News

· The Theatre was attended by over 200,000 spectators;
· The Theatre gave over 350 performances on its home stage and on tour;
· Some major premieres took place: operas The Story of Kai and Gerda by Sergei Banevich, La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini (concert performance), ballets La fille mal gardée by Louis Hérold and Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev;
· World premiere of Alexander Smelkov’s cantata God’s Pipe took place;
· Two major festivals were held: the X International Mariinsky Far East Festival and the III Far East Easter Festival;
· The Theatre’s tour geography included St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Artyom, Partizansk, Bolshoy Kamen, Korsakov, and the village of Knyaze-Volkonskoye;
· Professional achievements, major anniversaries, and memorable dates happened as well.

The company closed the season on its home stage on May 31, 2026. The season was rounded up with a landmark, ambitious premiere of Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet. A series of performances took place on May 29, 30, and 31, 2026.

Premieres

In the 2025/26 season, the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre presented a series of premiere performances.

The first was the premiere of the ballet La fille mal gardée (October 3, 2025), revised by Oleg Vinogradov, People’s Artist of the USSR, to music by Louis Hérold. The renowned choreographer had created the new version specifically for the ballet company of the Primorsky Stage.

On November 22, 2025, the world premiere of God’s Pipe, cantata by composer from St Petersburg Alexander Smelkov, took place, marking the 130^th anniversary of Sergei Yesenin’s birth. This work in 14 movements for soloists, mixed chorus, and symphony orchestra, was presented by the Chorus and the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage conducted by Principal Conductor Pavel Smelkov.

Another significant event was the premiere of the opera The Story of Kai and Gerda by Sergei Banevich in the Great Hall of the Theatre on December 25, 2025, marking 45 years since its first production and dedicated to the composer’s memory.

To conclude the season, the Theatre’s opera company presented a concert performance of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème under the direction of conductor Evgeny Khokhlov (May 24, 2026).

The ballet company finished the season with a magnificent performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Eldar Aliev.

Festivals

This season, the X International Mariinsky Far East Festival consisted of two parts, whose programs offered a unique series of events to the residents and guests of the region. The Mariinsky Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev, performed Gustav Mahler’s Symphonies No. 1 and No. 7 for the first time in Vladivostok, along with a concert performance of the opera The Queen of Spades by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The Primorsky Stage also presented its premiere of the 2024/25 season, Giuseppe Verdi’s Il trovatore, a Golden Mask Award nominee, under the baton of maestro Valery Gergiev.

The ballet part of the Festival was also memorable. Soloists from the Bolshoi Theatre performed in Vladivostok for the first time, joining leading soloists from the Mariinsky Theatre for two large-scale gala concerts dedicated to Maya Plisetskaya’s centennial anniversary.

The Far East Easter Festival traditionally took place in April. This year, it was held for the third time, spanning three regions of the Far Eastern Federal District. The Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre performed in several cities and towns across the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, as well as in Sakhalin Region. This year, the Primorsky Stage musicians traveled over 5,000 kilometers. The performances within the Festival took place for the first time in Artyom, Partizansk, Bolshoy Kamen, Korsakov, and the village of Knyaze-Volkonskoye.

Symphonic and Choral Programs

The season was lavish in musical events dedicated to anniversaries of composers: Sergei Prokofiev, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) were premiered.

The Chorus of the Primorsky Stage gave an Easter concert in the Great Hall of the Theatre, performing spiritual and secular music to commemorate the Holy Easter.

The Indoor Portrait of a Singer Project successfully returned to the Chamber Hall’s program.

Tours

During the 2025/26 season, the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre hosted performances by the outstanding virtuoso pianist Denis Matsuev, along with the Russian National Youth Symphony Orchestra under Ivan Nikiforchin, and the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage under Pavel Smelkov. As part of the Generations Dialogue Project, Pavel Milyukov (violin), Valentina Fedeneva (soprano), Sofia Viland (flute), Borislav Strulyov (cello), Andrei Ivanov (double bass), and Lev Bakirov (piano) performed on the Primorsky Stage.

The Khabarovsk Musical Theatre returned to the Primorsky Stage in February on tour with a new program of events.

Titles and Awards

The 2025/26 season was marked by major professional awards and achievements.

Irina Soboleva, Artistic Director of the Opera Company of the Primorsky Stage, was awarded the title of People's Artist of Russia for her significant contributions to the development of musical and theatrical arts.

Opera soloist Samira Galimova won third prize at the prestigious Operalia World Opera Competition, which this year was held in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The production of the opera Il trovatore, the premiere of the 2025/26 season, was nominated for the Golden Mask, main national theatre award. The performance opened the regional program of the award in Vladivostok, where it was nominated.

The ballet company witnessed some promotions. First soloists Lada Sartakova and Denis Klepikov were awarded the titles of principal dancers, while Sergei Amanbaev was promoted to first soloist.

As a principal dancer of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, Lada Sartakova won a silver medal at the I International Ballet Competition in Liaoning.

Eldar Aliev, Ballet Artistic Director of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, was appointed Chairman of the Jury for the Golden Mask National Theatre Award in the opera, operetta/musical, and ballet competitions.

Educational and Exhibition Activities

This season, the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre hosted and initiated exhibitions and displays held to commemorate anniversaries and memorable dates.

In honor of Maya Plisetskaya’s anniversary, a large photo exhibition dedicated to the outstanding ballerina was presented in the Primorsky Stage foyer in collaboration with the Russian News Agency TASS. It featured over 40 photographs from the TASS photo archives, taken at various periods of Maya Mikhailovna’s life.

This season, theatre-goers could also enjoy an exhibition dedicated to the Rimsky-Korsakov dynasty, telling the story of the brothers Nikolai and Voin and their connection to the Far East, and an exhibition of the best children’s drawings dedicated to the World Theatre Day.

A photo presentation celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre opened in the Public Space of the Tretyakov Gallery in Vladivostok. It reveals the Theatre's development stages through 10 photographs.

The educational activities held by the Primorsky Stage also included tours and lectures as part of the Scenic Introduction Project; those took place before performances and concerts in a new format. For the first time, Scenic Introduction was held in the Chamber Hall of the Theatre; in the Great Hall, it was for the first time accompanied by performances by prominent theatre figures Oleg Vinogradov and Semyon Pastukh. During the 2025/26 season, artists and staff of the Theatre participated in large-scale creative encounters with the public, both at the Theatre’s venues as part of the Vacation at the Mariinsky Project, and in the Public Space of the Tretyakov Gallery and the Rossiya National Centre.

This year, the music world celebrates the 135^th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Russian composer, pianist, and conductor Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev. The Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre is rounding up the season with a major premiere of the ballet Romeo and Juliet, dedicated to the composer’s anniversary.

On May 29, 30, and 31, 2026, a series of performances of the premiere production is going to take place in the Great Hall of the Theatre. Choreography is set by Eldar Aliev, People’s Artist of Russia, Ballet Artistic Director of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. The production team also includes set designer Semyon Pastukh, costume designer Liliya Khismatullina, and lighting designer Taras Mikhalevsky.

One of the most popular 20^th century ballets will be presented in its original aesthetic. The color pattern of the performance emphasizes the confrontation between two families, reflecting the struggle between good and evil, and the juxtaposition of love and hate. From concept to completion, the production took two years to develop.

The leading parts in the premiere performances will be performed by the leading dancers of the ballet company: Irina Sapozhnikova, Lada Sartakova, Lilia Berezhnova, Denis Klepikov, Razmik Marukyan, Sergei Amanbaev, Shizuru Kato, and Sergei Umanetc.

Romeo and Juliet will come as the second premiere of the ballet company in the season. In October, the company presented La fille mal gardeé, set to the music by Louis Hérold and choreographed by Oleg Vinogradov, People’s Artist of the USSR.

In 2026, the musical world celebrates the 135^th anniversary of the birth of Sergei Prokofiev, one of the most brilliant and innovative composers of the early 20^th century.

On May 20, 2026, the Primorsky Stage will present Prokofiev’s grotesque opera The Love for Three Oranges. The legendary ballet Romeo and Juliet will come as a spectacular season-ending premiere on May 29, 30, and 31, 2026.

Alexander Petrov’s production of The Love for Three Oranges premiered on the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in 2023. The performance took place as part of the International Mariinsky Far East Festival, Valery Gergiev taking the conductor’s console. On that day, the opera was performed by the Primorsky Stage opera soloists accompanied by the Mariinsky Orchestra. Composed by thirty-year-old Prokofiev on the basis of the fairy tale by the 18^th-century Italian playwright Carlo Gozzi, The Love for Three Oranges is a metaphor for love of theatre and the carnival underbelly of the world, for the impossibility of living outside the realm of play. The composer has created an opera about opera, its wonders, clichés, and absurdities, which were dear to the theatre audiences and to himself.

To round up the season, the theatre-goers will be treated to the grand premiere of the ballet Romeo and Juliet on May 29, 30, and 31, 2026, choreographed by Eldar Aliev. For the Primorsky Stage, the performance has been designed by Set Designer Semyon Pastukh and Costume Designer Liliya Khismatullina. Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet music was considered innovative for its time; it didn’t fit into the traditional canons of choreographic accompaniment either melodically or structurally. Even before the premiere, the ballet dancers called the music “not danceable”; the composer was forced to create two suites (and later another one) from the new ballet, which started to be performed separately in concerts long before the first night.

The Public Space of the Tretyakov Gallery in Vladivostok will be holding a month dedicated to the Mariinsky Theatre, accompanied by a series of events.

The central event of the month will be the opening of a photo presentation dedicated to the 10^th anniversary of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.

On May 13, 2026, the Theatre will present 10 photographs, each representing a year. On this day, prima ballerina Irina Sapozhnikova and opera soloist Alexei Kostyuk will speak about the significant events making up the decade. Both artists have served at the Primorsky Stage since its inception and have witnessed the Theatre’s development in all its forms.

On May 16, 2026, the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will make its debut in the All-Russian Night of Museums event. Zhanna Suvorova, Head of the Costume Department, will present theatrical costumes at the Tretyakov Gallery’s Public Space; the presentation will be accompanied with a story about the costumes, their features, the differences between opera and ballet costumes, and the nuances of classical and contemporary stage costumes.

One more thing that makes this event so unique is the costumes from the production of Sergei Prokofiev’s grand ballet Romeo and Juliet that will go on display for the first time on the eve of the final premiere of the season.

On May 21, 2026, a discussion of theatre photography and its nuances will be held; the participants will learn more of working in motion, and the challenges the theatre poses to photographers.

On May 29, 2026, the month will be rounded up with a continuation of the Meetings with the Mariinsky project, during which we will talk to musicians of the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage about the specifics of their work, their love of music, and the ensemble’s cohesion.

All events will be free for the public by appointment at the Tretyakov Gallery in Vladivostok.

It is also noteworthy that 2026 marks an anniversary for both the Tretyakov Gallery, which is celebrating its 170^th anniversary, and the Primorsky Stage, which is celebrating its first decade as part of the Mariinsky Theatre.

The Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre carries on its annual tradition of tribute concerts in advance of the Great Victory Day.

On May 7 and 8, 2026, the Chamber Hall of the Theatre will host the traditional theatrical concerts of war songs. This year, the Primorsky Stage opera soloists will present a new compilation featuring works never performed in concerts before.

The audiences will enjoy a programme featuring not only the much-loved frontline songs, but also those heartfelt, lyrical works from the wartime years, revealing the emotional, sensual, and everyday aspects of that period. Those melodies and lyrics, familiar to us from a very young age, and telling the stories of our grandparents, will be performed in the Chamber Hall of the Primorsky Stage, accompanied by piano, accordion, and drums.

The concerts will become a pure-heart musical tribute to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War and will bring on an atmosphere of profound spiritual unity.

On May 9, 2026, the Great Hall of the Theatre will host one of the most outstanding works of the Russian classical music, opera Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. This production, staged at the Primorsky Stage by renowned St Petersburg masters, Alexei Stepanyuk, Honoured Artist of Russia, and Vyacheslav Okunev, People’s Artist of Russia, is keeping on with the grand style tradition. This historical costume production follows the global tradition of outstanding interpretations of Russian classics.

The series of events of the festive weekend will culminate on May 10, 2026, with Adolphe Adam’s ballet Giselle. This production, transferred from St Petersburg to Vladivostok in 2015, became the first ballet performance of the Mariinsky Theatre to introduce the traditions of classical heritage to Far Eastern audiences. This beloved production is still very popular and remains in highest demand among theatre-goers.

By resolution of the Secretariat of Russian Theatre Union, Eldar Aliev, Ballet Artistic Director of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, has been appointed Chairman of the Jury for the Golden Mask National Theatre Award in the opera, operetta/musical, and ballet competitions.

In 2026, the Golden Mask Award and Festival will be held for the 32^nd time. The most significant performances from Russian theatres across all genres: drama, opera, ballet, operetta, musical, and puppet theatre will be presented. Performances from the season 2024-2025 are eligible for the competition. 67 nominees from 17 Russian cities are represented.

The Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre is nominated in the main category, “The Best Opera Performance”. The Golden Mask Festival in Vladivostok was opened on February 28, 2026, with Giuseppe Verdi’s Il trovatore, staged by Vyacheslav Starodubtsev and designed by Pyotr Okunev.

The main program of the Festival will be taking place in Moscow from March 10 to June 10, 2026. 12 performances will be presented in the regions due to technical requirements. The awards ceremony will take place on June 20, 2026 in Omsk.

The III Far East Easter Festival is to be held from April 12 to 28, 2026. The Festival will embrace three regions such as Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories and Sakhalin Region.

On the eve of the Festival, the renewed programme of Stabat Mater, accompanied by sand animation, will be performed by the Chamber Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage in the Chamber Hall of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre on April 10, 2026. The programme includes compositions by Pergolesi, Mozart and Schubert.

On April 12, 2026, the Festival opening ceremony will be held in the Great Hall of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in Vladivostok. Soloists of the Opera Company, the Chorus of the Primorsky Stage and the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage will perform Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades in concert.

In the Great Hall of the Primorsky Stage on April 14, 2026, the large-scale choral Easter concert will be given by the Chorus of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, conducted by Larisa Shveikovskaya, Honoured Artist of Russia. The concert programme includes sacred music by Russian composers.

The touring part of the Festival will open with a stream of performances in Primorsky Territory. Three concerts will be given in Artyom, Partizansk and Bolshoy Kamen from April 17 to 19, 2026.

On April 21, 2026, the Festival will go on in Sakhalin Region – a concert will be given in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. On April 22 and 23, 2026, the Primorsky Stage will present world classic compositions in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Korsakov.

In Khabarovsk Territory, the performances will take place in Khabarovsk on April 24, 25, 27 and 28, 2026 and in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on April 26, 2026.

This year the programme of the Far East Easter Festival includes choral, symphonic and vocal-symphonic parts. At various concerts, the audiences will be able to enjoy fragments from the operas Ruslan and Lyudmila, Prince Igor, Il trovatore and Carmen, concert performance of The Queen of Spades, arias by Mozart, compositions by Haydn, and Symphony No. 1 by Sergei Prokofiev. The Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage will perform under the baton of Pavel Smelkov.

It should be noted that the Far East Easter Festival has become an annual addition to the programme of the Moscow Easter Festival, which is directed by Valery Gergiev. This year the Primorsky Stage will join the renowned music forum for the third time.

April promises to become one of the most exciting months of the theatrical season at the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. Its repertoire includes grand opera and ballet productions, the return of popular performances after a lengthy absence, and the pinnacle of the month: the opening of the III Far East Easter Festival.

Easter Festival: The Queen of Spades and a Choral Concert

The Far East Easter Festival has become an annual addition to the Moscow Easter Festival, held under the direction of Valery Gergiev. This year, the renowned music forum which unites regions of the Far East, will be joined by the Primorsky Stage for the third time.

On the eve of the Festival, on April 10, 2026, a revised programme of Stabat Mater will be performed in the Chamber Hall. The Chamber Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage, accompanied by truly spellbinding sand animation, will perform works by Pergolesi, Mozart, and Schubert.

The grand opening of the Festival will take place in Vladivostok on April 12, 2026 at the Great Hall of the Theatre. On that night, the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage, together with the Chorus and the soloists of the Opera Company of the Primorsky Stage, will present a concert performance of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s opera The Queen of Spades.

On April 14, 2026, an amplitudinous Easter concert will be held in the Great Hall as part of the Festival. The Chorus of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will present a programme filled with the joyful flamboyance of the holiday.

Great Hall: Premieres and Legendary Hits

Opera goers are already looking forward to Sergei Prokofiev’s grotesque The Love for Three Oranges (April 8, 2026) and Giuseppe Verdi’s lyrical La traviata (April 10, 2026). Marking 270 years since the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, his opera Le nozze di Figaro will be performed (April 17 and 19, 2026). On April 26, 2026, the opera programme will culminate with The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

Ballet connoisseurs will be able to enjoy a whole series of masterpieces. Tchaikovsky’s legendary Swan Lake will be performed on April 9 and 11, 2026.

In the second half of the month, the ballet programme will feature Don Quixote (April 16, 2026), two performances of the ballet-féerie The Nutcracker (April 18, 2026 at 14:00 and 19:00), Le Corsaire (April 23, 2026), La fille mal gardée (April 25, 2026), and La Bayadère (April 30, 2026).

Chamber Hall: Concerts and Performances for the Whole Family

In April, the Chamber Hall will host chamber concerts and performances for children. On April 10, 2026, on the eve of the opening of the III Far East Easter Festival, the Chamber Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage will perform a revised chamber programme, Stabat Mater, accompanied by sand animation. On April 11, 2026, younger audiences will be treated to Leonid Klinichev’s philosophical opera for children, The Little Prince. On the same evening, young talents of Primorye, students of the Primorsky Central Music School of the Academy of Arts, will perform in the Chamber Hall, accompanied by the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage conducted by Pavel Smelkov.

On March 20, 2026, a performance of Ludwig Minkus’s La Bayadère will take place in the Great Hall of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. This year marks the 200^th anniversary of Ludwig Minkus’s birth. This composer’s name is linked inextricably with the golden age of Russian ballet.

Ludwig Minkus, not only an Austrian composer, but also a conductor and violinist, is rightfully considered to be one of the founders of the classical ballet repertoire. Several masterpieces by Marius Petipa have been inspired by his music, distinguished by its melodic and vibrant theatricality.

La Bayadère is one of the two Minkus’s most celebrated ballets, and it still adorns the repertoires of theatres around the world. On the Primorsky Stage, it premiered on May 28, 2021. This classic production has seamlessly entered the repertoire and, over the past seasons, has won the hearts of audiences, becoming one of the signature pieces of the Ballet Company of the Primorsky Stage. The connoisseurs are consistently captivated by its expansive choreographic canvas, virtuoso solo parts, and the extensive corps de ballet ensembles. The vivid stage sets and costumes, evoking the oriental atmosphere with its mysteries, add extra visual appeal to this story.

In the production of the Primorsky Stage, Marius Petipa’s choreography is carefully preserved, revised by Vladimir Ponomarev and Vakhtang Chabukiani. The love story of the simple temple dancer Nikia and the noble warrior Solor unfolds against the exotic backdrop of ancient India. The ballet culminates in the legendary scene The Kingdom of the Shades, an immortal classical dance masterpiece, where thirty-two ballerinas move with impeccable synchronicity, creating one of the most captivating images in the history of ballet.

On March 20, 2026, the main parts will be performed by the leading soloists of the Ballet Company of the Primorsky Stage Irina Sapozhnikova (Nikia), Lada Sartakova (Gamzatti) and Shizuru Kato (Solor).