From October 4th to 23rd, the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra and Valery Gergiev give a major North American tour that stretches from East to West Coast and includes Canada.

The central tour event was the opening of the new season at the Carnegie Hall, this year celebrating its 120th anniversary. Its history began with a performance by Tchaikovsky in 1891 when on the opening night the composer conducted the New York Symphony Orchestra, performing his Festival Coronation March. In memory of this legendary event, in October 5th Gala, our Orchestra performed Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra by Tchaikovsky, the solo part was played by the world renowned virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma. The other four Carnegie Hall programs are all six symphonies by Tchaikovsky and his First Piano Concerto, which will feature Daniil Trifonov, 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition Grand Prix Winner. Far not every band gets an honorable role to launch a new season at the Carnegie Hall, and not only to perform just one or two things, but to present a series of five concerts, making a kind of mini-festival of Russian music in New York. In addition, it is the second time when the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra and Valery Gergiev open the season at the Carnegie Hall (the other year was in 2003).

Last Autumn, during the USA tour, the Mariinsky Orchestra performed symphonies by Mahler at the Carnegie Hall and other venues. This year we are presenting symphonic legacy of Tchaikovsky — his works make the bulk of the concert program this year. The tour also includes works by other Russian classics: Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich.