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.