According to the conductor, the Mariinsky Theater can launch experiments involving young popular directors and choreographers. However, Mr. Gergiyev regrets that it is very difficult to find a young brilliant choreographer. He mentioned the recent premiere "A Life for the Czar". In his words, its style and trends are closer to the current work of major western theaters. The performance "Samson and Delilah" with Olga Borodina is another brilliant work of the Mariinsky Theater, Valery Gergiyev said. Speaking about other Russian opera star Anna Netrebko, the conductor called her "a very talented, serious and good person" and an honest artist. In his opinion, the main problem of young artists is to go through mass media hysteria around his or her success and keep working seriously.
According to Mr. Gergiyev, big theater festivals have not been held in Russia for a long time. But today we have to prove their existence neither to critics nor to bureaucrats, he noted. Salzburg has always guaranteed high quality, therefore, the participation of Russian artists in this festival shows that "we usually get into the finals of world championships," the maestro said. "We are facing a challenge now. We want to give high-quality performances and hold well-organized festivals sponsored by fundamental Russian corporations," Valery Gergiyev stressed. Gazprom backs festival activities of the Mariinsky Theater, he added.
