MOSCOW, November 14 (Itar-Tass) —— The excellent dancing pair, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev, are leaving the Bolshoi Theater. The young virtuoso dancers decided to go on with their career in St Petersburg’s Mikhailovsky Theater, press attache of the Bolshoi Theater Katerina Novikova told Itar-Tass on Monday. “Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev applied for leaving the Bolshoi past Sunday but the application has not been signed yet,” she said.
As to the reasons for their decision, the press secretary supposes that financial interests are most probably involved. “One can hardly think about any other reason,” Novikova said. “The Bolshoi company was like home to the young people. They developed their talents here, became leading dancers and were given spectacular roles. Ivan danced the title role in Spartacus, the leading roles in Don Quixote and in contemporary ballets. Natalia danced virtually the entire classical repertory and roles in ballets of contemporary choreographers,” the press attache said.
To leave the Bolshoi Theater when its historic stage opened seems strange to say the least, the press secretary of the Bolshoi holds. “It’s a pity that young brilliant dancers are leaving. Whatever their choice, we wish them luck. But they should know that they can always return to the Bolshoi Theater; it remains open to them,” Novikova said.