Valery Gergiev

Valery Abisalovich Gergiev (Russian: Вале́рий Абиса́лович Ге́ргиев; Russian pronunciation: [vɐˈlʲerʲɪj ɐbʲɪˈsaɫəvʲɪtɕ ˈɡʲɛrɡʲɪɪf]; Ossetian: Гергиты Абисалы фырт Валери, Gergity Abisaly Fyrt Valeri; born 2 May 1953), is a Russian conductor and opera company director of Ossetian origin. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.

Gergiev at the 2010 Time 100 Gala

Early life

Gergiev, born in Moscow, is the son of Tamara Timofeevna (Tatarkanovna) Lagkueva and Abisal Zaurbekovich Gergiev.[1]

He and his siblings were raised in Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia in the Caucasus. He had his first piano lessons in secondary school before going on to study at the Leningrad Conservatory from 1972-77.

His principal conducting teacher was Ilya Musin (Илья Мусин), one of the greatest conductor-makers in Russian musical history. His sister, Larissa, is a pianist and director of the Mariinsky's singers' academy.[2]

Career

In 1978, he became assistant conductor at the Kirov Opera, now the Mariinsky Opera, under Yuri Temirkanov, where he made his debut conducting Sergei Prokofiev's War and Peace. He was chief conductor of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra from 1981 until 1985 – the year he made his debut in the United Kingdom, along with pianist Evgeny Kissin and violinists Maxim Vengerov and Vadim Repin at the Lichfield Festival.

Gergiev in Brussels in 2007

In 1991, for the first time, Gergiev conducted a western European opera company with the Bavarian State Opera in a performance of Modest Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov in Munich. In the same year, he made his American début, performing War and Peace with the San Francisco Opera. Since then, he has conducted both operatic and orchestral repertoire across the world. He also participates in numerous music festivals, including the White Nights in St. Petersburg.

He became chief conductor and artistic director of the Mariinsky in 1988, and overall director of the company, appointed by the Russian government, in 1996. In addition to his artistic work with the Mariinsky, Gergiev has worked in fundraising for such projects as the recently built 1100-seat Mariinsky Hall, and intends to renovate the Mariinsky Theatre completely by 2010.[3]

From 1995 to 2008, Gergiev was principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1997, he became principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. His contract there ran until the 2007–2008 season, and his premieres included a new version of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, revised and reorchestrated by Igor Buketoff in a manner faithful to Mussorgsky's intentions (unlike the Rimsky-Korsakov revision mostly used for many years until the 1960s or 1970s). In 2002, he was featured in one scene in the film Russian Ark, directed by Alexander Sokurov and filmed at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

In 2003, he initiated and conducted at the Mariinsky Theatre the first complete cycle of Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung to be staged in Russia for over 90 years. The production's design and concept reflects many aspects of Ossetian culture. Gergiev conducted this production in Cardiff in 2006 at the Wales Millennium Centre, in Costa Mesa, California in October 2006 in the Orange County Performing Arts Center, and in July 2007 in Lincoln Center, New York City to great acclaim and completely sold-out houses.

In 1988, Gergiev guest-conducted the London Symphony Orchestra for the first time. In his next appearance with the LSO in 2004, he conducted the seven symphonies of Sergei Prokofiev.[4] This engagement led to his appointment in 2005 as the Orchestra's fifteenth principal conductor, succeeding Sir Colin Davis effective 1 January 2007.[5] Gergiev's initial contract with the LSO was for 3 years.[6]

His first official concert as principal conductor of the LSO was on 23 January 2007; this was originally scheduled for 13 January, but was postponed due to Gergiev's illness.[7]

In June 2011, Gergiev joined the International Tchaikovsky Competition and introduced reforms to the organisation,[8] which included replacing academic judges with notable performers and introduced an openness to the process, arranging for all performances to be streamed live and free on the internet and for the judges to speak their minds in public as and whenever they wished.

Since 2015, Gergiev is chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic.[9][10]

On 5 May 2016, Gergiev competed at the Roman Theatre of Palmyra at a concert event called Praying for Palmyra – Music revives ancient ruins. It was devoted to the victims who died while liberating Palmyra from ISIS and should emphasize the state of the ancient city.[11]

Social and political involvement

Valery Gergiev's requiem concert in Tskhinvali, 21 August 2008

In April 2007, Gergiev was one of eight conductors of British orchestras to endorse the 10-year classical music outreach manifesto, "Building on Excellence: Orchestras for the 21st century", to increase the presence of classical music in the UK, including giving free entry to all British schoolchildren to a classical music concert.[12]

After the 2004 Beslan school massacre, Gergiev appealed on television for calm and against revenge. He conducted concerts to commemorate the victims of the massacre.[13]

During the 2008 South Ossetia war, Gergiev, who is of partial Ossetian heritage himself, accused the Georgian government of massacring ethnic Ossetians, triggering the conflict with Russia.[14] He came to Tskhinvali and conducted a concert near the ruined building of the South Ossetian Parliament as tribute to the victims of the war.[15]

Gergiev has been, according to Alex Ross in The New Yorker, "a prominent supporter of the current Russian regime". In 2012, in a television ad for Putin's third Presidential campaign, he said, "One needs to be able to hold oneself presidentially, so that people reckon with the country. I don't know if it's fear? Respect? Reckoning."[16]

In December 2012, Gergiev sided with the Putin administration against the members of Russian band Pussy Riot and suggested that their motivation was commercial. He told the British newspaper The Independent, "I don't think this is anything to do with artistic freedom....Why go to the Cathedral of Christ to make a political statement? Why with screaming and dancing? You don't need to go to a place that is considered sacred by many people ... I am told by too many people that those girls are potentially a very good business proposition. Suppose that someone created all this in order to produce another touring group earning millions and millions? Anna Netrebko (acclaimed Russian soprano) didn't need to do something like this."[17] In The New Yorker, Alex Ross decried Gergiev's allegation by noting, "One member [of Pussy Riot] has been on a hunger strike in a prison camp."[16]

In New York City in 2013, the LGBT activist group Queer Nation interrupted performances by orchestras conducted by Gergiev at the Metropolitan Opera[18] and Carnegie Hall.[19]

The activists cited Gergiev's support for Vladimir Putin, whose government had recently enacted a law that bans the distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" to minors, as the reason for their actions.[19] In London, the veteran activist, Peter Tatchell, led anti-Gergiev demonstrations.[20]

In a public statement Gergiev replied, "It is wrong to suggest that I have ever supported anti-gay legislation and in all my work I have upheld equal rights for all people. I am an artist and have for over three decades worked with tens of thousands of people and many of them are indeed my friends."[20] This did not satisfy all of his critics; the novelist Philip Hensher tweeted: "Gergiev summarised: 'Some of my best friends are gay. I don't support institutional homophobia. I leave that up to my friend Putin.'"[20]

Writing in The Guardian, Mark Brown wrote, "Gergiev's case was not helped by comments he made to the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant on 10 September [2013]: 'In Russia we do everything we can to protect children from paedophiles. This law is not about homosexuality, it targets paedophilia. But I have too busy a schedule to explore this matter in detail.'"[20]

On 26 December 2013, the city of Munich made public a letter from Gergiev assuring them that he fully supports the city's anti-discrimination law and adding, "In my entire professional career as an artist, I have always and everywhere adhered to these principles and will do so in the future...All other allegations hurt me very much." [21]

In March 2014, he joined a host of other Russian arts and cultural figures in signing an open letter of support for Russia's position regarding Ukraine and the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. The letter was posted on the website of Russia's culture ministry on 12 March 2014. In the letter signatories stated that they "firmly declare our support for the position of the president of the Russian Federation" in the region.[22][23]

However, in September 2015, as he became chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, Gergiev said that he did not really sign the letter to Putin, but only had a phone conversation about it with Vladimir Medinsky.[24] The New York Times reported that Russian artists may have been pushed by the Russian government to endorse the annexation of Crimea. The article specifically mentioned Gergiev, who faced protests in New York City while performing.[25] After Ukrainian public outcry, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture blacklisted Gergiev from performing in Ukraine.[25][26][27]

Personal life

In 1999, Gergiev married the musician Natalya Dzebisova, more than a quarter century his junior, and a fellow Ossetian. They have three children together, two boys and a girl. From time to time Gergiev has been reported to be a friend of Putin; they have been said to be godfathers to each other's children,[28] but in a letter to The Daily Telegraph Gergiev rejected this notion.[29] From a past relationship with the language teacher Lena Ostovich, the conductor has another daughter, Natasha.[1]

Recordings

Gergiev has focused on recording Russian composers' works, both operatic and symphonic, including Mikhail Glinka, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Alexander Borodin, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, Hector Berlioz and Rodion Shchedrin. Most of his recordings, on the Philips label, are with the Kirov Orchestra, but he has also recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic. A recent undertaking, the complete Prokofiev symphonies and the cycle Berlioz, are with the London Symphony Orchestra.[30]

Gergiev has recorded the complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler with the London Symphony Orchestra; all were recorded live in concert, issued on the London Symphony Orchestra Live label and made available on digital media. In 2009, Gergiev and the Mariinsky launched a Mariinsky Live record label (being distributed by London Symphony Orchestra Live), with the first two recordings featuring music by Dmitri Shostakovich.

Gergiev's recording of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet with London Symphony Orchestra on LSO live in 2010 was voted the winner of the Orchestral category and the Disc of the Year for the 2011 BBC Music Magazine Awards.[31]

Discography

Ballets

Album	Orchestra	Label	Discs	Release Year
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet (complete ballet)	Kirov	Philips	2	1991
TCHAIKOVSKY: The Sleeping Beauty (complete ballet)	Kirov	Philips	3	1993
STRAVINSKY: The Firebird (L'Oiseau de feu) (complete ballet)	Kirov	Philips	1	1998
TCHAIKOVSKY: The Nutcracker (complete ballet)	Kirov	Philips	1	1998
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring (Le sacre du printemps) (with Scriabin's The Poem of Ecstasy)	Kirov	Philips	1	2001
TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake (complete ballet) (Highlights available separately)	Mariinsky	Decca	2	2007
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet (complete ballet)	LSO	LSO Live	2	2010
RAVEL: Daphnis et Chloé (complete ballet) (with Pavane pour une infante défunte and Boléro)	LSO	LSO Live	1	2010
MELIKOV: Legend of Love	Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra	Melodiya	2	2015

Operas

Album	Orchestra	Label	Discs	Release Year
MUSSORGSKY: Khovanshchina	Kirov	Philips	3	1992
TCHAIKOVSKY: Pique Dame	Kirov	Philips	3	1993
PROKOFIEV: War and Peace	Kirov	Philips	3	1993
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Sadko	Kirov	Philips	3	1994
BORODIN: Prince Igor	Kirov	Philips	3	1995
PROKOFIEV: The Fiery Angel	Kirov	Philips	2	1995
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Maid of Pskov	Kirov	Philips	2	1997
VERDI: La Forza del Destino (1862 original version)	Kirov	Philips	3	1997
GLINKA: Ruslan and Ludmila	Kirov	Philips	3	1997
PROKOFIEV: Betrothal in a Monastery	Kirov	Philips	3	1998
TCHAIKOVSKY: Mazeppa	Kirov	Philips	3	1998
TCHAIKOVSKY: Iolanta	Kirov	Philips	2	1998
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh	Kirov	Philips	3	1999
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Tsar's Bride	Kirov	Philips	2	1999
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Kashchey the Immortal	Kirov	Philips	1	1999
MUSSORGSKY: Boris Godunov (1869 & 1872 version)	Kirov	Philips	5	1999
PROKOFIEV: The Gambler	Kirov	Philips	2	1999
PROKOFIEV: Semyon Kotko	Kirov	Philips	2	2000
PROKOFIEV: The Love for Three Oranges	Kirov	Philips	2	2001
BARTÓK: Bluebeard's Castle	LSO	LSO Live	1	2009
SHOSTAKOVICH: The Nose	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	2	2009
STRAVINSKY: Oedipus rex (Comes with Ballet Les noces)	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2010
WAGNER: Parsifal	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	4	2010
DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	2	2011

Orchestral works

Album	Orchestra	Label	Discs	Release Year
BORODIN: Symphonies No. 1 & 2	RPhO	Polygram	1	1991
RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 2	Kirov	Philips	1	1994
TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture and others	Kirov	Philips	1	1994
STRAVINSKY: The Firebird – SCRIABIN: Prometheus	Kirov	Philips	1	1998
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5	VPO	Philips	1	1999
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, Francesca da Rimini, Romeo and Juliet	Kirov	Philips	1	2000
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade, BORODIN: In the Steppes of Central Asia, BALAKIREV: Islamey	Kirov	Philips	1	2001
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring – SCRIABIN: The Poem of Ecstasy	Kirov	Philips	1	2001
MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition	VPO	Philips	1	2002
BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique, La Mort de Cléopâtre (Soprano: Olga Borodina)	VPO	Philips	1	2003
PROKOFIEV: Scythian Suite, Alexander Nevsky	Kirov	Philips	1	2003
SHOSTAKOVICH: The War Symphonies (No. 4–9) Each one available separately	Kirov	Philips	5	2005
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphonies No. 4, 5, 6Each one available separately	VPO	Philips	3	2005
PROKOFIEV: Completes Symphonies (No. 1–7) (No. 4: 1930 + 1947 Versions)	LSO	Philips	4	2006
MAHLER: Symphony No. 1	LSO	LSO Live	1	2008
MAHLER:Symphony No. 3	LSO	LSO Live	2	2008
MAHLER: Symphony No. 6	LSO	LSO Live	1	2008
MAHLER: Symphony No. 7	LSO	LSO Live	1	2008
TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture, Moscow Cantata, Marche Slave, Coronation March, Danish Overture	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2009
MAHLER: Symphony Nos. 2 & 10 (Adagio)	LSO	LSO Live	2	2009
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 1 & 15	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2009
MAHLER: Symphony No. 8	LSO	LSO Live	1	2009
MAHLER: Symphony No. 4	LSO	LSO Live	1	2010
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 2 & 11	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2010
RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 2	LSO	LSO Live	1	2010
DEBUSSY: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, La Mer, Jeux	LSO	LSO Live	1	2011
MAHLER: Symphony No. 5	LSO	LSO Live	1	2011
MAHLER: Symphony No. 9	LSO	LSO Live	1	2011
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 3 & 10	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2011
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad"	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2012
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 8	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2013
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 4, 5 & 6	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	2	2014
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Overture: Waverley	LSO	LSO Live	1	2014

Orchestral works with soloists

ALBUM	SOLOIST	ORCHESTRA	LABEL	DISCS	RELEASE YEAR
PROKOFIEV: Complete Piano Concertos (No. 1–5)	Alexander Toradze	Kirov	Philips	2	1998
RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No.2, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini	Lang Lang	Mariinsky	DG	1	2003
TCHAIKOVSKY & MIASKOVSKY: Violin Concertos	Vadim Repin	Mariinsky	Philips	1	2003
BRAHMS & KORNGOLD: Violin Concertos	Nikolaj Znaider	VPO	RCA Red Seal	1	2009
RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No.3, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini	Denis Matsuev	Mariinsky	Mariinsky Live	1	2010
TCHAIKOVSKY: Variation on a Rococo Theme, PROKOFIEV: Sinfonia Concertante	Gautier Capuçon	Mariinsky	Virgin	1	2010
Lang Lang: Liszt, My Piano Hero (LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 1)	Lang Lang	VPO	Sony	1	2011
Berlioz: Harold en Italie, La Mort de Cléopâtre	Antoine Tamestit , viola Karen Cargill, mezzo-soprano	LSO	LSO Live	1	2014
RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No.3	Behzod Abduraimov	RCO	RCO Live	1	2020

Vocal works

ALBUM	SOLOIST	ORCHESTRA	LABEL	DISCS	RELEASE YEAR
Tchaikovsky & Verdi Arias	Dmitri Hvorostovsky	Kirov	Philips	1	1990
Tchaikovsky & Verdi Arias	Galina Gorchakova	Kirov	Philips	1	1996
PROKOFIEV: Ivan The Terrible Cantata		RPhO	Philips	1	1998
VERDI: Requiem		Kirov	Philips	2	2001
Russian Album	Anna Netrebko	Mariinsky	DG	1	2006
Homage: The Age Of The Diva	Renée Fleming	Mariinsky	Decca	1	2007
Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette	Olga Borodina Kenneth Tarver Evgeny Nikitin	LSO LSO Chorus	LSO Live	2	2016

Videos

DVD :

• Valery Gergiev in Rehearsal and Performance
• Verdi: La forza del destino, Marinsky Theatre Orchestra, 1998.
• Valery Gergiev Conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Prokofiev, Schnittke & Stravinsky, 2003.
• 60 Minutes: The Wild Man of Music, 2004.
• Prokofiev: Betrothal in a Monastery, Kirov Opera, 2005.
• Shostakovich against Stalin, 2005.
• Rimsky-Korsakov: Sadko, Kirov Opera, 2006.
• Puccini: Turandot, Vienna Philharmonic, 2006.
• "All the Russias – a musical journey": a five-part documentary through the tradition and heritage of Russian music.
• Tschaikovsky: Eugene Onegin; Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Renee Fleming, Ramon Vargas, Metropolitan Opera, 2007
• "Gergiev Conducts Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem" Kringelborn, Kwiecien, Swedish Radio Choir, Rotterdam Philharmonic, 2008
• Berlioz:
  • Benvenuto Cellini, Burkhard Fritz (Benvenuto Cellini), Maija Kovalevska (Teresa), Laurent Naouri (Fieramosca), Kate Aldrich (Ascanio), Xavier Mas (Francesco), Brindley Sherratt (Balducci), Roberto Tagliavini (Bernardino), Adam Plachetka (Pompeo), Sung-Keun Park (Innkeeper), Mikhail Petrenko (Pope Clement VII), Wiener Philharmoniker, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsoperncho, Philipp Stozl, Stage Director. Blu-ray or DVD Naxos 2007 - 2009
  • Les Troyens, Lance Ryan, Énée, Gabriele Viviani, Corhèbe, Gorgio Guiseppini, Panthée, Stephen Milling, Narbal, Éric Cutler, Iopas, Dmitri Voropaev, Hylas, Oksana Shilova, Ascagne, Elisabete Matos, Cassandre, Daniele Barcellona, Didon, Ziata Bulicheva Anna, Cor de la Generolitat Valenciana, Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Carlus Padrissa, Stage Director. (Recorded on 2009) Blu-ray or DVD Unitel Classica 2010

VHS :

• Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame, Acts 1 and 2, Kirov Opera, 1992.
• Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov, Kirov Opera, 1993.
• Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame, Kirov Opera, 1994.
• Mussorgsky: Kovanshchina, Kirov Orchestra, 1994.
• Prokofiev: Fiery Angel, Polygram Video, 1996.

Honours and awards

Russian

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland;
  • 3rd class (24 April 2003) – for outstanding contribution to music culture
  • 4th class (2 May 2008) – for outstanding contribution to the development of domestic and world music and theatre, many years of creative activity
• Order of Friendship (12 April 2000) – for services to the state, many years of fruitful work in the field of culture and art, a great contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between nations
• Medal "In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg" (2003)
• Gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation (15 January 2009) – for the concert the Mariinsky Theatre orchestra under the direction of Valery Gergiev in support of victims during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict
• Medal "For Valiant Labour" (Tatarstan) – for a fruitful cooperation with the Republic of Tatarstan, an active part in national projects in the fields of culture, outstanding contribution to the development of domestic and world music
• Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation – for particular services to the State and its people. The new honour was created 29 March 2013, and first awarded on 1 May 2013.[32][33]

Foreign awards

• Order of St. Mashtots (Armenia, 2000)
• Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2001)
• Order "Danaker" (2001, Kyrgyzstan)
• Medal "Dank" (Kyrgyzstan, 1998)
• Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (2005)
• Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 5th class (Ukraine, 10 May 2006) – a significant personal contribution to the development of cultural ties between Ukraine and Russia, high professionalism and many years of fruitful creative activity
• Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2001)
• Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 5th class (Ukraine, 10 May 2006) – a significant personal contribution to the development of cultural ties between Ukraine and Russia, high professionalism and many years of fruitful creative activity
• Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland (2006)
• Officer of the Legion of Honour (France, 2007)
• Order of Arts and Letters (France)
• Order of the Rising Sun with Golden Rays and Ribbon (Japan, 2006)
• Order "Uatsamonga" (South Ossetia, 29 January 2009) – for courage and great patriotism, invaluable assistance and support to the people of South Ossetia during the Georgian aggression disaster in August 2008
• Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan (2011)
• Silver medal in Valencia (Spain, 2006)
• Medal Pro Mikkeli (Mikkeli, Finland, 2005)
• Medal Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (2008, Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
• Gold Medal for Merit to Culture (Gloria Artis) (Poland, 2011)

Religious awards

• Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, 3rd class (Russian Orthodox Church, 2003)
• Order of St. Vladimir (Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2001)
• Medal of St. Sergius of Radonezh, 1st class (Russian Orthodox Church, 2010).

Community Awards

• Commemorative Gold Medal "olive branch with Diamonds" (the Russian-Armenian (Slavic) State University)

Titles

• People's Artist of Russia (20 June 1996) – for the great achievements in art
• People's Artist of Ukraine (2004)
• People's Artist of North Ossetia – Alania
• Honorary citizen of St. Petersburg (2007), Vladikavkaz (2003), Lyon and Toulouse
• "Conductor of the Year" (1994) awarded by a jury of the international organization International Classical Music Awards
• UNESCO Artist for Peace (2003)
• Honorary Doctor of St. Petersburg State University
• Honorary Professor of Moscow State University (2001)

Awards

• State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of art and literature in 1993 (7 December 1993) and 1998 (4 June 1999)
• Prize awarded by the President of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art in 2001 (30 January 2002)
• Winner of the country's theatrical prize "Golden Mask" (five times from 1996 to 2000)
• Winner of the Theatre Award of Saint Petersburg "Gold soffit" (four times; 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2003)
• Russian opera prize «Casta diva» for the best performance – "Parsifal" (1998)
• Winner of Tsarskoye Selo Art Prize (1999)
• Shostakovich Prize (Yuri Bashmet Foundation, 1997)
• Royal Swedish Academy of Music Polar Music Prize (2005)
• Herbert von Karajan Prize winner (Baden-Baden, 2006)
• Laureate of the Foundation of American-Russian Cultural Cooperation (2006)
• Polar Music Prize (together with Led Zeppelin) (2006)
• DaCapo KlassiK Award - Conductor of the Year (2014)

See also

• Ballerina (documentary)

References

1. John O'Mahony (18 September 1999). "Demon king of the pit". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
2. Duchen, Jessica (19 January 2007). "Valery Gergiev: Light the red touchpaper, stand back". The Independent. London, UK. Archived from the original on 23 January 2007.
3. Norris, Geoffrey (18 January 2007). "A Russian energy import". Telegraph. London, UK. Archived from the original on 23 August 2007.
4. Tom Service (10 May 2004). "LSO/Gergiev". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
5. Morrison, Richard (24 May 2005). "Lightning conductor". The Times. London, UK. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011.
6. Charlotte Higgins (14 April 2006). "Russian maestro reveals his plans for the LSO". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
7. Tim Ashley (16 January 2007). "Gubaidulina". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
8. Tom Service (20 September 2011). "Everything to play for at the Tchaikovsky competition". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
9. "Valery Gergiev Chefdirigent der Münchner Philharmoniker ab 2015" (Press release). Landeshauptstadt München Kulturreferat. 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
10. "Geschichte des Orchesters". Die Münchner Philharmoniker. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
11. Praying for Palmyra: Russian maestro leads orchestra in ruins of ancient city, rt.com; accessed 14 October 2017.
12. Charlotte Higgins (26 April 2007). "Orchestras urge free concerts for children". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
13. Tom Service (10 November 2004). "Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
14. Tim Cornwell (16 August 2008). "'How many of my people were burned?'". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
15. The Times, LSO conductor Valery Gergiev leads defiant South Ossetia concert, 22 August 2008.
16. Alex Ross, "Imperious: The problem with Valery Gergiev", The New Yorker, 4 November 2013.
17. Adam Sherwin, "London Symphony Orchestra director takes sides with Putin against Pussy Riot", The Independent, 12 December 2012.
18. Cooper, Michael (23 September 2013). "Gay Rights Protest Greets Opening Night at the Met". The New York Times.
19. Cooper, Michael (10 October 2013). "Gay Rights Protests Follow Gergiev to Carnegie Hall". The New York Times.
20. Mark Brown (7 November 2013). "Valery Gergiev concert picketed by gay rights supporters". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
21. Melissa Eddy, "Gergiev, With Eye on Munich Job, Responds to Antigay Accusations", New York Times, 27 December 2013.
22. "The cultural figures of Russia - in support of the position of the President in Ukraine and Crimea". Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. 11 March 2014. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014.
23. Ng, David (12 March 2014). "Putin policy in Crimea backed by Valery Gergiev, other arts figures". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
24. Gergiev, Valery (21 September 2015). "Sometimes people think they are holding a magic wand". tass.ru/en (Interview). Interviewed by Andrei Vandenko. Russian News Agency TASS. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
25. Tommasini, Anthony (3 April 2014). "Gustavo Dudamel and Valery Gergiev Face National Issues". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
26. Fonseca-Wollheim, Corinna da (14 October 2017). "Lisa Batiashvili on Violins, Ukraine and Valery Gergiev". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
27. Meier, Andrew (14 October 2017). "Valery Gergiev: 'Anyone Can Buy a Ticket'". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
28. Mansfield, Susan (15 August 2008). "Reaping the Russian whirlwind - Valery Gergiev". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
29. Valery Gergiev (August 2008). "Letters to the Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London, UK. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
30. Andrew Clements (23 June 2006). "Prokofiev: Symphonies 1–7, LSO/Gergiev". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
31. "BBC Music Magazine Awards - The Results". BBC Music Magazine. 12 April 2011. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011.
32. "Putin Hands Out First Soviet-Style Awards". sputniknews.com. Sputnik (RIA Novosti). 1 May 2013.
33. "Valery Gergiev receives the title of Hero of Labour". mariinsky.ru. Mariinsky Theatre. 1 May 2013. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013.

External links

• Official website
• Valery Gergiev Performance Schedule
• Valery Gergiev at AllMusic
• Rotterdam Philharmonic Gergiev Festival
• Interview with Valery Gergiev, 16 October 1992
• Biography of and CDs by Valery Gergiev by cosmopolis.ch

Cultural offices
Preceded by David Khanjian	Principal Conductor, Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra 1981–1985	Succeeded by Rafael Mangassarian
Preceded by Yuri Temirkanov	Principal Conductor and Music Director, Kirov Opera 1988–present	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Jeffrey Tate	Principal Conductor, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra 1995–2008	Succeeded by Yannick Nézet-Séguin