Mariinsky Theatre

The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic opera house in Saint Petersburg, Russia, opened in 1860. It became the leading music theatre of late 19th-century Russia, hosting premieres of works by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Today, it is home to the Mariinsky Ballet, Mariinsky Opera, and Mariinsky Orchestra.

Don't miss

• Bust of Empress Maria Alexandrovna in the main entrance foyer
• Original 1860s auditorium with historic decor
• Theatre Square, renamed from Carousel Square after the building
• Nearby Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, opened in 2007
• Mariinsky II, a second stage completed in 2013 with 1,830 seats

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Mariinsky Theatre

Cheapest way inImagine Museum of Contemporary Glass Art General Admission4.2★ · 24 travelers1-2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$5 per personSee dates →Most bookedAmsterdam Classic Saloon Boat Cruise with Drinks and Cheese4.8★ · 33,201 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$19 per personSee dates →Private & flexiblePrivate Golf Cart Tour - The History of St. Petersburg5★ · 13 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$49 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• The theatre is home to the Mariinsky Ballet, Opera, and Orchestra, with performances year-round.
• The main building is on Theatre Square; a second stage (Mariinsky II) is nearby.
• The theatre launched its own record label in 2009, managed by the same team as LSO Live.

A bit of history

The theatre is named after Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Tsar Alexander II, and a bust of her is in the main entrance foyer. Through most of the Soviet era, it was known as the Kirov Theatre. The building's predecessor, the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, opened in 1783 and was renovated in 1836. The current building originally opened as an equestrian circus in 1849, designed by architect Albert Cavos. The Imperial Ballet and Opera moved here in 1886. World premieres included Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov (1874), Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades (1890) and Iolanta (1892), and Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet (1940).