Project: Mariinsky Theatre
Location: St. Petersburg, Russia
Designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects
Completion date: 2011
Website: www.dsai.ca
Russia’s world renowned conductor Valery Gergiev confirmed today that Diamon and Schmitt Architects of Toronto as been selected to design the new Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, which will add 2,000 seats to the growing Mariinsky complex. the existing Mariinsky Theater, opened in 1860, has been home to premieres and residencies by composers such as Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovitch, Stravnisky and Tchaikovsky. More images and info under the cut:
The New Mariinsky Theater is funded entirely by the Russian Government, and administered by the Ministry of Culture, which hosted the design competition for architects earlier this year. Diamond and Schmitt will be working closely with the St.Petersburg architects KB ViPS.
The budget for the new Theater is 295,000,000 euros, with a project completion date of 2011. The New Mariinsky will complement both the existing Mariinsky Theater located in Teatralnaya Square directly across the canal from the site of the new theater, as well as the new Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, a 1,200 seat facility two blocks west which opened in 2007.
Said Valery Gergiev: “This is an important day for the Mariinsky which will contribute to the miracle of architecture that is St. Petersburg.”
“When the late Richard Bradshaw toured me through his new Four Seasons Centre in Toronto in 2007, I was struck by its beauty, its practicality and friendliness with neighbouring buildings, its superb acoustics and of course, its budget.”
“Clearly the architect knew what was needed and delivered on all those large challenges. Today, the Four Seasons is one of the finest opera houses in the world, and we are delighted to be working with Jack Diamond and Gary McCluskie in creating what I’m confident will be Europe’s greatest new opera house.”
Said Jack Diamond:”This commission sends a strong signal that Canadian architects can work on the most demanding projects on the world stage. We are enormously grateful for the confidence the Russian Federation has put in our ability to produce landmark for the new Russia and for the performing arts everywhere”
In addition to this conducting positions as the Musical Director of the London Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, Valery Gergiev is the General Director of the Mariinsky Theatre, which includes the world-renowned companies, the Mariinsky Ballet, the Mariinsky Opera and the Mariinsky Orchestra. Until recently, the organizations were known as the Kirov Ballet, Kirov Opera and Kirov Orchestra. However, just as St. Petersburg reverted to its original name after decades of being called Leningrad, so too are these seminal artistic companies now using their centuries old names
*Source | Diamond + Schmitt.
