Prokofiev at the Mikhailovsky

The Mikhailovsky Theatre has opened an exhibition in the stalls circle to mark the 125th anniversary of Sergei Prokofiev’s birth. The exhibition is dedicated to the works of the great composer that have been staged by the Mikhailovsky over the years. It includes unique photographs and documents, some which have never been made available to the public before.

It was here that the opera première of War and Peace took place in 1946, a fact which confirmed the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s special place in the history of musical theatre. Audiences left in awe of the magnificent spectacle and of Prokofiev’s breathtaking composition. A model of the stage set from the part of the opera depicting the Battle of Borodino can still be seen at the Mikhailovsky Theatre Museum today; it is one of the museum’s most remarkable exhibits.

Prokofiev’s ballet version of Romeo and Juliet has been a staple of the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s repertoire for several decades. In 1976 and 2008 the ballet was staged by Oleg Vinogradov, and in 1988 a production was put on by Nikolay Boyarchikov. Since 2012, the theatre has presented Nacho Duato’s version of the ballet.

In 2010, the Mikhailovsky Theatre staged a première of the children’s opera The Giant, which Prokofiev wrote at the age of nine. The work was first performed in 1900, with the composer himself as a member of the cast, after which there was a gap of 110 years before it was eventually brought back to life on our stage.

We have put together a small photo gallery of the exhibits on display, for those who are unable to attend the theatre whilst the exhibition is on.