Ballet in St. Petersburg

We will be in St. Petersburg - July 11-13, 2013. Our group (of 6) is thinking of attending the Ballet at- The Mikhailovsky Ballet, a tale of two Giselles.

Has anyone seen the Ballet? I have heard that the summer has students and not the prime performers, can anyone verify that, or confirm that the Mikhailovsky is the main troop.

I would appreciate any response which can help with our decision.

The Mikhailovsky Ballet is very good, it competes severely with Mariinsky theatre , having very good sponsors. It even has lured the prime dancers from Bolshoy Moscow for _some_ performances. And it's very well-kept and popular for expensive ballet and music events among beau monde of the city. Because it's run by private sponsors and has overcome exceptional renovation. i would say - Mikhilovsky is a beloved toy of the city businessmen, the most burgeoise stage in the city. In some sort it's an experiment, as it has popular italien art director and has very creative managment with plently of money. It has exceptional costumes and scenery.

But is sense of ballet - it's still number two in the city. it has Much smaller stage than Mariinsky, it's a major drawback for ballet. It is a small theatre, compared to Imperial Mariinsky. So, I would definitely recommend Mariinsky, it's like comparing MB S-klasse to Lexus LS - Lexus is a good car, but it's still a Toyota ))) catching up the classics )) And Mariinsky is unbeatable in that sense.....

P.S. Bear in mind, that compared to Mikhailovsky - Mariinsky might seem old, crowded and outdated, but it's closing for renovation soon which will take years, so you might miss an opportunity to see the historical stage.... the choice is up to you. Both theatres are very good. just don't go to Hermitage theatre ))) for ballet

Thanks for the information, Dr. Web. I enjoy ballet, but I'm trying to avoid a presentation that is primarily just a tourist show. A legitimate performance in one of the historic theaters would probably appeal to me greatly.

No problem ) I like ballet and theatres myself, so I found that topic interesting. Tourist shows are a headache, I try to avoid them when I travel, but it's not that easy )) you should do your homework )) that site has helped me many times with many ports of call, so I wish I could be of help to someone in return )))

We have two main ballet stages - Bolshow in Moscow and Mariinsky in SPB. By the time you, people arrive in our city the situation might change, as just two days ago Mariinsky opened a brand new second stage just adjacent to the old building. So, the choice looks like that: you may attend spectacular Mikhailovsky (a very historical building), old, but classical and Imperial Mariinsky (very professional) or the new stage of Mariinsky which no one has seen except for Mr Putin, as he opened the ceremony.

I prefer historical theatres, as they have the splendor of art in the building.

Mariinky tickets are expensive, Mikhailovsky tickets might be suprisingly cheap - it has nothing to do with the theatre, it's some governement issue.

If students are dancing in summer in Mariinsky - you may just imagine _who_ dances in other much less prestigeous places at that time )))))) And yes, I couldn't buy tickets to Mikhailovsky for the prime performers - everything is booked half a year ahead, good shows have no tickets just over the counter (((

Can you tell me how the ballets are at either the Conservatory Theatre or the Alexandrinsky Theatre?

It appears that Mikhailovsky has "Un Ballo in Maschera" the night I'm going to be overnight in St. Petersburg (June 18) - which would be so exciting for me to see. Maybe I can ask the concierge on my ship to get me a ticket. I do love old theaters . . .

Can you tell me how the ballets are at either the Conservatory Theatre or the Alexandrinsky Theatre?

I thought this theater was very nice.

Only Mikhalovsky and Mariinsky theatres have their own ballet dancers and their own ballet performances. But, during summer vacations they might be closed so other theatres give their premises for such events. Alexadnrinskiy theatre is a drama theatre, it's absolutely equal to Mariinsky in sense of history, beauty, decoration and location (even better). It's been renovated quite recently. The Yakobson ballet (on the poster) - is a troop without their own stage, they are professional and well known. Attending their performance in Alexandrinsky theatre is a very good choice - good ballet in a big old bourgeois central theatre.

The Conservatory theatre is old and has a very beautiful staircase - that's the main advantage. )) Theatre Hall is horrible, bad seats and gloomy tacky soviet experimental design. Perhaps, the worst Hall in town, don't go there, if you have Alexandrinsky tickets - go to Alexandrinsky, it's on Nevsky prospekt - close to everything and good shopping...

I went to the Mariinsky Theatre last year and saw Giselle.

It is worth going to see the magnificient theatre alone, with the wonderful ballet being a bonus.

As I wanted to see the best ballet theatre and performance, I booked my tickets on line and collected them at the theatre before the performance. My day tour guide provided transport to and fro the theatre.

This was a highlight of my travels to SPB!