The Mariinsky Theatre, known as the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theatre in 1934-92, is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in St Petersburg. Since 1988, the theatre has been run by Valery Gergiev. The foyer of Charles Garniers Opéra, Paris, opened 1875 Opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music. ... The Waltz of the Snowflakes from Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker Ballet is the name given to a specific dance form and technique. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland... 1988 is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Valery Gergiev Valery Gergiev (born 1953) is a Russian conductor associated with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera and the Mariinski Theatre. ...

The imperial opera and ballet theatre was established in 1783 on behest of Catherine the Great. Its famous Neo-Byzantine building was completed by 1859. The following year, the imperial theatre was named Mariinsky after the ruling empress Maria Alexandrovna. The theatre hosted premieres of all the operas by Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. World premieres of the ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Spartacus were also produced there. 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Catherine II (Екатерина II Алексеевна: Yekaterína II Alekséyevna, April 21, 1729 - November 6, 1796), born Sophie Augusta Fredericka, known as Catherine the Great, reigned as empress of Russia from June 28, 1762, to her death on November 6, 1796. ... 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Mikhail Glinka Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (Михаи́л Ива́нович Гли́нка) (June 1, 1804 – February 15, 1857) was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition inside his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music. ... Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (Russian: Моде́ст Петро́вич Му́соргский) (March 21, 1839 – March 28, 1881; sometimes spelled Modeste Moussorgsky), was an innovative Russian composer famed for his colourful, exotic, and lush orchestral pieces dedicated to various subjects of medieval Russian history. ... Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский, sometimes transliterated as Piotr, Anglicised as Peter Ilich), (May 7, 1840 – November 6, 1893 (N.S.); April 25, 1840 – October 25, 1893 (O.S.)) was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. ... Swan Lake (Russian: Лебединое Озеро) is one of the most famous and critically-acclaimed ballets, with music by Tchaikovsky. ... Sleeping Beauty (La Belle aux bois dormant) is a fairy tale classic, the first in the set published in 1697 by Charles Perrault, Contes de ma Mère lOye (Mother Goose Tales). Elements of the story are contained in Giambattista Basiles Pentamerone (published 1634), in the tale Sun, Moon... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

The imperial and Soviet theater was the home of numerous great impresarios, conductors, and musicians. Its ballet school spawned careers of Mathilde Kschessinska, Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Vaslav Nijinsky, George Balanchine, Galina Ulanova, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The Mariinsky Ballet is one of the most famous ballet schools in history (formerly the Kirov Ballet, and also the Academic State Theatre), located in St. ... Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlova is also the name of an Olympic gymnast. ... Tamara Platonovna Karsavina (March 10, 1885 – May 26, 1978) was a Russian ballerina who settled in England. ... Vaslav Fomich Nijinsky (Вацлав Фомич Нижинский, Polish language: Wacław Niżyński) (March 12, 1890 – April 8, 1950) was a Polish-born Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. ... George Balanchine (January 9 (O.S.) = January 22 (N.S.), 1904–April 30, 1983) was one of the 20th centurys foremost choreographers, and one of the founders of American ballet. ... Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev (Russian spelling Рудольф Хаметович Нуреев, Tatar form Rudolf Xämät ulı Nuriev) (17 March 1938 – 6 January 1993), Russian-born dancer, was regarded by many critics as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century, alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Mikhail Baryshnikov. ... Mikhail Nikolaevitch Baryshnikov (in Russian Михаил Николаевич Баришников) (born January 28, 1948) is a famous Soviet-American dancer and actor. ...

In 2003, the postmodernist architect Dominique Perrault won a much publicized contest to design a new building for the theatre, which would be situated side by side with the old one. 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Mariinsky Theatre Official Website
• New Building of the Mariinsky Theatre