In the XXI century, in November 29, 2006, another concert hall appeared in the Northern capital. The Mariinsky Theater was enriched with a wonderful room that arose in the historical walls of the Decoration workshops that burned down in 2003.
Built for ages
In addition to the walls, the fire spared nothing - the interior, costumes and scenery, including the performances that still go on at the Mariinsky Theater, burned to the ground. But the historical walls of the building, erected in 1900 according to the project of St. Petersburg architect Victor Schreter, who did invaluable work for the capital, survived.
Previously, the architect rebuilt the building of the Mariinsky itself (after the fire of 1880) and did it so well that, in gratitude, he was awarded a unique mock-up of the building he rebuilt, made in silver.
From the last century to the present
The decoration store and the premises of the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters on Pisarev Street were built by V. Schreter in 1900. It was these buildings that burned down in 2003. In these walls, V. A. Gergiev decides to build a concert hall. The Mariinsky Theater owned these premises since 1917. Part of the new building was erected behind the surviving historical facade, and the other, which faces Decembrists Street, according to the plan of architect Xavier Fabre, was to personify the present century with all its architectural achievements, which caused the “city defenders” raging in the Northern capital, streams of discontent and scolding. But there were a lot of business people who believed in the maestro’s plan, which would not have happened without their help.
Quickly and efficiently
The construction of a new concert hall in St. Petersburg was carried out in record time - in just a year the project was ready, a little more than a year was spent on the completion of the facility - and the Northern capital received a beautiful modern concert hall that meets all requirements and is not inferior to foreign counterparts.
The Mariinsky Theater, replenished with such an amazing scene, has become even more attractive for residents of the city on the Neva and for its guests.
Original project - worthy embodiment
The best world-class professionals were involved in its construction - a group of stage designers (French company SCENE) and French specialists in load-bearing structures (SETEC-Batiment bureau). Due to the need to accommodate the concert hall in a rather narrow space, but at the same time to comply with all the conditions (to make it according to the best world standards), the designers proposed a rather unusual shape that combined two types - oblong-rectangular in the style of showbox and model of the concert hall consisting of stepped terraces placed around the stage. During the construction of this concert venue everything was unique - both the form of the hall, and the methods of erection, the materials used and the mechanisms used.
Unique hall shape and excellent acoustics
The concert hall of the Mariinsky Theater has the shape of the cradle. The hall layout attached below clearly demonstrates this.
Mariinka-3 is the only concert venue in Russia planned by it initially. In the Russian Federation there are no more. It is comparable only with the best similar halls in the world, which are not even a dozen. “Mariinka-3” is another name by which a new unusual concert hall is known. The Mariinsky Theater invited such an internationally recognized genius as Mr. Yasuhisa Toyota to create acoustics. The concert hall sound systems of Tokyo, Copenhagen and Los Angeles were created by this world-class professional.
World famous festivals
The parameters of the hall, the main feature of which is its complete transformation, which makes it possible to use for various kinds of productions and events, are as follows. The capacity of the hall is 1110 seats (this also includes the choral tier of 120 seats, which, when sold out, is given to the audience). The stage capacity is designed for 130 musicians. Here, as on the main stage of the Mariinsky Theater, international festivals “Stars of the White Nights”, “New Horizons”, “Shrovetide” and “Brass Evenings at the Mariinsky” are held. In 2007, a breaststroke ensemble of 14 participants was created under the leadership of Valery Abisalovich Gergiev. What is a breaststroke ensemble? This is a team of musicians playing music on brass instruments (brass - in English “copper”), which include instruments made of brass and silver. The ensemble is incredibly popular at home and abroad.
Organ Mariinsky 3
In 2009, the Mariinsky Theater Concert Hall (photo attached) was equipped with a magnificent organ. It was performed by the French company Alfred Kern and Son (founded in 1953) and became the first organ in a century to come to Russia from France, and not from Germany. A few words can be said about the lobby, which is given for thematic exhibitions, which give information about concerts, festivals and performances on stage.
How to get there
The Mariinsky Theater Concert Hall, whose address is ul. Pisareva, 20 (entrance from Dekabristov street, 37), is known to absolutely all music lovers and not only. MT3 (another name for the concert hall) can be reached in various ways. The metro stations (Nevsky Prospect, Gostiny Dvor, Sadovaya and Sennaya Ploshchad) are located at a distance, and you need to go to Mariinka-3 several stops by buses, trolleybuses and minibuses.
Any kind of public transport can get to St. Nicholas Cathedral, from which MT3 is within walking distance.