Mariinsky Theatre fire won't affect its guest performances

Fire gutted the world-famous Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, damaging its work-shops and properties. However, this tragedy won't affect it forthcoming guest performances.

This was disclosed to RIA-NOVOSTI here in the evening of September 5 by Mariinsky Theatre director and conductor Valery Gergiyev, after a local concert wound up. Gergiyev hopes to collect enough money for clean-up operations quickly enough.

The theatre has many friends all over the world; still I hope to obtain the bulk of all money for restoring destroyed or damaged property on Russian territory, Gergiyev stressed. Gergiyev also voiced hope to the effect that the unfortunate theatre will be helped by the state, St. Petersburg and Moscow municipal authorities, as well as big-league Russian companies.

According to Gergiyev, the fire destroyed costumes and decorations for 30 productions either completely or in part. Such property costs somewhere between $500,000 and $1,000,000 for each show. Gergiyev also regrets the fact that the ancient building has burned down completely and can't therefore be restored.

I'm contacting St. Petersburg all the time; we are trying to find out the causes of the fire; moreover, we are doing our best to prepare for the next season, due to begin in the first ten days of October, Gergiyev added.

The Mariinsky Theatre's work-shops caught fire in the early hours of September 5.