Who Founded Mariinsky Ballet?

Ballet

The Mariinsky Ballet, also known as the Kirov Ballet, is one of the world’s most renowned ballet companies. Founded in the late 1700s in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Mariinsky Ballet has a long and illustrious history that spans over two hundred years.

The company was founded in 1783 by Empress Catherine II (also known as Catherine the Great), who wanted to create a ballet school that would be open to all classes of people. She tasked her court choreographer, Jean-Georges Noverre, with creating a school to teach the art of dance. Noverre had studied in Paris and was a proponent of theatrical dance and ballet d’action – a form of narrative ballet – and his influence can still be seen in many aspects of the Mariinsky Ballet’s productions today.

In 1801, Noverre’s pupil Marius Petipa took over as director of the Mariinsky Ballet. Petipa is widely regarded as one of the greatest choreographers in history and is credited with creating some of the most iconic ballets ever performed, including The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. He was also responsible for modernizing and codifying ballet technique, which is still used by dancers around the world today.

The Mariinsky Ballet gained international recognition during its partnership with composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky from 1877-1892. Tchaikovsky composed music for several ballets produced by Petipa at the Mariinsky Ballet including The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty which remain popular to this day.

After Petipa’s death in 1910, many other choreographers have continued to create works for and lead performances at the Mariinsky Ballet including Michel Fokine, George Balanchine, and Rudolf Nureyev among others. The company continues to produce classic ballets as well as innovative new works that push boundaries while honoring its storied history.

Conclusion: The Mariinsky Ballet was founded in 1783 by Empress Catherine II (also known as Catherine the Great), who appointed Jean-Georges Noverre as its first director. Under his leadership, Marius Petipa took over as director in 1801 and created some of history’s most iconic ballets including The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake; he also modernized classical ballet technique which is still used today. With its partnership with legendary composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky from 1877-1892 it gained international recognition before being led by various choreographers since then.