For my second stop in St. Petersburg, I decided to try and see something at the famous Mariinsky Theatre. The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The Mariinsky Theatre is home to the Mariinsky Ballet, Mariinsky Opera and Mariinsky Orchestra.
The theatre is named after Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Tsar Alexander II. There is a bust of the Empress in the main entrance foyer, which I was lucky enough to get a picture of. The theatre's name has changed throughout its history, reflecting the political climate of the time:
| From | To | Russian | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1920 | Императорский Мариинский театр | Imperial Mariinsky Theatre |
| 1920 | 1924 | Государственный академический театр оперы и балета | State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet |
| 1924 | 1935 | Ленинградский государственный академический театр оперы и балета | Leningrad State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet |
| 1935 | 1992 | Государственный академический театр оперы и балета имени С.М. Кирова | Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet |
| 1992 | Present | Государственный aкадемический Мариинский театр | State Academic Mariinsky Theatre |
Since there wasn't a ballet being performed any time we would be there, I decided to see the opera Attila instead, and after reading the dramatic details about what happens over the course of the opera, I was really excited! It starts off in the ruined city of Aquileia, which Attila has just conquered. As he celebrates his victory, he meets Odabella, a female prisoner of war whose father was killed in the battle. Throughout the course of the play, Odabella's intended, Foresto, and Attila's traitorous general, Ezio, plot to poison and kill Attila, but Odabella stops them so she may take revenge on Attila in her own way. Not knowing this, Attila announces Odabella will be his wife because of her 'devotion' to him. As the wedding ceremony is about the begin, Odabella clutches a sword given to her by Attila and stabs him dead! '
It was so good and so wonderful to see in such a beautiful space. Tickets for the balcony I was sitting in were only about $30, which was great for what I got to see. I can't wait to come back to St. Petersburg and see some more exciting sights next time!
