Russian Seasons in Paris to Feature Three Operas by St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre

The Russian Seasons in Paris, held since 1909, will this year feature performances and concerts by St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre.

This time, the administration of the Paris Chatelet theatre which has traditionally hosted the Russian Seasons since the time they were launched by Sergei Dyagilev, has "ordered" Rubinstein's opera Demon in a debut production by Lev Dodin.

Organisers of the current tour of the Mariinsky Theatre say they "do not expect the riot Russian art was in the beginning of the 19th century to repeat, yet surely the performance will gather a full house." Unfortunately, famous Spanish tenor Placido Domingo will not be able to participate in Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades because of a bad cold. The Mariinsky Theatre's director, world-known Valery Gergiyev will be conducting the operas.

Mariinsky soloist Vladimir Galuzin who was a success on another Paris stage, the Bastilia opera house, in the last theatre season will substitute the sick foreign star singing the part of German.

The repertoire of the Russian Seasons-2003 includes another opera by Tchaikovsky, Yevgeny Onegin, and a concert of the Mariinksy Theatre Orchestra.

Famous Danish violinist Nikolai Zneider and prominent Russian violist Yury Bashmet will perform at the concert. Music by Raskatov, Sibelius and Shostakovich will be performed.