Concept

International Diaghilev Festival aims at promoting and developing traditions of the outstanding impresario and communicator of Russian culture Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev.

It is far from coincidence that it was Perm Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after P.I.Tchaikovsky to initiate the first Diaghilev Festival in Russia.

Perm is the childhood city of Sergei Diaghilev, the only city to have the Memorial House of the legendary impresario. Besides, Perm Opera House building itself was constructed due to a significant financial help from the Diaghilev family.

MultiGenre Features

Festival’s special feature is not only the place - Perm city - but, mainly, the multigenre character of its programming. Diverse activities of Sergei Diaghilev in the areas of opera, ballet, music, arts, and publishing lie in the core of the festival’s structure and are realised in its many artistic events.

Being “kind of reflection of Sergei Diaghilev’s Les Saisons Russes in the mirror of time” (Vedomosti newspaper), festival brings together modern ideas and projects with the art of the first 30 years of the XX century — era of the creative successes of the great impresario. Thus, new theatre formats and new forms of communication with the audience are born.

Festival’s program includes world premieres of operas and ballets, contemporary dance performances, art exhibitions, visual art, concerts of classical and modern symphonic music, chamber, jazz, experimental and ethnic music, performances, dramatic performances, retrospectives, photo exhibitions, as well as the Educational program and a rich additional club program.

Festival Organizers

The Festival is held by Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre since 2003. It started as a biennale, yet since 2011 it has become annual.

Founding members of the festival are  the Ministry of Culture of Perm Krai and Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Permanent partner of the Festival is the Department of Culture and Youth Policy of Perm Administration. .

Nicholas Payne — president of the Opera Europa Association, member of which is Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, — named International Diaghilev Festival among significant European cultural events in his speech at the opening of the traditional conference in Monte-Carlo in 2005.

Artistic Director of the Festival — conductor Teodor Currentzis:

  • founder and artistic director of the musicAeterna orchestra and choir

  • from 2011 to 2019 — Artistic Director of Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre

  • 8 times laureate of the Golden Mask National Theatre Award

  • laureate of the KAIROS Award of the Alfred Toepler Foundation