“We are Writing the Modern History of Kuzbass” – Coverage of a Workshop at the Mariinsky Theater

Meeting on the Kemerovo Branch (photo by Natasha Razina, © The Mariinsky Theater)

<On 24 January 2021, a workshop was held in St. Petersburg at the Mariinsky Theater on establishment of a cultural, educational, museum, and theatrical complex in Kemerovo. It will include branches of the Mariinsky Theater and the Russian Museum, as well as the Kuzbass Center of the Arts. The new complex is to appear in Kemerovo by the end of 2023. The construction is being carried out by JSC Stroytransgaz.

The workshop brought together all those who are involved in the development of the complex now, and those who will use it after the opening: a delegation of representatives of the Government of Kuzbass headed by S.E. Tsivilev, Governor, V.A. Gergiev, Artistic Director–General Director of the Mariinsky Theater, and his deputies, N.V. Volynskaya, President of the National Heritage Fund, E.Yu. Mitrofanova, Director of the Kemerovo Branch of the State Russian Museum,  I.V. Teterina, Chief Architect of the Russian Museum, G.B. Frolov, Deputy General Director for General Issues of LLC Gorka, A.M. Mingaleeva, Deputy General Director for Engineering, as well as – from Stroytransgaz Group –  M.A. Kotova, Deputy General Director for Engineering, and S.S. Mariinsky, General Director of LLC Stroytransgaz-Sibir.

The workshop participants discussed the current status of the project, achievements, and additional opportunities identified at this stage of engineering.

“I am sure that this project has great prospects, but we are facing a very serious challenge. We need to think over a lot – from construction and equipment of the building to creation of a troupe and a strong base for training specialists who participate in all stages of performance. Now, all the above will be subject to a large-scale study, and as a result, the city and region with glorious traditions will receive the relevant experience of the Mariinsky Theater. When we were building the Mariinsky II, we focused on the future. It should be the same in Kemerovo,” Valery Gergiev commented on the project. He also emphasised that the team of the Mariinsky Theater will actively perform in Kemerovo.

Meeting on the Kemerovo Branch (photo by Natasha Razina, © The Mariinsky Theater)

“Our mission is to develop a modern public space that will make it possible to introduce people to the best examples of world and national culture, to preserve and enhance the cultural heritage. This is a cultural and educational project aimed at improving the quality of life of residents,” said Natalya Volynskaya, President of the National Heritage Fund.

“We are now writing the modern history of Kuzbass and this project is one of the most significant ones for the region, and I am grateful to Mr. Gergiev for supporting this initiative, despite the serious workload and several branches that the Mariinsky Theater already has. We are actively entering the next stage of engineering and will study everything very carefully. We want to make it one of the best projects so that it would be cultural heritage not for decades, but for centuries to come,” said Sergei Tsivilev.

Each square meter of the future complex will be used for its intended purpose to arrange exhibitions, master classes for children and adolescents. To ensure the full-fledged operation of the Mariinsky Theater, a large number of various specialists – both technical and creative – and a creative team with its own orchestra, opera, and ballet will be required.

The branch of the Mariinsky Theater will have two houses: the main one for 950 spectators and the small one for 300 spectators. The performance space of both houses will be multifunctional. The main stage in terms of its technical characteristics and equipment will be close to the stage of the Mariinsky II (New Stage), which will allow performances of the Mariinsky Theater to be transferred to Kemerovo. The small house will be equipped with a flexible system providing for chamber concerts, children's performances, educational programs, and film screenings. Valery Gergiev and Sergey Tsivilev discussed the possibility of equipping the small house with an organ in the future.

The theater will have six rehearsal spaces including a rehearsal stage, two ballet stages, and choral classroom.

To date, the first engineering stage has been completed. The concept of the cultural, educational, museum, and theatrical complex in Kemerovo was developed with the engagement of the famous Austrian architectural bureau – COOP HIMMELB(L)AU, which participated in the Mariinsky-2 construction and the Bolshoi Theater technical reconstruction. COOP HIMMELB(L)AU's best-known projects also include the new buildings of the Munich Academy of Fine Arts and the Akron Art Museum, BMW World in Munich, European Central Bank Headquarters in Frankfurt,  Fusion Museum in Lyon. The general designer of the new facility is GORKA Group.

The President’s instruction is also of particular importance – it is care of the future of our society, raising children in a cultural environment. In the year of the 300th Anniversary of Kuzbass, the educational complex will be built and put into operation. Children will have comfortable learning and living conditions – new opportunities will open up for them to receive excellent local education. The complex in Kemerovo is to become one of the best facilities where a new generation of teachers and students will be raised. “We are preparing the future, we are writing the modern history for many centuries,” said maestro Valery Gergiev at the workshop.