Valery Gergiev is the force behind the success of the Mariinsky Theatre, which encompasses the ballet, orchestra, opera, chorus and Academy of Young Singers. This week he brings the orchestra to George Mason University for an all-Tchaikovsky program that includes Symphony No. 5 and Piano Concerto No. 1 performed by Daniil Trifonov. Gergiev is as well-known worldwide as he is in Russia. As principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra since 2007, he is so admired in Great Britain that he was named conductor of the year by Britain’s Royal Society of Music in 2008 and conductor of the year by the Great Britain Royal Philharmonic Society in 2009.
Truly a giant in his field, Gergiev not only directs one of the world’s orchestras, he is also the artistic director of the Mariinsky Ballet and Opera companies and general director of the Mariinsky Theatre, which has been St. Petersburg’s cultural center since 1783. He oversees and continues to expand the Opera Company’s extensive repertoire. It encompasses the contemporary operas by Prokofiev and Shostakovich and the successful return of Wagner’s operas to the schedule. That accomplished, he plans even more surprises.
| Onstage |
| Valery Gergiev conducts the Mariinsky Orchestra |
| Where: GMU Center for the Arts Concert Hall |
| When: 8 p.m. Saturday pre-performance discussion led by a company member |
| Info: $30 to $60; 888-945-2468; cfa.gmu.edu |
Gergiev made certain that the vocalists would have incomparable training by founding the Academy of Young Singers in 1998. The students chosen from throughout the world benefit from their outstanding teachers and frequent master classes presented by famous visiting singers and coaches. During their training, they perform throughout Russia and abroad.
Gergiev’s contributions to the Mariinsky Theatre have been monumental, none more so that the building itself. Over several years, he supervised the reconstruction of the theater and concert complex, overcoming numerous challenges from blueprint to completion. In 2006, he presented it to the companies and the general public. Today it is one of the city’s marvels.
Between his duties at the Mariinsky Theatre, the international tours and the music festivals he directs, one wonders when Gergiev rests, and yet he finds time to program concerts for young children. He is passionate about sharing his love for music with the younger generation. Along with introducing the GMU audience to Trifonov, a young soloist who is destined for fame, he wants concertgoers to discover the brilliant virtuosity of one of the world’s greatest and oldest orchestras.
