The Mariinsky Theatre to present The Queen of Spades in Yuri Temirkanov’s production – for maestro’s 86^th birthday

On 10 and 11 December the Mariinsky Theatre will present two performances of Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades in Yuri Temirkanov’s legendary production on the Historic Stage. This marks the return of the production to the theatre after an absence of almost ten years, coinciding with the 86^th birthday of the eminent conductor and director.

The world premiere of The Queen of Spades took place at the Mariinsky Theatre on 7 December 1890, conducted by Eduard Nápravník. It was a resounding triumph for Tchaikovsky, with the enthusiastic audience calling him back for countless curtain calls. Gennady Kondratiev directed the first production, followed by stagings by Alexandre Benois (1921), Nikolai Smolich (1935) and Nikolai Gladkovsky (1946). Exactly forty years ago, on 25 December 1984, Yuri Temirkanov’s production was unveiled at the Kirov (Mariinsky) Theatre – a production destined to become a benchmark interpretation.

Temirkanov’s The Queen of Spades has garnered international acclaim, establishing itself as a definitive example of classic opera direction and a long-standing favourite in the Mariinsky Theatre’s repertoire. This production has showcased a host of exceptional artists and has been cherished by generations of theatregoers for its meticulous staging, faithful to the composer’s intentions and the spirit of the era. Together with designer Igor Ivanov, Yuri Temirkanov recreated the defining characteristics of 18^th-century St Petersburg with remarkable accuracy: the delicate latticework of the Summer Garden, the Winter Canal, the interiors of the gambling house and the masked ball – all the details and costumes meticulously reflect their historical counterparts. The production was last seen in St Petersburg in 2015, marking its 109^th performance.

In that same year, 2015, The Queen of Spades was taken to the Far East in a major artistic initiative. Valery Gergiev and leading soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre introduced Vladivostok audiences to this celebrated production, which subsequently entered the repertoire of the Primorsky Stage. Now Yuri Temirkanov’s definitive production returns to St Petersburg. It is also worth noting that another of Temirkanov’s landmark productions, Eugene Onegin, graces the Mariinsky Theatre’s December schedule with a performance on 19 December.