In Context: Folk, Form, and Fire: The Prokofiev Piano Concertos

Conductor Valery Gergiev, the Mariinsky Orchestra, and five renowned soloists perform Sergei Prokofiev's piano concertos in this marriage of virtuosic repertoire and pianistic might—part of year two of the Mariinsky’s residency at BAM. Context is everything, so get even closer to the program with this curated selection of articles and videos related to the show. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought below and by posting on social media using #MariinskyBAM.

In Context: Cinderella

Sergei Prokofiev's Cinderella, part of the Mariinsky at BAM, comes to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House on January 17—20. Context is everything, so get even closer to the show with this curated selection of articles, interviews, and videos related to the production. Once you've seen it, help us keep the conversation going by telling us what you thought below.

In Context: Swan Lake

Swan Lake, part of the Mariinsky at BAM, comes to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House from Jan 15—23. Context is everything, so get even closer to the show with this curated selection of articles, interviews, and videos related to the production. Once you've seen it, help us keep the conversation going by telling us what you thought below.

In Context: The Enchanted Wanderer

The Enchanted Wanderer, part of the Mariinsky at BAM, comes to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House on Wednesday, January 14. Context is everything, so get even closer to the show with this curated selection of articles, interviews, and videos related to the production. Once you've seen it, help us keep the conversation going by telling us what you thought below.

The Mariinsky Ballet—Pinnacle of Elegance

Swan Lake. Photo: Valentin Baranovsky

By Susan Yung

The Mariinsky Ballet is revered as one of the world's top companies. Founded in imperial Russia in the mid-18th century, it was renamed the Kirov Ballet during the Soviet years. It reverted to its original name in recent years, after Leningrad once again was called St. Petersburg. It has been a crucible for many of classical ballet's most beloved and enduring full-length dances, including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker, and its ever-growing repertory includes dances by modern masters such as Balanchine and Robbins.

The foundation of the company, in a sense, is the resident Vaganova Ballet Academy, named after the renowned teacher Agrippina Vaganova, who led the school beginning in 1921. The academy—whose rigorous curriculum mixes ballet studies with academics—is notoriously competitive to enter. It forms technique and artistry, as well as populating the company's ranks; the school is a major source of Mariinsky Ballet dancers.

Mariinsky at BAM

Danila Korsuntsev in Swan Lake. Photo courtesy Mariinsky Ballet

by Susan Yung

January can be a long, cold month, but here’s some heart-warming news: the Mariinsky Theater is in residence at BAM from January 14 to 25 with three ballet programs and an opera. We’ll get a quenching fix of both the seminal early work (Swan Lake) and its contemporary offerings. The company performs Alexei Ratmansky’s Cinderella, in addition to the three-part program Chopin: Dances for Piano, with choreography by Benjamin Millepied and Jerome Robbins, alongside Michel Fokine’s Chopiniana. In addition, the Mariinsky Opera will perform the rarely-seen The Enchanted Wanderer by Rodion Shchedrin. Maestro Gergiev will conduct select performances by this legendary St. Petersburg institution renowned for its emphasis on artistry and musicianship, and now in its 232nd season.