22 May - 03 August 2025
Today, on 22 May, the Mariinsky Theatre opens the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights with a grand celebration. Year after year the festival draws the attention of audiences from around the world who cherish musical and theatrical art. Stars of the White Nights remains one of the most prominent and anticipated cultural events of the Mariinsky Theatre – the culmination of its entire season. This year’s festival runs from 22 May to 3 August, with events scheduled across all of the theatre’s St Petersburg stages.
The operatic programme opens with one of the most anticipated premieres of recent years – Vincenzo Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece Norma, which finally receives a new full-scale stage production. The production is directed by Sergei Novikov, with Valery Gergiev as musical director. Premieres will take place on 22, 23 and 24 May, at 13:00 and 19:00, in Mariinsky II. The title role will be sung on opening night by the magnificent Albina Shagimuratova. Also performing in the leading roles are Ekaterina Lukash, Igor Morozov, Miroslav Molchanov, Varvara Solovyova and Savva Khastaev.
The ballet programme opens on the Historic Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre with one of the most celebrated orientalist ballets in the classical repertoire – La Bayadère by Ludwig Minkus. The principal roles will be danced by a stellar cast: Victoria Tereshkina, Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim.
The first concert of the festival at the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will feature the acclaimed Stradivarius Ensemble of the Mariinsky Theatre under the baton of Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici, performing the Concerto in D for string orchestra (Basel Concerto), the suite from Stravinsky’s Pulcinella and Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
May and June will also see performances of the season’s recent premieres in opera and ballet. On 27 and 28 May Mariinsky II will present Dance Scenes by Vyacheslav Samodurov to music by Stravinsky. The first evening’s programme includes Pulcinella and Concert Dances; the second – Pulcinella and Jeu de cartes.
Among the recent operatic premieres on the festival bill is Verdi’s Aida, directed by Giancarlo del Monaco, with performances on 13, 14 and 15 June. Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, staged by Konstantin Balakin and Alexei Stepanyuk, will be performed on 29 June.
The Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will offer audiences a rich programme of operatic masterpieces. Throughout June the stage will host productions of Puccini’s La bohème, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi and Turandot, Verdi’s Falstaff and Rigoletto, Prokofiev’s War and Peace, Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, Mozart’s Idomeneo, rè di Creta and Le nozze di Figaro, Shchedrin’s The Enchanted Wanderer and Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde.
One of the most anticipated ballet events of the festival will be a guest appearance by the Bolshoi Ballet. From 27 to 29 June the company will perform the compelling production of The Master and Margarita, set to music by Alfred Schnittke and Milko Lazar, choreographed by Edward Clug.
A highlight of the June concert calendar will be the performance by audience favourite Denis Matsuev together with the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev. On 2 June Mariinsky II will resound with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 and Prokofiev’s Symphonies Nos. 1 and 5.
The playbill for July and early August promises audiences an exhilarating kaleidoscope of theatrical masterpieces.
Season’s Final Premieres
The Mariinsky Theatre is rightly known as the home of Verdi. Today, its repertoire includes fourteen of the composer’s operas, and soon this unique collection will welcome another title. On July 4, 5, and 6, the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will present Verdi’s lyrical drama Ernani, staged by Bulgarian director Orlin Anastassov. Set and costume design are by Denis Ivanov.
Later in the month, on July 25 and 26, the Concert Hall will host another premiere - Mussorgsky’s vivid and colorful The Fair at Sorochyntsi, staged and choreographed by Ilya Ustyantsev. Set design is by Ekaterina Malinina.
Valery Gergiev is the musical director of both productions.
Grand Opera Productions in the Concert Hall
In June, the Mariinsky Theatre offered audiences a fresh perspective on iconic operatic narratives, presenting an array of world masterpieces on the Concert Hall stage. In July, audiences can look forward to both beloved productions and new stage adaptations:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Britten (July 1)
The Lefthander by Shchedrin (July 2)
Betrothal in a Monastery by Prokofiev (July 3)
La Bohème (July 5) and La fanciulla del West (July 8) by Puccini
La traviata (July 6) and Falstaff (July 28) by Verdi
A Life for the Tsar by Glinka (July 13 and 20)
Tannhäuser (July 17) and The Flying Dutchman (July 22) by Wagner
Lakmé by Delibes (July 18)
The Tsar’s Bride by Rimsky-Korsakov (July 24 and 27)
Idomeneo, King of Crete by Mozart (July 29)
Repertoire Rarities
Among the rarely performed works featured - alongside Puccini’s La fanciulla del West (July 8), Wagner’s Tannhäuser (July 17), and Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride (July 24 and 27) - audiences should not miss:
Benvenuto Cellini (July 1) and Les Troyens (July 29) by Berlioz
Adriana Lecouvreur by Cilea (July 8)
Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti in concert performance (July 14)
The Gambler (July 7) and The Fiery Angel (July 15) by Prokofiev
Additionally, the Mariinsky will feature two dazzling highlights from recent seasons: Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss (July 19 and 20 at 13:00 and 19:00), and Bellini’s magnificent Norma (July 23, 24, 25, and 26 at 13:00 and 19:00), whose new production opened this year’s Stars of the White Nights festival.
Ballet rarities also make an appearance: on July 15, the New Stage will present an evening of Stravinsky’s works, featuring Petrouchka, Les Noces, Le Sacre du printemps.
Classical Repertoire: Luxurious Ballet Heritage
The Mariinsky’s vast repertoire preserves the finest treasures of classical ballet rooted in the golden age of Marius Petipa. In July, audiences can enjoy the best of this heritage:
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake (July 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6) and The Sleeping Beauty (July 19 and 20 at 13:00 and 19:00)
Giselle (July 8, 9, 10, and 12)
Le Corsaire by Adolphe Adam (July 11 and 18)
La Bayadère (July 16 and 17) and Don Quixote (July 26 at 13:00 and 19:00) by Ludwig Minkus
Unforgettable Concert Programs
The Mariinsky Theatre’s concert calendar features several standout events, including a vocal recital by the brilliant Ekaterina Semenchuk on July 4, accompanied by pianist Semyon Skigin.
On July 5, the majestic Symphony No. 9 by Mahler will be performed under the baton of Valery Gergiev in the Concert Hall.
The Mariinsky Symphony Orchestra will also be led by Justus Frantz (July 10) and Ivan Rudin - who will conduct a concert featuring pianists Zarina Shimanskaya and Abisal Gergiev (July 11).
Another memorable evening awaits on July 11 at 22:00 with a magical serenade night by the Stradivarius Ensemble of the Mariinsky Theatre. The acclaimed baroque string ensemble and its inimitable director, Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici, will also perform on July 15.
The festival is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The festival’s Artistic Director is Valery Gergiev.
The festival program is subject to updates.
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 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.
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