The Mariinsky Theatre is one of the most famous and the largest in Russia and in the world of opera and ballet theaters. Theater traces its history from the founded in 1783 by order of Empress Catherine the Great, the Bolshoi Theatre, which was located in the building, later rebuilt by the St. Petersburg Conservatory. July 12, 1783 issued a decree approving the theater committee “to manage the show and the music.” October 5 unveiled Big Stone theater on the carousel area, which counts the history of the theater. Later Rotary area changed its name to the Theatre.
In 1859 burned located opposite the Bolshoi Theater Circus Theatre. In its place, the architect Alberto Cavos built the new theater, which was named the Mariinsky in honor of the wife of Alexander II Empress Maria Alexandrovna. The first theatrical season in the new building opened on October 2, 1860 “Life for the Tsar” by Glinka. In 1886 the old theater building was rebuilt under the conservatory, and the repertoire is fully transferred to the Mariinsky Theatre.
In 1920 the theater changed its name to “State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (GATOB), since 1935 it was named S. Kirov.
in 1988, after the death of Yevgeny Mravinsky and Yuri Temirkanov care to the Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev became artistic director and chief conductor of the Mariinsky Theatre.
January 16, 1992 the theater its historical name was returned.