There is probably no other theatre in St. Petersburg that has changed names as many times as the Mikhailovsky. It has been called the Theatre of Comic Opera, the Maly Petrogradsky Theatre, the Maly Opera Theatre and, for a long time, the Modest Mussorgsky Theatre. It finally regained its former name as the Mikhailovsky Theatre, which was named after Mikhail Pavlovich, the brother of Nikolai I. The history of this beautiful theatre has always been quite bright and active, even during the times when it seemed not to be putting on any shows. This fact becomes clear as soon as you step backstage. Host Olga Degtyareva attended an opera and ballet rehearsal where she discovered just what happens in the secret and mysterious backstage world.