Located in the historic centre of St. Petersburg across the Kryukov Canal from the original Mariinsky Theatre (1860), the new structure would be home to the acclaimed Mariinsky opera, ballet and orchestra.
Mariinsky II has been designed as a structure of authentic contemporary architecture that pays homage to its setting with a 21st-century sensibility. According to the architects, the building embraces the themes and forms of St. Petersburg and provides a space in which the social aspects of attending opera or ballet performances have been enhanced for every member of the audience.
The 851,580-square-foot facility is spread over an entire city block and consists of a masonry base of Jura limestone, large structural glass bay windows and a gently curved metal roof with a glass canopy which lend the structure a contemporary expression. The design intent is to provide a frame for the original Mariinsky theatre from the streetscape and allow extensive views of the landmark neoclassical theatre from within Mariinsky II.
The main auditorium, designed in the tradition of 18th- and 19th-century opera houses, features a horseshoe configuration with three balconies, offering panoramic sightlines for an audience of approximately 2,000 people. A large illuminated onyx wall has been encased in the auditorium together with lobby chandelier lighting which enlivens both the theatre and its surroundings. Oynx was chosen because of its honey-coloured warmth. Extensive public space with dramatic staircases connects multi-tiered lobbies that heighten the senses. The whole auditorium glows when seen through the big windows of the façade and looks like molten sunlight by day. At night it is backlit.
The 567,700-square-foot back-of-house accommodates full stage-size rehearsal rooms for the Mariinsky Opera, Ballet, Orchestra and Chorus as well as dining and production facilities for 2,500 staff. The new theatre is the production centre for the Mariinsky Cultural Complex, including a nearby concert hall, the Music Academy and the original Mariinsky Theatre, which will soon close for renovation.
A distinctive feature of Mariinsky II is a rooftop amphitheatre for performances during the Mariinsky’s White Nights summertime festival.
Toronto-based Diamond Schmitt Architects won the international competition for Mariinsky II.
