On May 7, 2025, the music world celebrated the 185th anniversary of the birth of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a Russian music genius and one of the composers whose works are most often performed all over the world. On the occasion of the high-profile anniversary, special music events will be held at the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in May.
On May 18, 2025, the large symphonic concert will be given in the Great Hall by the guest violinist Ravil Islyamov, recipient of the 2nd prize and the Silver Medal at the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition. Accompanied by the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage under the baton of the Principal Conductor Pavel Smelkov, he will perform early and mature works by the composer. The audience will be able to enjoy the Romance in F minor for piano, which was written by Pyotr Tchaikovsky in his early years of living in Moscow when he had a passion for the French soprano Désirée Artôt. The composer dedicated his instrumental miniature reflecting his personal feelings, to her. Besides, the Violin Concerto, the only concerto for violin in Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s career and one of his best-known compositions, which is included in repertoires of world leading violinists, will be performed. The evening will end with the famous Symphony No. 4, which was created as a result of the composer’s severe emotional crisis and opened a new stage in his life and work.
On May 29, 2025, Tchaikovsky’s sacred compositions, including the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, will be for the first time performed at the Primorsky Stage. The Liturgy written in July 1878 became a landmark in music, since for the first time after Dmitry Bortniansky a Russian composer turned to sacred music. However, unlike other composers, Tchaikovsky intended to “preserve those ancient church chants in their original form”, having written both the main canticles and all litanies, brief devotions and choristers’ responses to the clergy’s exclamations. The Liturgy and other selected sacred compositions by Pyotr Tchaikovsky will be performed by the Mariinsky Chorus of the Primorsky Stage under the direction of the Principal Chorus Master Larisa Shveikovskaya.
On May 31, 2025, opera soloists and the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage will present the concert programme Tchaikovsky – 185. Gala concert of romances. The public will be able to acquaint themselves with the composer’s rich vocal legacy. The romances, which Pyotr Tchaikovsky composed during all his life, feature a great variety of genres and themes and are a kind of the composer’s lyrical diary. The Gala concert will be a completing event of the season for the team of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.
