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Bolshoi welcomes always Osipova and Vasilyev – Sergei Filin

The theatre does not have any complaints about its former soloists

MOSCOW, November 17 (Itar-Tass) — The Bolshoi Theatre’s doors are open always for Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasilyev, who have made a decision to leave the theatre’s troupe, Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Ballet Sergei Filin told an Itar-Tass news conference on Thursday.

Earlier on Monday, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasilyev filed resignation to continue the carrier at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

“I am sorry this happened on the eve of the first night of the Sleeping Beauty staged by Yuri Grigorovich; it has not allowed us to concentrate on the work,” he said adding that Osipova was not to dance in the performance on the first night, “which was a decision by Yuri Grigorovich, too.”

“I spoke to Natasha and offered to her acting in the next block of performances, in January,” Filin explained. But in January she was to act in Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird, and he would not let her to the Bolshoi.

“As for the theatre’s work with the stars, including Osipova and Vasilyev, we used to face situations where actors wanted to participate in other performances, and the Bolshoi has always met their wishes,” Filin said. The theatre does not have any complaints about its former soloists.

“I am pleased that actors themselves do not blame the theatre management of anything,” he added. “It is their choice, we cannot tire them to a place, and as the soloists come to me to resign, they have ready decisions, it was not an ultimatum or demand. I ask them ‘Am I to blame, is the Bolshoi to blame?’ They replied ‘No, it has nothing to do with you, the thing is that it has become too comfortable for us here, we know everything well in advance, we want to move forward, we aspire uncertainty’.”

“The Bolshoi Theatre is their home, our doors are always open for them,” Sergei Filin said. “They have reached an international level.” Filin said that head of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Vladimir Kekhman had called him and warned that if the Bolshoi allows any attack on him, he will make a decision that from December 1, as the soloists are enrolled officially in St. Petersburg’s troupe, they will be banned categorically to appear at the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre.

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