The XXXIV Music Festival “Stars of the White Nights” 2026 invites audiences to experience one of the world’s most impressive celebrations of opera, ballet, and classical music. From 29 May to 24 July 2026, the legendary stages of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg become a meeting place for outstanding artists, grand productions, and unforgettable musical discoveries during the magical season of the White Nights.
Under the artistic direction of Valery Gergiev, the festival continues the remarkable tradition of presenting the finest achievements of the Mariinsky Theatre. The 2026 programme brings together opera masterpieces, iconic ballet productions, symphonic concerts, and special musical projects, offering audiences an extraordinary journey through the history and diversity of classical art.
The festival opens with two major productions: Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet “Swan Lake” at the historic Mariinsky Theatre and Modest Mussorgsky’s monumental opera “Boris Godunov” at Mariinsky II. The opening performance of Boris Godunov features Ildar Abdrazakov in the title role, alongside Alexey Markov, Yevgeny Akimov, Yuri Vorobiev, Roman Shirokikh, Andrei Zorin, and Miroslav Molchanov, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
The concert programme offers a special focus on Sergei Prokofiev, marking the 135th anniversary of the composer’s birth. The “Prokofiev: One of Our Own” series features the Mariinsky Orchestra and soloists including pianists Daniil Tyurin, Ilya Papoyan, Sergey Davydchenko, and Valentin Malinin, as well as violinist Pavel Milyukov, under the direction of Valery Gergiev.
What makes the “Stars of the White Nights” truly unique is its atmosphere. Music fills the historic halls of Saint Petersburg during the glowing northern evenings, when the city itself becomes part of the artistic experience. Opera, ballet, and symphonic masterpieces come together in a celebration that reflects the elegance, depth, and grandeur of Russian performing arts.
The XXXIV Music Festival “Stars of the White Nights” 2026 is more than a festival — it is an invitation to discover world-class classical art in one of the most beautiful cultural capitals of Europe.
The full programme for the festival will be posted at a later date
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 of 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.
"The Stars of the White Nights " International Ballet and Opera Festival
