Other ensembles may play more consistently with technical prowess and exacting coordination than the Mariinsky Orchestra. But at its best, this ensemble, the house band of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia, brings dark, rich sound; vivid character; and emotional depth to its performances, especially in Russian repertory. The orchestra was not quite at its best for the two all-Russian programs that Valery Gergiev, its longtime music director, conducted at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
New York Times: Spurning placidity for the fire within
Famous French actor Gerard Depardieu (C/foreground) joins hands with other performers to acknowledge applauds from the audience on the stage of Mariinsky Theatre in Saint-Petersburg late on May 21, 2010.
