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Is the Kirov getting a new Mariinsky?


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Like a few other things in Russia the Maryinsky Theatre is in desperate need of restoration and modernisation. Maryinsky chief Valery Gergiev has been planning a vast building project for some time now, which includes the restoration and the technical upgrade of the Maryinsky itself (no, they won’t tear it down), as well as the construction of a new theatre. Moreover, in a later phase a multi-purpose cultural complex is planned on a neighbouring tract of land. The plans of the new theatre and the controversy they created, have already been discussed here in an earlier thread: http://www.balletalert.com/forum/showthrea...=&threadid=6831

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In the mean time I've found this at the Biennale di Venezia :

http://www.muar.ru/exibitions/2_biennale_11.htm

Please, do see also the New Holland-project !

And let me emphasize this quote :

"The Ministry of Culture has taken an emphatically neutral position. Gosstroi has been forced to declare readiness to hold a competition for a project for the theater. This will be an architectural competition unique in history, where the goal is not to receive the best design but to provide defense against the onslaught of a foreign project. "

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These renderings are a bit clearer than those on the previous thread, and while I can agree with the floor planning, the exterior elevations are inharmonious with what's already there. It's a pity an American firm did this, as Russian-American relations warm up. There are many architects working worldwide who could provide a perfectly splendid building definitely of the twenty-first century, but compatible with the existing environment, including the historic Mariinsky.

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I cannot believe those pictures. That is really sad because in completely clashes with the old world look of St Petersburg. Why would anyone want to design something so tacky!?!?!?!? It almost looks like used silicon breast implants all stacked up. HOW AWFUL! Im sure there are many dancers of the old school of the Kirov that are outraged. Not to mention the other artists of that theatre.

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Compare this travesty with the recently-inaugurated 'new Bolshoi' theater, next door to the old Bolshoi. The new Bolshoi is a delight - a modern building built in old style, echoing the multi-tiered Italianate design of the old Bolshoi, complete with Tsar's box. The stage mechanics are state of the art; lovely acoustics. From the outside, one would think that the pale-yellow building was built in the early 19th-century, rather than early-21st...they fooled me!! It complements the other architecture on Teatralnaya Ploschad.

I recently attended the premiere production in the new theater - Rimsky-Korsakov's fantasy-opera 'The Snow Maiden' which was a delight all-around. The morale of the chorus/musicians was very high. The love the new backstage conditions and facilities. I'm sure that the stage will be fine for dancing, although it is a tad less wide & less deep than the 'old Bolshoi'; some of the stagings will have to be reworked.

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This harmony of new to old is the Next Wave in architectural thinking in an historical context. The previous thinking, now passing slowly, slowly into disfavor, was that the new construction should contrast as much as possible with the previous structures as to prevent confusion of one period with another. This sort of mentality produced a lot of really ugly effects, and Charles, the Prince of Wales, is completely correct in decrying the historical incompetency of it. Now, the Mariinsky is renowned for its ballet, but let us hope that they don't adopt a design which is, appropriately(?), passé.;)

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