Entertainment in St Petersburg
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Mariinsky Theatre
Home to the world-famous Kirov Ballet and Opera company, a visit here is a must, if only to delight in the sparkling glory of the interior. Use the website to book and pay for tickets in advance of your visit to the theatre and to the acoustically splendid new concert hall, which is nearby. The theatre-themed souvenirs are for sale in the Mariinsky gift shop. None of it is cheap, but where else can you get a ‘Property of Kirov Ballet’ T-shirt?
reviewed
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Hermitage Theatre
This austere neoclassical theatre – once the private theatre of the imperial family – stands on the site of the original Winter Palace of Peter I. At the behest of Catherine the Great, Giacomo Quarenghi designed the theatre to resemble an amphitheatre, with statues of Apollo and the Muses occupying the niches. During the Soviet period, this hall was used more often for lectures and such, but it reopened as a theatre in the 1980s. Appropriate for the setting, performances range from Tchaikovsky to Tchaikovsky. Some of the musical festivals also use this venue for performances.
reviewed
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Datscha
If you are up for a night of bar-hopping, you can't do better than Dumskaya ul. Datscha is crammed into a crumbling, classical façade, along with three other hot spots for drinking and music. Shabby chic décor, cheap drinks and a strict 'no house or techno' policy.
reviewed
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Mariinsky Concert Hall
In April 2007, Mariinsky director Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra opened the new Mariinsky Concert Hall – just in time for the annual Stars of White Nights Festival. The new building is a magnificent multifaceted creation. It preserves the historic brick façade of the set and scenery warehouse that previously stood on this spot facing ul Pisareva, but the modern main entrance, facing ul Dekabristov, is all tinted glass and angular lines, hardly hinting at the beautiful old building behind. The state-of-the-art facility was financed primarily by private investors, including Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov.
reviewed
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Komissarzhevskaya Theatre
Now buried in Tikhvin Cemetery, Vera Fedorovna Kommisarzhevskaya was a great St Petersburg actress who gained her reputation as leading lady in Vsevolod Meyerhold performances. In the early years of the 20th century, Kommisarzhevskaya founded an acting troupe that performed in the Passage concert hall, staging plays by all of the famous playwrights of the day, including Mikhail Gorky and Anton Chekhov. Revived in the midst of the Siege, the theatre was renamed in honour of the great actress. These days, headed by artistic director Victor Novikov, it is known for its modern treatment of classic plays.
reviewed
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Musical Comedy Theatre
Formerly the Palace Theatre, this neoclassical beauty on pl Iskusstv (Arts Sq) was built in 1801 as a palace. Only in the 20th century was it redesigned, and it opened as a theatre in 1912. It is famous as one of the few theatres that stayed open throughout the blockade. Recently renovated, the place still retains the opulent atmosphere of a palace, with a gorgeous gala staircase and a famous ‘grotto buffet’. These days it hosts a wide variety of musical and theatrical performances, including crowd-pleasing classical ballets and operas.
reviewed
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Priyut Komedianta Theatre
This delightful theatre’s name means ‘the actor’s shelter’ and it does a pretty good job of fulfilling its role, providing refuge for some of the city’s best up-and-coming directors and producers. It was founded by actor Yury Tomashevsky in the late 1980s, when the city turned over a defunct cinema that the group still uses. Recent successes have included Peter Shereshevsky’s adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Eternal Husband and Georgy Vasiliev’s ambitious staging of Viktor Yerofeyev’s Moscow Stations, a sort of Russian Trainspotting.
reviewed
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Yusupov Palace Theatre
Housed inside the outrageously ornate Yusupov Palace, this elaborate yet intimate venue was the home entertainment centre for one of the city’s foremost aristocratic families. While you can visit the theatre when you tour the palace, seeing a performance here is a treat, as you can imagine yourself the personal guest of crazy Prince Felix himself. The shows are a mixed bag – usually a ‘Gala Evening’ that features fragments of various Russian classics.
reviewed
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Shostakovich Philharmonia
Under the artistic direction of world-famous conductor Yury Temirkanov, the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra represents the finest in orchestral music. The Bolshoy Zal on pl Iskusstv is the venue for a full program of symphonic performances, while the nearby Maly Zal hosts smaller ensembles. Both venues are used for numerous music festivals, including the superb Early Music Festival. The philharmonic is closed in July and August.
reviewed
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Mussorgsky-Mikhailovsky Theatre
While not quite as grand as the Mariinsky, this stage still delivers the Russian ballet or operatic experience, complete with multitiered theatre, frescoed ceiling and elaborate concerts. The inspiring pl Iskusstv (Arts Sq) is a lovely setting for this respected venue, which is home to the State Academic Opera & Ballet Company. It’s generally easier and cheaper to get tickets to the performances staged here than those at the Mariinsky.
reviewed
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Cynic
Calling itself a ‘trash-café-club’, Cynic holds a very special place in the hearts of the St Petersburg underground. Rumour has it that this divey place is struggling for survival, but the student-slacker crowd has not abandoned its no-frills cellar bar. Arty types still come to nurse cheap beers and indulge in the famously delicious grenki (black bread fried in garlic). Literature fans of the male persuasion can peruse Pushkin in the toilet.
reviewed
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Maina
Maina is out there, geographically speaking. But that does not seem to stop hordes of music-lovers from showing up, feasting on modern, fusion fare and jamming to trendy tunes. Local bands and DJs are on the programme, and the music runs the gamut, including some styles we’ve never heard of (intelligent lounge? femme-punk?). But it’s a daring, innovative place, and the fact that it’s out in the docklands makes it all the edgier.
reviewed
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Metro
St Petersburg’s most popular spot for teenagers, Metro is a giant venue with three dance floors, featuring Russian and European music downstairs, techno and house on the 2nd floor and the poppiest pop on the top floor. At 2am four nights a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday), male and female dancers clad in leather (at least at the beginning) put on an erotic show. Student nights – Monday and Wednesday – are packed.
reviewed
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Ryumochnaya
This is a hold-over from the days when a drinking establishment needed no special name. The ryumochnaya was the generic place where comrades stopped on their way to or from work to toss back a shot or two before continuing on their way. It’s hard to say how long this particular ryumochnaya has been around, but you can be sure that if you order sto grammov (100 grams), they will know what you are talking about.
reviewed
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Dumskaya Ul
If you are up for a night of bar-hopping, you can’t do better than Dumskaya ul, where four of St Petersburg’s hottest spots for drinking and music are crammed into a crumbling, classical façade. A couple of these places are (or were) owned by Anton Belyankin and Andrei Gradovich – two members of the local ska band Dva Samolyota – which pretty much guarantees great music and a cool vibe.
reviewed
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Dunes
Feel like lounging on the beach with a fruity cocktail, catching some rays or playing some badminton? Then visit Dunes, St Petersburg’s first beach bar, complete with sand, hammocks and beach chairs. That this outdoor café is located in a crumbling courtyard (with no sea in sight) only adds to the charm. The place is hard to find: go through the unmarked archway off Konyushennaya pl and proceed to the second courtyard.
reviewed
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Jam Hall on Petrogradsky
Now this is the kind of place that could never have existed in 20th-century Russia. An old palace of culture has been transformed into a luxury cinema-going experience. With plush sofa-style seating, tables for your drinks and a well-stocked bar on site, this is the future – and we like it. Pity it mainly shows Hollywood blockbusters dubbed into Russian. There is another Jam Hall on Leninsky.
reviewed
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Havana Club
Enduringly popular, Havana is the only club that plays a consistent mix of salsa, merengue and Latin-infused jazz. There is usually live music on at least one of the three dance floors. So put your dancing shoes on (no trainers allowed!) and let loose your inner Ricky Ricardo. Wednesday night is free for ‘real Latinos’ so make sure you bring your passport if you hail from a Spanish-speaking country.
reviewed
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Experimental Sound Gallery
You know that a place called ‘experimental’ is going to be out there, especially as it is part of the alternative art complex at Pushkinskaya 10. Music ranges from jazz to rock to undefinable, and there are also film screenings, readings and other expressions of creativity. The toilet contains quite an interesting gallery (of sorts) and the attached café is a very groovy hangout.
reviewed
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Bridge Lounge
This swank spot is part restaurant, part lounge and 100% upper-class. Set within the western bastion of the Peter & Paul Fortress, this see-and-be-seen spot boasts an atmospheric location and awesome vista. Its white tent-roof interior is gorgeous, with plush pillows and drapes adorning the otherwise sparse space. Face control ensures that the clientele looks as good as their surroundings.
reviewed
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Shamrock
It may seem odd to pop in for a pint after watching ballerinas dance across Swan Lake, but that is what many theatre-goers do. This friendly Irish-owned pub opposite the Mariinsky Theatre attracts a steady stream of foreigners and locals. Not all of them are coming from the theatre: some make a special trip to feast on shepherd’s pie, drink Guinness and enjoy the craic.
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Circus in Avtovo
This place is on the far southern outskirts of the city and it may take quite a journey to get here. But how far are you willing to go to see no-rules wrestling (only in Russia…) ? Avtovo also hosts children’s circus clubs and an annual international festival of circus schools. What a way to inspire your children to become tightrope walkers and lion tamers!
reviewed
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Tribunal Bar
This used to be a kind of legendary place, famous for the debauchery and decadence that would set in as soon as the crowd had enough to drink. It’s now in a new location. And while ads promise that ‘the legend continues’, the debauchery feels a little over-programmed. Nonetheless, scantily clad women dancing on the bar are practically guaranteed.
reviewed
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Sinners
Sinners is St Petersburg’s gay mainstay – sleazy but fun – featuring male striptease, drag shows and an intriguing on-stage shower show. The décor is leather and chains, evoking a dark dungeon. Three floors include a mirrored dance floor, a balcony overlooking it and a chill-out lounge. The club functions on a card system – you pay for everything when you leave.
reviewed
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Revolution
There’s no better place to watch the sunrise than from the top floor of Revolution. The glass-enclosed ‘winter garden’ is higher than most other buildings in the vicinity, giving a wonderful 360-degree view of the surrounding city. And if you are here at sunrise, it means you have been dancing all night – easy to do with DJs spinning tunes on two dance floors.
reviewed
