And whether in the opera house or in concert, the Mariinsky Theatre of St.

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Filing into the turquoise splendour of the Mariinsky Theatre they were braced for the worst.

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The Director-General also met with Maestro Valery Gergiev, UNESCO Artist for Peace and Director of the Mariinsky Theatre and Symphonic Orchestra.

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"I worked in the Mariinsky theatre for seven years, and I danced the whole classic repertoire there, and the contemporary repertoire, " she says.

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The new Mariinsky Theatre is scheduled to open in 2012 and immediately after the original and classic Mariinsky Theatre (currently celebrating its 150th anniversary) will be renovated to bring its staging facilities to 21st century standards.

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