Russian Ballet with Transfer in St Petersburg

Mariinsky theatre, Mikhailovsky theatre, Hermitage theatre, Alexandrinsky theatre

Tour Highlights

• Enjoy comfortable transfer to the best theatres in St Petersburg
• Have a choice of the seats and theatres for the ballet performance
• Visit Russian ballet or opera in Mariinsky, Hermitage and other St.-Petersburg theatres

Know before you go

Please note, we can not guarantee the Swan Lake any date of the year. You will be offered a ballet according to the date you chose to go

Tour description:

evening tours and activities are designed for cruise and land travelers. Each tour is provided with transfer and visa-free support.

The driver of Artis travel will meet you at the hotel reception (or sea port) and will drive you to the theatre. While you enjoy the performance the driver stays nearby and after it ends will meet you by the front door to take you back to the hotel (Sea port).

Tour inclusions:

• Comfortable a/c van and driver services
• Tickets to the performance
• Transfer to the theatre and back to the hotel

Tour prices:

Upon request. The price depends on the category of tickets and theatre.

The legendary Alexandrinsky Theatre, fully titled as the National Drama Theatre of Russia (Alexandrinsky Theatre), is the oldest national theatre in Russia. Established by a special order of the Senate, signed on Saint Alexandre Nevsky day in 1756, by Peter the Great’s daughter Empress Elizabeth, it became the common ancestor of all future Russian theatres, so the date it was founded on is recognised as the Birthday of professional theatre in Russia. The Alexandrinsky Theatre foundation had also laid the grounds for Russian state policy towards theatrical art.

For the 250 years of its existence, the Russian State Drama Theatre has always been the symbol of the Russian State. Since its foundation and until 1917 it used to be Russia’s main imperial Drama theatre, with the Emperors taking great personal interest in its affairs.

In 1834, the Russian State Drama Theatre had moved to a magnificent new building, designed by Carlo Rossi and located in the very heart of Saint Petersburg’s main street Nevsky Prospect. The building was christened the Alexandrinsky Theatre after the wife of Emperor Nikolai I, Alexandra Fyodorovna, and has been part of the world’s theatre history ever since. The unique building, with its five-tier audience hall, enormous stage, Tsar’s lobby and the splendid façade which is one of the symbols of Saint Petersburg, is included into the world architectural treasures list protected by UNESCO.

The Alexandrinsky Theatre walls have seen and remembered such great Russian statesmen, politicians, military figures, playwrights, novelists, composers and poets such as A.S. Pushkin, M.Y. Lermontov, N.V. Gogol, I.S. Turgenev, F.M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy, A.P. Chekhov, P.I. Chaikovsky, A.M. Gorchakov, S.Y. Vitte, V.A. Stolypin, K.G. Mannerheim as well as a number of royal persons from Europe.

It was here in the Alexandrinsky Theatre that practically every premiere of Russian classical theatre plays took place: from Woe from Wit by A.S. Griboyedov to the plays by A.N. Ostrovsky and A.P. Chekhov. The Alexandrinsky Theatre is a living schoolbook of the history of Russian theatrical art. Descriptions of the Alexandrinsky performances have been entered in all the world theatre encyclopedias.

Since 2003, the theatre has been led by the Artistic Director Valery Fokin. Well-known in Europe, Valery Fokin is also the Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation, and a several times Awardee of the Russian State Prize. Being the symbol of Russian national theatre, the Alexandrinsky Theatre takes pride of place among its colleagues – such as the oldest European national theatres of Comedie Francaise in Paris, Vienna’s Burgtheater, Deutsches Theater in Berlin and London’s Drury Lane.

The theatre boasts a unique collection of stage decorations, costumes, furniture, props, armour and a large museum collection worth showing in the most prestigious of exhibition galleries in Russia and abroad.

In August 2014, the Alexandrinsky Theatre was awarded the National Treasure status. It was included in the State Roster of the Most Valued Russian Federation Peoples’ Heritage.