St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra

Russian Symphony Orchestra

The Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1882, is one of Russia's oldest and most esteemed musical institutions. Its origins trace back to the Imperial Music Choir, which was established by order of Alexander III. Throughout its storied history, the orchestra has been led by a series of distinguished conductors, including Alexander Glazunov, who conducted the orchestra's inaugural concert. The orchestra gained international acclaim under the baton of Yevgeny Mravinsky, its artistic director for over fifty years (1938-1988), who was known for his definitive interpretations of Russian classical music.