Le nozze di Figaro had its premiere in 1786 at the Burgtheater in Vienna. Lorenzo da Ponte – with whom Mozart later collaborated on Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte – created the libretto. It was based on Pierre Beaumarchais’ controversial play Le Mariage de Figaro, which was banned in Vienna due to its seditious content. David McVicar’s acclaimed production sets the action in a French chateau in 1830 on the eve of revolution, amplifying the opera’s undercurrents of class tension. The entire household is drawn into the notoriously complex plot, which covers all shades of human emotion: spirited playfulness, such as when Figaro sends Cherubino off to war in ‘Non più andrai’, is combined with heartfelt despair, such as the Countess’s grief at her husband’s infidelity in 'Dove sono i bei momenti'. But affection and fidelity prevail in this most warm-hearted of operas: the Count’s plea for forgiveness in the final act, ‘Contessa, perdono’, is one of the most moving moments in opera. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

"Betrothal in a Monastery is not just a magnificent production, it is a brilliant operatic work as well… It is a unique blend of Il barbiere di Siviglia and La Cenerentola, and in terms of energy and glitter Prokofiev’s music is close to the operas of Rossini. It is clear that both the company and maestro Gergiev love this work… The opera “looks a million dollars”, which, indeed, is not so very far from the truth. If that is true, then the Mariinsky Theatre has spent its money wisely!"Dallas Morning News Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Nutcracker. Come and enjoy Mary and Franz's wonderful adventures as they meet a magician with strange secrets, join an army of valiant toy soldiers to fight a villainous Mouse King and take a trip to a land where everything is made of sweets. This really is an evening of magic: classical ballet at its most visually entrancing, with something to appeal to everyone, young and old. Tchaikovsky's sparkling, effervescent score contains a wealth of famous melodies, and the production is a visual delight from start to finish. Come and experience some special magic this Christmas and into the New Year. Full info

Regarded as one of the greatest operas ever written, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) is a screwball comedy complete with disguises, surprises, and compromises. Figaro, the wily barber and part-time matchmaker, has finally fallen in love. But, like everything else in his life, it's complicated. On the eve of Figaro’s marriage to Susanna, his master, Count Almaviva, sets his wandering eye on the lovely bride-to-be. Servant and master go head to head, and even the Countess Rosina gets in on the action when she learns of her husband’s desires. But is she embroiled in a dangerous liaison of her own? From the opening notes to the final curtain, Mozart’s score delivers a tangled love story with great farce and satire. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

Prokofiev’s Cinderella choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, good and sincere story of Cinderella, Prince, Love and basic values of Life, was premierred at the Mariinsky Theatre in March 2002.At the time, Ratmansky was a little-known figure: a Bolshoi-trained dancer who had worked for several western companies and was launching his career as a choreographer. A decade later he is the world's most influential ballet-maker, credited with revitalising classical dance through a series of highly individual productions.His Cinderella is an uneven work which shows evidence of the choreographer's struggle to reconcile highly diverse elements. The Copenhagen Post: "Ratmansky’s production is attractive for its light and playful atmosphere, its irony and its self irony. The choreography successfully combines good traditions with inventiveness. A healthy sense of humour guarantees a “democratic feel” and intelligibility to the performance, the thirst for the acting finds a joyous response from the performers, and the exaggerated attention to stylistics gives the ballet a western gloss." Full info

Prokofiev’s Cinderella choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, good and sincere story of Cinderella, Prince, Love and basic values of Life, was premierred at the Mariinsky Theatre in March 2002.At the time, Ratmansky was a little-known figure: a Bolshoi-trained dancer who had worked for several western companies and was launching his career as a choreographer. A decade later he is the world's most influential ballet-maker, credited with revitalising classical dance through a series of highly individual productions.His Cinderella is an uneven work which shows evidence of the choreographer's struggle to reconcile highly diverse elements. The Copenhagen Post: "Ratmansky’s production is attractive for its light and playful atmosphere, its irony and its self irony. The choreography successfully combines good traditions with inventiveness. A healthy sense of humour guarantees a “democratic feel” and intelligibility to the performance, the thirst for the acting finds a joyous response from the performers, and the exaggerated attention to stylistics gives the ballet a western gloss." Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

The libretto of the opera is based on the jewel of ancient Russian literature - The Tale of Igor's Campaign. Text and music were being written for 18 years but were finished by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov after the composer’s death. The opera also includes famous The Polovetsian Dances – a bright vocal-choreographic scene that has become a legend. For the 1890 premiere of Prince Igor the spirit of the wild dances was conveyed by choreographer Leo Ivanov, a co-author of the famous ballet Swan Lake. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

Ballet Raymonda, a masterpiece by the world-famous choreographer Marius Petipa and the Russian composer Alexander Glazunov is a kind of graceful medieval romance. It’s interesting to notice that the ballet is a rare example of the productions set to the libretto written by a woman. The scenario was created by Princess Lidia Pashkova, an extraordinary lady who managed to be a member of the French Geographic Society and a correspondent of Le Figaro in Paris, the author of several novels and an ardent traveler who visited Egypt, Palestine and Syria. Thus her Eastern impressions were realized in the ballet. Raymonda was Marius Petipa’s last grand ballet: each act is full of variations displaying the essence of ballet techniques, and the second act is characterized by powerful dance scenes filled with exotic charm. The highlight of the ballet is the final act’s grand pas which skillfully combines classical and character dance. It is really an ideal ballet showing off the dancers in their glory. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

August Bournonville’s La Sylphide, set to a commissioned score by Herman Lovenskjold, premiered in Copenhagen in 1836, and has remained in the repertoire of the Royal Danish Ballet to this day. In creating La Sylphide, Bournonville used the Adolph Nourrit libretto which had underpinned Filippo Taglioni’s earlier version of this ballet, with music by Jean Schneitzhoeffer, which had premiered in Paris in 1832. Taglioni’s La Sylphide is often hailed as a landmark work which heralded the Romantic era. The romantic classic La Sylphide is a story of passion and unrequited love featuring an alluring fairy and a diabolical witch. Full info

The death of French actress Adrienne Lecouvreur inspired many plays and operas, of which Francesco Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur is the finest and most enduring. The opera would become Cilea’s greatest success, renowned particularly for his heroine’s arias ‘Io son l’umile ancilla’ in Act I and ‘Poveri fiori’ in Act IV – though Cilea’s atmospheric and elegant score offers much more besides, with Maurizio’s aria ‘La dolcissima effigie sorridente’, the Act III ballet and Adriana’s intense spoken recitation at the end of that act particular highlights. Full info

Every year during the Christmas season, thousands of children and their parents visit the theatre to see The Nutcracker, probably the all-time favourite in holiday entertainment. The Nutcracker premiered at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 18, 1892. The choreography was by Lev Ivanov after Marius Petipa, who fell ill before beginning to choreograph and passed on his choreographic plan to Ivanov, and the score was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Italian ballerina Antoinetta Dell’Era and Russian premiere danseur Pavel Gerdt performed the lead roles of The Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince Coqueluche. The ballet was performed as a double premiere with Tchaikovsky’s final opera Iolanta. Tchaikovsky was initially reluctant to write the score for The Nutcracker finding the libretto based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s children’s tale, The Nutcracker and the King of the Mice, lacking in fantasy. Nevertheless, this production would ultimately become Tchaikovsky’s most popular work. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Nutcracker. Come and enjoy Mary and Franz's wonderful adventures as they meet a magician with strange secrets, join an army of valiant toy soldiers to fight a villainous Mouse King and take a trip to a land where everything is made of sweets. This really is an evening of magic: classical ballet at its most visually entrancing, with something to appeal to everyone, young and old. Tchaikovsky's sparkling, effervescent score contains a wealth of famous melodies, and the production is a visual delight from start to finish. Come and experience some special magic this Christmas and into the New Year. Full info

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Nutcracker. Come and enjoy Mary and Franz's wonderful adventures as they meet a magician with strange secrets, join an army of valiant toy soldiers to fight a villainous Mouse King and take a trip to a land where everything is made of sweets. This really is an evening of magic: classical ballet at its most visually entrancing, with something to appeal to everyone, young and old. Tchaikovsky's sparkling, effervescent score contains a wealth of famous melodies, and the production is a visual delight from start to finish. Come and experience some special magic this Christmas and into the New Year. Full info

Every year during the Christmas season, thousands of children and their parents visit the theatre to see The Nutcracker, probably the all-time favourite in holiday entertainment. The Nutcracker premiered at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 18, 1892. The choreography was by Lev Ivanov after Marius Petipa, who fell ill before beginning to choreograph and passed on his choreographic plan to Ivanov, and the score was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Italian ballerina Antoinetta Dell’Era and Russian premiere danseur Pavel Gerdt performed the lead roles of The Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince Coqueluche. The ballet was performed as a double premiere with Tchaikovsky’s final opera Iolanta. Tchaikovsky was initially reluctant to write the score for The Nutcracker finding the libretto based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s children’s tale, The Nutcracker and the King of the Mice, lacking in fantasy. Nevertheless, this production would ultimately become Tchaikovsky’s most popular work. Full info

Every year during the Christmas season, thousands of children and their parents visit the theatre to see The Nutcracker, probably the all-time favourite in holiday entertainment. The Nutcracker premiered at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 18, 1892. The choreography was by Lev Ivanov after Marius Petipa, who fell ill before beginning to choreograph and passed on his choreographic plan to Ivanov, and the score was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Italian ballerina Antoinetta Dell’Era and Russian premiere danseur Pavel Gerdt performed the lead roles of The Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince Coqueluche. The ballet was performed as a double premiere with Tchaikovsky’s final opera Iolanta. Tchaikovsky was initially reluctant to write the score for The Nutcracker finding the libretto based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s children’s tale, The Nutcracker and the King of the Mice, lacking in fantasy. Nevertheless, this production would ultimately become Tchaikovsky’s most popular work. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Nutcracker. Come and enjoy Mary and Franz's wonderful adventures as they meet a magician with strange secrets, join an army of valiant toy soldiers to fight a villainous Mouse King and take a trip to a land where everything is made of sweets. This really is an evening of magic: classical ballet at its most visually entrancing, with something to appeal to everyone, young and old. Tchaikovsky's sparkling, effervescent score contains a wealth of famous melodies, and the production is a visual delight from start to finish. Come and experience some special magic this Christmas and into the New Year. Full info

Every year during the Christmas season, thousands of children and their parents visit the theatre to see The Nutcracker, probably the all-time favourite in holiday entertainment. The Nutcracker premiered at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 18, 1892. The choreography was by Lev Ivanov after Marius Petipa, who fell ill before beginning to choreograph and passed on his choreographic plan to Ivanov, and the score was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Italian ballerina Antoinetta Dell’Era and Russian premiere danseur Pavel Gerdt performed the lead roles of The Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince Coqueluche. The ballet was performed as a double premiere with Tchaikovsky’s final opera Iolanta. Tchaikovsky was initially reluctant to write the score for The Nutcracker finding the libretto based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s children’s tale, The Nutcracker and the King of the Mice, lacking in fantasy. Nevertheless, this production would ultimately become Tchaikovsky’s most popular work. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Nutcracker. Come and enjoy Mary and Franz's wonderful adventures as they meet a magician with strange secrets, join an army of valiant toy soldiers to fight a villainous Mouse King and take a trip to a land where everything is made of sweets. This really is an evening of magic: classical ballet at its most visually entrancing, with something to appeal to everyone, young and old. Tchaikovsky's sparkling, effervescent score contains a wealth of famous melodies, and the production is a visual delight from start to finish. Come and experience some special magic this Christmas and into the New Year. Full info

Levsha ("The Lefthander") is an opera (2013) by Rodion Shchedrin based on a story by the 19th-century Russian writer Nikolai Leskov.World premiere of the concert performance on 26 June 2013 and world stage premiere on 27 July 2013. Twice Grammy Award winner ("The best essay in contemporary academic music" 1997 and "The best work of contemporary composer of classical music" 2009) Rodion Shchedrin is a master of orchestration, combinations of sound, orchestral colors and sudden effects.The opera was commissioned by the Mariinsky Theatre and composed by Rodion Shchedrin to Maestro Gergiev’s 60th birthday.The composer speaks about his work:Leskov’s tale is an incredibly rich literary source for an opera plot. The plot of the tale itself is a grotesque exaggeration. What is it? Is it a Biblical parable, a farcical fairground myth, or an epic tale? The characters are vivid, luscious and contrasting. The Russian Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I, the Winter Palace, the British Court — a buffonade and a tragedy. Laughter through tears... But if you look a little deeper then you can clearly see the artistic contradistinctions of two kinds of life — the rational British and the irrational Russian.And, finally, there is the protagonist. The cross-eyed illiterate artisan with “golden hands” from Tula. He is a condensed representation, I believe, of the most important and the most typical features of the Russian national character — innate talent, wit, self irony, indifference to human life and a pernicious love of alcohol. And the eternal Russian theme of power and the common man. The lack of need for genius in one’s own country. Full info

Now it‘s time to show you something REALLY RUSSIAN! Here in a cozy and nicely decorated Concert Hall of the Nikolaevsky Palace we will give you more than just an opportunity to see unforgettable folk show performance "Feel Yourself Russian": you will not only FEEL involved - you will BE really involved! During two hours of this dynamic colorful and pictureous show, you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, - and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances, - can also be used as musical instruments! And - oh, miracle! - suddenly you will find yourself right on the stage dancing like a real Russian, playing folk games and enjoying yourself! Full info