The Fall 2008 Newsletter of the White Nights Foundation of America (WNFA) reports on a joint announcement by The Mariinsky Theater, Columbia Artists and Ardani Artists Management that, in future American appearances the orchestra, opera, and ballet of the Mariinsky Theater will no longer be called the Kirov.
Since perestroika both Leningrad and Kirov reverted to their earlier names, and the units of the theater were quickly called Mariinsky in most of the rest of the world.

Stalin had renamed the theater "Kirov" in 1935.

Other news from the Mariinsky's American support organization:

The new co-chairs are Joan and Sanford Weill, as Donald Kendall becomes Chair Emeritus. Soprano Anna Netrebko has joined the Artistic Advisory Board of Chair Placido Domingo, Christoph Eschenbach (conductor), Renee Fleming (singer), Frank Gehry (architect), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (singer), Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor), George Tsypin (designer). No members are from ballet.

There shall be a WNFA Gala on November 15 at the American Museum of Natural History in honor of Valery Gergiev's 20th anniversary as Artistic and General Director of the State Academic Mariinsky Therater (guest stars will appear).

Dates for upcoming Mariinsky Festivals were also reported:
New Horizons: Oct. 28 - Nov. 2, 2008
Maslenitsa Festival: Feb. 23 - March 1, 2009
Brass Festival: March 4 - 7 & April 2 - 5, 2009
International Ballet Festival Mariinsky: March 14 - 22, 2009
Moscow Easter Festival: April 19 - May 9, 2009
Stars of the White Nights: May 19 - July 12, 2009

In their review of the recent White Nights Festival, the ballet section concludes with "The end of the 20th Century brought home the legacy of George Balanchine, before setting its sights on the ungovernable rhythms of William Forsythe."

Finally.

BT link to photocards of the Emperor and Empress who gave the world the Maryinsky:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...mp;#entry228987

Rats. I liked the hyphenate... it keeps the history of the company tied together... eventually there will be a generation who have no idea that the Maryinski had anything to do with The Kirov...

I think people will still be referring to the Company as "Kirov" when it's related to the years in which the name was the officially appointed one. And let's not forget that certain feeling of vintage/glamour has being forming for a while around the soviet era and its items. Would Misha or Natasha will ever switch names when talking about their former Company...? I would say no.

I'm not surprised that they did this, because after all, the company's website is www.mariinsky.ru anyways, and I believe the Russians refer to it as the Mariinsky Theatre (Мариинский театр in Russian).

About time. I do tend to switch between "Kirov" and "Maryinsky" but generally Kirov when referring to the older Kirov generation. Maryinsky when talking of today's theatre.

Right. And then, the old names tend to stick for a while. I have russian clients whose whole lives took place in the Soviet Union, and now are living here-(there's a large russian community in North Miami Beach). The majority of them still use "Leningrad" when referring to St. Petersbourg. (Well, even I still use it... )

The Fall 2008 Newsletter of the White Nights Foundation of America (WNFA) may now be read in full on-line:
http://www.wnfa.org/images/newsletterfall2008.pdf

In particular one may read their full argument for the name change from Kirov to Mariinsky.

The choice of artistic advisors is a little strange in that ballet is not represented

There shall be a WNFA Gala on November 15 at the American Museum of Natural History in honor of Valery Gergiev's 20th anniversary as Artistic and General Director of the State Academic Mariinsky Theater (guest stars will appear). Last year Lopatkina was the featured star, but I cannot find who might perform this year.

In the full link may be found many reviews of prior events and listings of future concerts and performances.

About time, too...

...interesting, an announcement to this effect was made by the promoters at the beginning the performance of Giselle i saw in Chicago on october 5.