Mariinsky Concert Hall

Opening Year 2006
Location St. Petersburg, Russia
Capacity 1,100 seats
Architect Fabre/Speller/Pumain
Owner Mariinsky Theatre
User Mariinsky Theatre
Construction Cost USD $40M

Following a tragic fire in the Mariinsky Theater’s historic set and wardrobe warehouse, a unique opportunity was seen to expand further the facilities of the Mariinsky. The addition of a non-proscenium concert hall allows the organization to have a space solely for orchestral performances. The Mariinsky (also known internationally by its communist-era name “Kirov”) is composed of an opera company, a ballet company, and several supporting orchestras, and its major facilities include the historic Mariinsky Theater, a new building still in the planning phases being designed by the French architect Dominique Perrault (known as Mariinsky 2) and this new concert hall.

This 1100-seat concert hall was designed and built on an extremely short schedule: planning began in August 2004 and the gala opening took place slightly more than two years later in November 2006. This was made possible by the private rather than public nature of the funding – the absence of government funding in this project allowed for quick decision making. The hall uses the historic façade of the warehouse, and the long and narrow site resulted in a shoebox-style hall with a steep audience rake, with seating areas to the side and rear of the stage, reminiscent of an arena-style hall.

⭳ Fact-sheet


⭳ 2005-05 News Article

⭳ 2007-01 News Article

⭳ 2010-03 News Article