- Title: Russia's Bolshoi calls off premiere of Nureyev ballet
- Date: 10th July 2017
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JULY 10, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF BOLSHOI THEATRE WOMAN HOLDING TICKET FOR NUREYEV BALLET AND READING ANNOUNCEMENT ON FRONT DOOR TICKET ANNOUNCEMENT ON DOOR READING (English): "TOURS OF THE HISTORIC THEATER BUILDING ON JULY 10 IS CANCELLED" WOMAN AT FRONT DOOR READING ANNOUNCEMENT WOMAN WALKING INTO BOX OFFICE VARIOUS OF WOMAN RETURNING TICKETS AND GETTING MONEY BACK BOLSHOI THEATRE DIRECTOR, VLADIMIR URIN, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) BOLSHOI THEATRE DIRECTOR, VLADIMIR URIN, SAYING: "I would like right away to say once again that we are not talking about the cancellation of the premiere, we are talking about postponing it." MEDIA URIN LISTENING TO QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) BOLSHOI THEATRE DIRECTOR, VLADIMIR URIN, SAYING: "I understood in the very beginning, when I approved this idea, and all those present here understand it as well, that the he (Nureyev) is a is controversial personality, his life was complicated, and it would be rather difficult to tell about it. Nevertheless, I chose this idea rather than some other. Believe me, I understood perfectly well that a certain subject (LGBT) will be present there (in the ballet) that could provoke some kind of rejection in some people." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HEAD OF THE BOLSHOI THEATRE, VLADIMIR URIN, SAYING: "We watch one rehearsal, and judging by the quality of dancing - and I am not talking here of what Kirill Semyonovich (Serebrennikov, the director) has done - we understand that it is bad." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) BOLSHOI THEATRE DIRECTOR, VLADIMIR URIN, SAYING: "I wouldn't like to turn this into political discussion. (JOURNALIST ASKING OFF CAMERA (Russian): "IS IT CENSORSHIP OR NOT?") One second! ... to turn it into political or any other discussion. You have the right to think that everything I said was wrong. That is your right, nobody is going to take it from you." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) BOLSHOI THEATRE DIRECTOR, VLADIMIR URIN, SAYING: "I must tell you that Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich (Russian oligarch) was at the dress rehearsal. He really liked the performance. That is true. But we didn't talk about him buying the performance. And by the law I have no right to sell the performance staged using the state money. But anyway we didn't even have this conversation, though we've talked for a very very long time." MEDIA / URIN TALKING URIN TALKING / WALKING AWAY MEDIA CHANDELIER
- Embargoed: 24th July 2017 14:52
- Keywords: Russia Bolshoi Theatre ballet world premiere Nureyev Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev director Kirill Serebrennikov
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Theater
- Reuters ID: LVA0016P4VOZR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The long awaited world premiere of the ballet about a famous Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev, one of the first Soviet artists to defect to the West, was due to be held on Tuesday (July 11), but the Bolshoi Theatre postponed it saying on its website late on Saturday (July 8) it would not take place.
Vladimir Urin, the theatre's director general, told a news conference on Monday (July 10) it had been pulled because rehearsals had shown it was not ready. He said it would be staged in May next year instead.
However, Russian TASS news agency cited a spokeswoman for Vladimir Medinsky, the culture minister, as saying he had spoken to the theatre about Nureyev.
"Yes there was a long conversation with Urin," TASS cited Irina Kaznacheeva, the spokeswoman, as saying. "But a ban is not the ministry's working style." She said she did not know details of the conversation.
However, TASS cited a source close to the culture ministry as saying the production had been postponed because Medinsky had been concerned it violated a law designed to prevent the promotion of homosexuality to minors, though children under 18 are not allowed to attend evening performances and tickets for "Nureyev" ballet had "18+" written on them.
Under the legislation, which the European Court of Human Rights ruled last month breached European treaty rules, any event or act regarded by the authorities as an attempt to promote homosexuality to minors is illegal and punishable by a fine.
The law has been used to stop gay pride marches and to detain gay rights activists.
The postponement has caused a scandal in Moscow. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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