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| Russians hope Mariinsky II will revive Saint Petersburg as cultural capital | Russians hope Mariinsky II will revive Saint Petersburg as cultural capital |
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| Amid the winding canals and stately 19th-century buildings that line the streets of St Petersburg, the Mariinsky theatre's new ballet and opera house, inaugurated to great fanfare on Thursday, stands like a glass-encased curiosity. | Amid the winding canals and stately 19th-century buildings that line the streets of St Petersburg, the Mariinsky theatre's new ballet and opera house, inaugurated to great fanfare on Thursday, stands like a glass-encased curiosity. |
| To some it is a modern monstrosity, to others it is rather too bland. Yet to nearly all in Russia's second city, the new theatre, known as the Mariinsky II, comes imbued with the hope that Saint Petersburg – and Russia – can reclaim a role as a global cultural capital. | To some it is a modern monstrosity, to others it is rather too bland. Yet to nearly all in Russia's second city, the new theatre, known as the Mariinsky II, comes imbued with the hope that Saint Petersburg – and Russia – can reclaim a role as a global cultural capital. |
| "Everything is possible here," said Valery Gergiev, the director of the Mariinsky and principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Sitting by the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the picturesque city, he spoke passionately of his pet project, 10 years in development and built at a cost of 200bn roubles (£450m). | "Everything is possible here," said Valery Gergiev, the director of the Mariinsky and principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Sitting by the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the picturesque city, he spoke passionately of his pet project, 10 years in development and built at a cost of 200bn roubles (£450m). |
| "Russia is seen very often as a country that thinks, but not always deeply enough, and acts maybe not always in the right way," he said in idiosyncratic English. "The whole world makes mistakes, Russia included. And the whole world makes good things, thanks God, Russia included." | "Russia is seen very often as a country that thinks, but not always deeply enough, and acts maybe not always in the right way," he said in idiosyncratic English. "The whole world makes mistakes, Russia included. And the whole world makes good things, thanks God, Russia included." |
| It was an apologetic tone little evidenced by Gergiev when he speaks at home. To Russians, he is one of the greatest champions of Vladimir Putin, making regular appearances in support of the president, including in a campaign ad before his controversial return to the presidency last year. Putin has shown his gratitude, most recently by naming Gergiev one of five "Heroes of Labour" on Wednesday, in an inaugural ceremony to revive the Soviet-era medal. | It was an apologetic tone little evidenced by Gergiev when he speaks at home. To Russians, he is one of the greatest champions of Vladimir Putin, making regular appearances in support of the president, including in a campaign ad before his controversial return to the presidency last year. Putin has shown his gratitude, most recently by naming Gergiev one of five "Heroes of Labour" on Wednesday, in an inaugural ceremony to revive the Soviet-era medal. |
| "An opera house which is 500 or 600 or 700 million dollars or euro, it's difficult now," Gergiev said. Yet "somehow" the Mariinsky had managed it, he said. The Mariinsky II was entirely funded by the Russian government. | "An opera house which is 500 or 600 or 700 million dollars or euro, it's difficult now," Gergiev said. Yet "somehow" the Mariinsky had managed it, he said. The Mariinsky II was entirely funded by the Russian government. |
| On Thursday night Putin opened a gala concert conducted by Gergiev and featuring the tenor Placido Domingo and homegrown stars such as the soprano Anna Netrebko and ballerina Diana Vishneva, who performed to wild applause. | On Thursday night Putin opened a gala concert conducted by Gergiev and featuring the tenor Placido Domingo and homegrown stars such as the soprano Anna Netrebko and ballerina Diana Vishneva, who performed to wild applause. |
| "Today is an important day in the cultural life of our country," Putin told guests. His powerful chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov, the former finance minister Alexei Kudrin, the deputy CEO of Gazprom Alexander Medvedev, and supermodel Natalia Vodianova were among those in attendance. "But this is not enough," Putin added, providing the international audience with insight in the government's plans to build theatre in provincial cities across Russia. | "Today is an important day in the cultural life of our country," Putin told guests. His powerful chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov, the former finance minister Alexei Kudrin, the deputy CEO of Gazprom Alexander Medvedev, and supermodel Natalia Vodianova were among those in attendance. "But this is not enough," Putin added, providing the international audience with insight in the government's plans to build theatre in provincial cities across Russia. |
| Putin then took a seat close to the stage, eschewing the VIP box. Hoards of police swarmed through Saint Petersburg and camouflaged riot police led sniffer dogs around the Mariinsky's entrance before his arrival. | Putin then took a seat close to the stage, eschewing the VIP box. Hoards of police swarmed through Saint Petersburg and camouflaged riot police led sniffer dogs around the Mariinsky's entrance before his arrival. |
| The Russian cultural world has much pinned on the opening, which was broadcast live on state-run television and channels around the world, hoping it will provide welcome respite from the sordid scandals that have hit Moscow's Bolshoi theatre which is still reeling from an acid attack on the Bolshoi ballet director, Sergei Filin, in January, which star dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko later confessed to orchestrating. | The Russian cultural world has much pinned on the opening, which was broadcast live on state-run television and channels around the world, hoping it will provide welcome respite from the sordid scandals that have hit Moscow's Bolshoi theatre which is still reeling from an acid attack on the Bolshoi ballet director, Sergei Filin, in January, which star dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko later confessed to orchestrating. |
| The scandal further tarnished the theatre's name following a widely criticised renovation that ran years over schedule and whose budget ballooned to £500m. The resulting gold-and-velvet interior was likened by some critics, including the dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze, to a Turkish hotel. The Mariinsky II, in contrast, stands as a paradigm of simplicity. A glass-and-limestone exterior runs the length of a city block and is attached to the old Mariinsky, built in 1860, by a footbridge. The interior features an open staircase and a curving backlit wall made of honey onyx. The 2,000-seat auditorium is overwhelmingly made of wood. | The scandal further tarnished the theatre's name following a widely criticised renovation that ran years over schedule and whose budget ballooned to £500m. The resulting gold-and-velvet interior was likened by some critics, including the dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze, to a Turkish hotel. The Mariinsky II, in contrast, stands as a paradigm of simplicity. A glass-and-limestone exterior runs the length of a city block and is attached to the old Mariinsky, built in 1860, by a footbridge. The interior features an open staircase and a curving backlit wall made of honey onyx. The 2,000-seat auditorium is overwhelmingly made of wood. |
| "We made an architecture that is respectful of the organity of the city," said the Canadian architect, Jack Diamond, explaining that the horseshoe-shaped auditorium was designed as a metaphor for the city's grand cathedrals and churches. At night, the theatre is lit up, when, he said, "you can see the interior of the building and see this church of music standing in its context". Some Russians have likened the exterior to a shopping mall, lamenting the absence of a more intricate design that was abandoned early in the development process. "Inside it seems very pretty, but outside it just looks like a box," said student Arina Gerasinko. | "We made an architecture that is respectful of the organity of the city," said the Canadian architect, Jack Diamond, explaining that the horseshoe-shaped auditorium was designed as a metaphor for the city's grand cathedrals and churches. At night, the theatre is lit up, when, he said, "you can see the interior of the building and see this church of music standing in its context". Some Russians have likened the exterior to a shopping mall, lamenting the absence of a more intricate design that was abandoned early in the development process. "Inside it seems very pretty, but outside it just looks like a box," said student Arina Gerasinko. |
| With Russian taste tending to run towards the glamorous, the simple interior might come as a surprise. The VIP box, due to host Putin on Thursday night, is marked by a Russian seal stamped into its wood, a modern chandelier dripping overhead. | With Russian taste tending to run towards the glamorous, the simple interior might come as a surprise. The VIP box, due to host Putin on Thursday night, is marked by a Russian seal stamped into its wood, a modern chandelier dripping overhead. |
| "I've been waiting for this for many years," Gergiev said. The new theatre, he said, "ushers us into a new era of expanded artistic possibilities". "I hope this theatre will be seen as a naturally placed and naturally living cultural giant amongst those famous opera houses of the world." | "I've been waiting for this for many years," Gergiev said. The new theatre, he said, "ushers us into a new era of expanded artistic possibilities". "I hope this theatre will be seen as a naturally placed and naturally living cultural giant amongst those famous opera houses of the world." |
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