The Mikhailovsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, Russia has announced that Alevtina Ioffe will be its next Music Director, effective immediately.

Ioffe will become the first woman to hold the position at the theater and the first woman to hold a music directorship at a major Russian performing arts institution.

“It is challenging for a woman to pursue a career as a conductor in Russia. Therefore, it is a great honor and responsibility for me to accept the invitation to become Music Director of the Mikhailovsky Theatre with its rich traditions,” “Ioffe stated in a press release. “The theatre’s position in St. Petersburg with its storied history, extraordinary architecture, and mystic characters has always appealed to me – it induces nostalgia and makes me proud of our cultural legacy. Another reason why I agreed to accept this position is Vladimir Kekhman’s willingness to experiment, as it is very important for me to be able to realize my creative ideas, of which there are a lot.”

Ioffe has been Music Director of the Moscow State Opera and Ballet Theatre for Young Audience and the Principal Guest Conductor of the Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Saha, Republic of Yakutia, Russia. She has also performed at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin, and Bayerische Staatsoper, and is set to debut at the Staatstheater Stuttgart during the 2021-22 season. She will also make her U.S. debut at the Seattle Opera in 2021-22.