Mariinsky Theatre
A green and white opera and ballet house of 1860 where Petipa made the classical ballets, with a glass second stage opposite.
Updated 22 October 2026
The Mariinsky opened in 1860 and is where much of the classical ballet repertoire was actually made: Marius Petipa worked here for half a century, and The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake in its surviving form and Raymonda were all first staged on this floor. The company trained Nijinsky, Pavlova, Balanchine, Nureyev and Baryshnikov. The auditorium is blue and gold under a chandelier, behind a pale green and white exterior. Opera matters here as much as ballet - Musorgsky, Borodin and Prokofiev premieres among them - and the company was called the Kirov through the Soviet decades. A second stage, Mariinsky II, opened across the canal in 2013 in glass and limestone; opinions on the building are strongly divided locally, but its acoustics are generally praised. A concert hall on Pisareva street is the third venue.
History
Catherine the Great established the Imperial drama, opera and ballet troupe in 1783, and its first permanent house, Antonio Rinaldi's Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, opened that year on what became Theatre Square. An equestrian circus by the architect Cavos, built to double as a theatre, opened on the square on 29 January 1849, and the Mariinsky opened in 1860, giving the premieres of many works by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov (Wikipedia, Mariinsky Theatre).
Highlights
- The Petipa repertoire - ballets made on this stage and still danced here.
- The 1860 auditorium - blue and gold under a chandelier behind a green facade.
- The second stage - the 2013 glass building across the canal, locally contentious.
- The opera side - a Russian repertoire much of which was premiered here.
When to go
The season runs September to July. Book ahead, especially for the classic ballets. Evenings; matinees on some days.
Before you go
Tickets for the classics sell out and prices differ for foreign visitors on some categories. Cheap seats have restricted views. Performances of the same ballet vary in cast quality between houses on the same week. The walk from the metro is fifteen minutes.
Nearby
New Holland island is a short walk; Nikolsky cathedral is around the corner.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q207028, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Mariinsky Theatre
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
