Rendering #13

The article published on the website chicagotribune.com on May 2, 2013 is headlined Russia's new Mariinsky theatre woos the doubters.  It was written by Elizabeth Piper.  The article is dedicated to the opening Mariinsky theatre designed to silence critics of the starkly modernist building erected in the heart of Russia's imperial capital.

It should be mantioned that the new building of the theater is really significant: the $700-million glass and limestone building, which critics have dubbed the "Mariinsky mall". President Vladimir Putin told the guests that We need breathe life into the theatre. We want it to live, so that people are attracted and can feel the charm of modern technology. But not only the modern technology brings the fame to the "Mariinka"(as people call it), but famous world wide conductor and the main person in the theater - Valeriy Gergiev, whose 60th birthday coincided with the gala. Without any doubt he is a greate, uninimate talent!

It's important to note that the theatre had always preserved the best traditions of the Russian arts, never losing "its shine". I think it's not an easy task!

It should be expected that many guests of the gala were impressed. Light bounced off wall panels made of Italian onyx that stretch several storeys high and the sound was excellent.

The simple light wood of the balconies and aisles was a world away from the original Mariinsky Theatre, which was sumptuously decorated in gold and red. Only the VIP box in the Mariinsky II has a slight nod to extravagance - a modern chandelier to make prominent guests feel at home. Everything tells about the splendour of the new theater. 

It's not strange that the gala opened with a dramatic excerpt from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet ballet and included the coronation scene from Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov. To my mind Prokofiev is one of the best Russian composers. 

In conclusion I should say that the opening of the theater is one of the most expectable events not only in Russia, but also in the whole world! Many international guests were invited to the gala to Mariinka. I think such theaters as Mariinka, the Bilshoy theater, are our treasure! We are proud of them!