VIII Festival Maslenitsa (Shrovetide) (20 February 2012 - 26 February 2012)
At the Mariinsky Theatre and at the Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall
Artistic Director of
the Festival - Valery Gergiev
The festival presents the greatest operas and ballets based
on Russian fairytales at the Mariinsky Theatre, masterpieces of Russian
symphony music and vocal programmes at the Concert Hall. The festival
strives to revive the traditions of the secular Maslenitsa
celebrations with vivid and colourful performances, balls and concerts that are
open to all.
Russia’s most ancient and beloved festival of Maslenitsa
(Shrovetide) was celebrated on a grand scale
in the pre-Revolutionary capital. The merriments of
Maslenitsa visited every home and every family. The aristocracy,
government officials, the intelligentsia and city residents at large were
all involved. In Tsaritsino Park and at the Admiralty there were
public celebrations throughout Maslenitsa week, palaces and townhouses
hosted dances and masked balls and theatre playbills dazzled with
the titles of the finest productions.
Several years ago
the Mariinsky Theatre returned to the wonderful tradition of
Maslenitsa celebrations. The festival programme invariably
includes the finest productions, among them works based on fairytales as
well as vocal and instrumental programmes. Continuing the tradition of
open-to-all performances, which were run by the Imperial Theatres during
Maslenitsa, the Mariinsky Theatre will be running a series of
charity concerts.
Reviving the primordially Russian tradition of
Maslenitsa student balls, the Mariinsky Theatre and the St
Petersburg University have, for several years now, been inviting students to
take part in bidding farewell to winter.
The programme of
the university ball includes public entertainment, dancing, music
(featuring Mariinsky Theatre performers), pancakes and fireworks.
Last
season the festival’s motto was Igor Stravinsky. Audiences had
the opportunity to see a broad ranging retrospective of
the composer’s music.
Valery Gergiev said that “Maslenitsa
itself in Russia is a phenomenon, I believe, that is dear to us all on
some subconscious level. We didn’t see with our own eyes the stunning
festivities of the early 20th century, when the young
Stravinsky was probably enchanted by the atmosphere of Maslenitsa.
It is not by chance that one can sense – in so many of his
works – the biting frost, the snow, the merriment, probably
very tasty food and a good time had by all. And he was able to convey this
very well in his wonderful music.” Maslenitsa at
the Mariinsky is also a festival of stars. Regular participating
performers include the acclaimed pianists Denis Matsuev and Alexei Volodin
and the renowned violinists Sergey Khachatryan and Vadim Repin.
The Maslenitsa music festival, which brings together folkloric
traditions and the “society glamour” of the Imperial theatre, will be
taking place this season at the Mariinsky Theatre and the Concert Hall
for the seventh time.