The Full Works Concert: Monday 16 March 2015, 8pm

Tonight's Great Orchestra of the World is the Mariinsky in St. Petersburg.

Jane Jones heads off to Russia this evening where the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, once known as the Kirov Orchestra, perform under the Music Director responsible for putting them on the global map - Valery Gergiev.

The Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest in Russia, dating back to the days of the St Petersburg Imperial Opera Orchestra. A key figure for the orchestra's development in the 19th century was the conductor Eduard Nápravník. Over 53 years working with the orchestra, Nápravník learned and staged 79 operas. He succeeded in raising the ensemble to European levels and drew talented musicians to work at the theatre. The Mariinsky Orchestra performed countless Russian premieres of works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Glinka, Mussorgsky,Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, and many more. It also gave the first Russian performances of many European operas and ballets.

In 1996 Valery Gergiev was made Artistic and General Director. With his arrival, the Orchestra´s repertoire expanded significantly. In addition to operas, the Orchestra began to play symphonic works and other genres of music.

Tonight, Rachmaninov's Symphony No.2 and Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 are the main pieces in this all-Russian programme.

Peter Illich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 in B-flat minor
Piano: Denis Matsuev
Valery Gergiev conducts the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre

Sergei Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2 in E minor
Valery Gergiev conducts the Kirov Orchestra

Anatole Liadov: The Enchanted Lake
Valery Gergiev conducts the Kirov Orchestra