On October 16 and 17, 2026, the Opera Company of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will present the first premiere of the season: Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème.
One of the world’s most popular operas based on Henri Murger’s novel Scènes de la vie de Bohème will be presented in an exclusive production custom-made for the Primorsky Stage.
One of the most frequently performed operas in the global repertoire, La Bohème has brought together the universal appeal and dynamic pace of the plot, vivid and relatable characters, sensual and instantly recognizable music, and complex vocal parts and arias for the soloists.
The dynamic yet deeply lyrical production is being prepared for the Primorsky Stage by a creative team led by Stage Director Alexander Ponomarev and Production and Costume Designer Pyotr Okunev. While carefully preserving the essence of Puccini’s work, they immerse the audience in the atmosphere of Paris and reveal the characters’ way of life. Spectators will see both the freezing yet cozy attic where the friends burn up sheets of paper with play manuscripts just for a moment’s warmth, and the festive, vibrant Paris.
Irina Soboleva, People’s Artist of Russia, Artistic Director of the Opera Company of the Primorsky Stage, notes that the cast makes this production special. Young artists of the Primorsky Stage often have to portray characters significantly older than themselves. Such parts require serious work on manners, personality, and stage presence to convincingly convey a character’s age and life experience. La Bohème presents a different scenario. The artists feel a close connection to Puccini’s characters, sharing their energy, spontaneity, drive for creative self-realization, and their ability to view life as a space of endless possibilities.
“It turns out that an opera about young people is being performed by the young artists of our wonderful Theatre”, Irina Yurievna Soboleva emphasizes.
The parts are being rehearsed by: Mimì – Samira Galimova, Alena Diyanova, Liliya Kadnikova, Anastasia Kikot, Utarid Mirzamova, Maria Tchaikovskaya; Rodolfo – Mingiyan Odzhaev, Alexei Smirnov, Zhang Hong-Guo; Musetta – Anastasia Gensler, Olga Zharikova, Alina Mikhailik, Irina Novikova, Anzhela Shagarova, Zhang Mengwen; Marcello – Sergey Krylov, César Méndez, Dmitry Migulyov, Alexei Repin, Evgeny Shagarov; Colline – Azamat Malyshov, Yevgeny Plekhanov; Schaunard – César Méndez, Nikita Odalin, Aleksey Yurkovsky; Benoît – Azamat Malyshov, Aygiz Gizatullin, Sergei Pleshivtsev; Alcindoro – Azamat Malyshov, Aygiz Gizatullin, Sergei Pleshivtsev; Parpignol – Ilya Astafurov, Alexander Garshin, Ozodjon Murodov.
Evgeny Khokhlov will take the conductor’s podium.
