Valery Gergiev appointed general director of the Bolshoi Theater

Gergiev is likely to combine directing the Bolshoi with work at the Mariinsky Theatre, which he has directed since 1988.

Photo: Andrey TSYGANOV

A new leader comes to the post of general director of the Bolshoi Theater – the famous director Valery Gergiev. On November 30, after the premiere at the Bolshoi Theater of the work, which combines the operas “The Mandarin’s Son” by César Cui and “The Nightingale” by Igor Stravinsky (the performances will take place from December 1 to 3 at the Boris Theater Pokrovsky Chamber Stage), the now former director of the Bolshoi Theater, Vladimir Urin, announced that he was leaving his position. Many people talked about this. This topic has been discussed in the media for the past two weeks.

“I say goodbye to you, this is my last day of work at the Bolshoi Theater,” said Vladimir Urin, congratulating the artists of Boris Pokrovsky’s chamber theater on the premiere, which under Urin became part of the Bolshoi Theater.

Urin wrote a letter of resignation of his own free will to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and this request was granted. After that, according to the labor code, it was necessary to work for two weeks. In all this time, the Bolshoi press service did not confirm his resignation.

Vladimir Urin announced his resignation as director of the Bolshoi Theater on November 30.

Photo: Vladimir VELENGURIN

It has already been officially announced that the Bolshoi Theater will be directed by Valery Gergiev, People’s Artist of Russia, renowned conductor, artistic director and general director of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.

Gergiev is likely to combine the direction of the Bolshoi with work at the Mariinsky Theater, which he has directed since 1988. He will preliminarily lead the joint direction. All this seems like a revival of the Imperial Theaters Directorate.

It is worth remembering that in 1766, Empress Catherine II ordered the unification of all the main theaters of the country into the Directorate of Court Theaters (that is, state), which set the bar and indicated guidelines for the rest, private and provincial.