VALERY GERGIEV

The name of Valery Gergiev belongs among the ranks of the international music elite.

At 25 Valery Gergiev was invited to the Kirov Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theatre, now the Mariinsky Theatre of St.Petersburg. Ten years later he was appointed Artistic Director of the theater's Opera Company and later became head of the entire celebrated collective.

Thanks to his energy and administrative talent, the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra is now rightly regarded as one of the leading orchestras of the world. The troupe performs extensively on the best stages around the world. The Mariinsky is unanimously acknowledged by critics as one of the most convincing interpreters of Russian and Western classics.

The geography of Valery Gergiev's international performances covers almost the entire world. One can name his activities at the Mariinsky Theatre, his successful cooperation with the Rotterdam Philharmonic and several festivals in St. Petersburg, Rotterdam, London and Moscow. Each of these projects has become a visible phenomenon in the musical life of Europe.

Gergiev has brought a galaxy of world-class singers to the Mariinsky Theatre. His artistic achievement has been to expand and update the repertoire of the theatre, especially works by Russian composers. This has set the maestro apart in the lineage of conductors of the twentieth century. As for the repertoire, Gergiev is mainly focused on Western composers, and has a special love for the music of Sergei Prokofiev.

In the 2004-2005 season Gergiev initiated a world-wide series of charity concerts entitled “Beslan. Music for Life”. Under the direction of Maestro, concerts were held in New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Rome and Moscow.

Today, Gergiev is one of the world's leading conductors, working with the best orchestras and opera ensembles. However, his focus remains the same - making the Mariinsky Opera Company the best in the world and developing the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra in St. Petersburg to become the pride of the nation. The artistic achievements of maestro Georgiev have earned him numerous awards and titles. His contributions to Russian and to global culture are appreciated throughout the world. He was twice awarded the State Prize of Russia, and six times awarded the Russian National Theatre Award, the Golden Mask Award for Best Conductor.