Meet me in Arts Square

The 16th Arts Square International Winter Festival, rightly hailed as one of the highlights of St. Petersburg’s musical calendar, opened on 13 December. This year, the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s contribution to the festival programme is Tchaikovsky’s Christmas ballet The Nutcracker, Nacho Duato’s best choreographic work from his ‘St. Petersburg period’. The ballet, which originated in St. Petersburg, has won acclaim throughout Europe. It is included in the repertoire at La Scala and is as treasured in Italy as it is in Russia.

For Vladimir Kekhman, the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s Artistic Director, the opening of the festival in the Grand Hall of the St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonia was an event not to be missed. He admits to having huge admiration for Yuri Temirkanov, who he says «maintains the festival’s invariably high standard from year to year.»

Photo: Daniil Granin and Vladimir Kekhman backstage at the Arts Square Festival opening concert in the Grand Hall of the Philharmonia