). The festival will be continued by the organist Thierry Eskesh who will perform with improvisations on Sergey Prokofiev’s works on a scene of the Concert hall (7 p.m.). Diana Vishneva will show the ballet "Romeo and Juliette" in the historic venue of the Mariinsky Theatre. Conductor is famous Valery Gergiev (The Mariinsky Theater, 8 p.m.). These charismatic musicians with their deep emotion, virtuosity and technical brilliance, are highly acclaimed by audiences and the press throughout the world.

Ballet premieres of the festival will be devoted to S. S. Prokofiev. Young choreographers will present one-act ballets on Prokofiev's music: Maxim Petrov will show "The Russian overture", Anton Pimonov – "A violin concert No. 2" (July 4 and 17, Mariinsky-2).

Another opera premiere of the festival is the grandiose "Idiot" by F.M. Dostoyevsky staged by Mieczyslaw Weinberg. For a conductor's stand there will be Thomas Zanderling – one of initiators of statement (July 6 and 9, the Concert hall).

"Stars of the White Nights" will finish with a world premiere of the opera "Cossacks" of modern composer Leonid Klinichev written especially for the Mariinsky Theater Academy of young opera singers directed by Larisa Gergieva (on July 24, the Concert hall).

Special festival events. In the year of the 125 anniversary since the birth of Sergey Prokofiev the symphonic fairy tale "Petya and Wolf" is performed in the Mariinsky Theater every month. The Reader is the famous person from the world of music, cinema, television and sport acts. During a festival there will be several such representations. On the 1st of June (the Children's Day) a Reader will be the famous actor, Mikhail Porechenkov, accompanied by the Symphonic orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater and directed by Valery Gergiev.

"Night concerts". The festival programme of this year will present number performances in the Mariinsky Concert hall beginning in the heat of the white nights. The festival will feature the world outstanding instrumentalists and Mariinsky Symphonic orchestra directed by Valery Gergiev: Leonidas Kavakos (June 12, 10 p.m.), Denis Matsuyev (June 25, 10 p.m.), Helene Grimaud (July 1, 9 p.m.), Nelson Freire (July 4, 9 p.m.). On the 3d of July the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble with Chamber orchestra of the Munich philharmonic hall will perform at the "night festival".

Rodion Shchedrin Theatre. Works by Rodion Shchedrin are in the focus of the theatre’s repertoire: four operas and three ballets have been staged here, and the composer’s symphony music is frequently performed. In the festival programme Rodion Shchedrin’s works are represented with operas based on the stories by Nikolay Leskov: "Lefthander" in the poster of a festival (June 7, Mariinsky-2) and "Enchanted Wanderer" (June 13, the Concert hall), concert performances of operas "Boyar Morozova" (June 9, the Concert hall) and "Not only love" (June 15, the Concert hall), and also a premiere of this season, the opera "Christmas Fairy Tale" (June 18, Mariinsky-2). Among the ballet statements it will be possible to see "The Little Humpbacked Horse" (June 30, July 1, Mariinsky-2) and "Anna Karenina" (June 26 and 27, Mariinsky-2). "Anna Karenina" is a Russian choral opera in two parts for four soloists, mixed chorus, trumpet, kettledrums and percussion. The opera, which has been described as one of the most outstanding works of the decade, is based on the texts of The Life of the Archpriest Avvakum and The Life of Boyarina Morozova and deals with an extremely dramatic event of the Russian history, the religious schism of the 17th century.

The festival will feature the world opera stars, both Mariinsky soloists and guest artists: Placido Domingo will act with Tatyana Serzhan and Mikhail Petrenko in the opera "Simon Boccanegra" (May 27, Mariinsky-2), Ekaterina Semenchuk, Tatyana Serzhan, Nazhmiddin Mavlyanov, Vladislav Sulimsky will present the opera "Troubadour" (June 30, Mariinsky-2), Mlada Hudoley, Yusif Eyvazov, Yury Vorobyov will appear in "Turandot" (May 31, the Maryinsky Theater), Anna Netrebko and Sergey Skorokhodov will perform the main parts in "Lohengrin" (June 4, Mariinsky-2), Olga Borodina, Olga Peretyatko, Alexey Markov will present "The Tsars bride" (June 5, Mariinsky-2), Ildar Abdrazakov and Maria Guleghina will be in the main parties in "Attila" (June 8, Mariinsky-2), and the famous Wagner singers Ania Kampe and Evgeny Nikitin will meet in a concert performance "Siegfried" (June 21 and 23, the Concert hall). Ildar Abdrazakov, Alexey Markov, Yulia Matochkina will show the opera "Don Carlos" (June 22, Mariinsky-2), Vladislav Sulimsky and Tatyana Serzhan will perform the leading roles in "Macbeth" (June 25, the Mariinsky Theater), and in the opera "Simon Bokkanegra" together with Ferruccio Furlanetto (July 2, 3, Mariinsky-2). All performances conducted by maestro Valery Gergiev.

Giuseppe Verdi's "Requiem" will collect on a scene Mariinsky-2 one more excellent ensemble - Olga Borodina with Ferruccio Furlanetto and Victoria Yastrebova, conducted by James Conlon (July 8).

The festival programme also will present "Traviata" with Olga Peretyatko as Violetta Valéry (May 29, Mariinsky-2), "The tale of the tsar Saltan" with the assistance of Albina Shagimuratova (June 3, the Concert hall), "Tosca" (June 10, Mariinsky-2) and "Aida" (June 12, the Mariinsky Theater) with Maria Guleghina in a leading role, "Don Giovanni" with Evgeny Nikitin (July 4, the Mariinsky Theater) and "Don Quichotte" with the assistance of Ferruccio Furlanetto (July 10, the Mariinsky Theater).

Opera soloists. Traditionally, the Stars of the White Nights festival will feature solo recitals of the prima donna Anna Netrebko, accompanied by the Symphonic orchestra, directed by Valery Gergiev (June 6, Mariinsky-2); Cecilia Bartoli and the orchestra I Barocchisti directed by Diego Fazolis will present evening "From Venice to St. Petersburg" (June 13, Mariinsky-2); and Olga Borodina will act in the Concert hall of the Maryinsky Theater (June 18).

The festival’s ballet programme will feature the premieres and the latest performances of Rejngold Gliere - the ballet "Bronze Horseman", choreographed by Yury Smekalov, (June 15, 16, 17, Mariinsky-2), "The symphony in three movements" by Rada Poklitara which will be integrated with "In the sacred spring" by Sasha Waltz, music by Igor Stravinsky (June 19, Mariinsky-2), and also works of participants of "A creative workshop of young choreographers" (June 20, Mariinsky-2). The treasury of the best classical ballets including "The swan lake", "Bayadere", "Don Quixote", "Raymonda", "La Sylphide", "Giselle", and also performances of choreographers of the XX century, are also on a stage: Mikhail Fokin, Leonid Lavrovsky, George Balanchine, Frederik Ashton, Alexey Ratmansky. The audience will have a chance to appreciate the leading dancers of the company: Ulyana Lopatkina will dance Titania in the ballet "Midsummer Night's Dream" (May 29, the Maryinsky Theater) and will present the recital (July 3, the Mariinsky Theater), Diana Vishneva and Victoria Tereshkina will perform as Nikiya and Gamzatti in the ballet "Bayadere" (June 7, 10, the Mariinsky Theater), and "Giselle" together with Mathieu Ganio and Diana Vishneva (July 11 and 13). The troupe Astana ballet will be the guests of a festival (July 19 and 20).

Instrumental soloists. Traditionally, the Stars of the White Nights fes Rachmaninov tival will feature solo recitals who will act with the Symphonic orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater directed by Valery Gergiev and also will submit solo programs. The brothers Artur and Loukas Yussen will play as a piano duo with the Mariinsky Theater orchestra (June 1, Mariinsky-2). Another piano trio – Christian Blackshaw, Wilfred Strele and David Geringas will perform Robert Schuman (June 20, the Concert hall), and Denis Matsuev, the regular guest of the festival, will play with the Mariinsky Orchestra for a piano No. 2 by Sergei Prokofiev (June 26, the Concert hall).

The world famous marimbist Keyko Abe will act together with the duet "Tchiki Duo" and the Mariinsky Theater ensemble of marimbists (June 7, the Concert hall), Leonidas Kavakos, Gauthier Capusson and Nikolay Lugansky will play in the Concert hall on June 11, Ilya Rashkovsky with Igor Tchetuev will perform the program devoted to Sergey Rachmaninov's creativity (June 28, the Concert hall). Vadim Holodenko (June 16, the Concert hall), Nikolai Znaider (June 27, the Concert hall) and Helene Grimaud (July 2, the Concert hall) will present solo programmes.

Together with the famous musicians, the winners of the XV International competition of P. I. Tchaikovsky will also participate in the festival - George Li will perform solo (June 10, the Concert hall) accompanied by Budapest Festival Orchestra directed by Ivan Fischer (June 9, Mariinsky-2), and Anastasia Kobekina – accompanied by the Maryinsky Theater Symphonic orchestra directed by Zaurbek Gugkayev (July 22, the Concert hall). Yu Chen Tseon (June 17, the Concert hall) and Lucas Debargue (June 22, the Concert hall) will also present their solo programme.

Among the invited collectives there is a Chamber orchestra of the Russian-German musical academy directed by Thomas Zehetmair (June 24, the Concert hall), China Philharmonic Orchestra (July 7, the Concert hall) and the Armenian national philharmonic orchestra (July 12, the Concert hall).

Mariinsky chamber ensembles. The old friend of the Mariinsky Theater, the quartet of Borodino with their virtuosity and technical brilliance, are highly acclaimed by audiences for 70 years. The quartet will perform Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven's compositions (May 27, the Concert hall).

The Mariinsky Theater Stradivari ensemble directed by Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcovici will perform the compositions of Antonio Vivaldi, George Frederick Handel and Edward Elgar (May 29, the Concert hall). The Soloists of Moscow ensemble which next year will celebrate the 25 anniversary, will feature directed by the permanent head and the conductor - Yuri Bashmet (June 29, the Concert hall). The chamber cellists ensemble of Rastrelli Cello Quartet will perform with the clarinetist virtuoso Giora Feydman (July 5, the Concert hall).

 

About "The Stars of the White Nights" Festivals

The Stars of the White Nights is one of the brightest stars of the music and theatre universe and has emerged to be one of the most popular and grandiose music forums in its context and scale.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival was created in 1993 by Maestro Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Theatre Artistic and General Director. Maestro Gergiev says that he conceived the first Festival as a "musical gift" to the city from the Mariinsky and its star-artists. From the very beginning the Festival has been focused on the masterpieces of the world's music discovering for its audience some rarely performed or undeservedly forgotten pieces. 

The Stars of the White Nights Festival has gained in strength, popularity and international acclaim. The duration for the Festival it has expanded from ten days to three months during the last sixteen year. Renowned conductors and star-artists take as great honour the invitation to perform at the Stars of the White Nights. Each year the Festival programme includes the Theater's finest opera and ballet productions, great symphonic works, masterpieces of chamber music and new premieres.

During the last years the Festival programme has included the works created by the great classical composers - Beethoven symphonies, Prokofiev's and Tchaikovsky's operas, ballets and symphony music. Major events at the Stars have included the production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, in addition to the Shostakovich and Mahler Symphonies series.

This festival is a must for ballet, opera and classical music amateurs. The annual Stars of the White Nights Festival takes an inspiration for its name from the short summer season when the sun never sets, and the beauty of St-Petersburg White Nights contributes to the festival's special atmosphere and its world-class programme of concerts, as audience comes out of the historic theatre at midnight into daylight to stroll along the streets of the theatrical setting of St Petersburg.


Mariinsky Theatre:
1 Theatre Square
St. Petersburg
Mariinsky-2 (New Theatre):
34 Dekabristov Street
St. Petersburg
Mariinsky Concert Hall:
20 Pisareva street
St. Petersburg

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