MOSCOW, July 9 (Itar-Tass) - Anatoly Iksanov, who had been Director of the world famous Bolshoi theater, has resigned, Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky declared at a meeting with the company of the Bolshoi theater on Tuesday.
"Iksanov sacrificed 13 years of his life and health for the sake of Bolshoi, but human strength even of the top professionals is not inexhaustible," the minister said. Iksanov's resignation was to a certain extent a result of a problematic situation which developed at the theater, the minister admitted.
Iksanov was transferred to the Culture Ministry. He will be an adviser on the affairs of theater, the minister said.
Vladimir Urin, who had earlier headed the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow music theater, has been appointed Bolshoi Director. Urin told his colleagues that a decision to accept the head post at the Bolshoi theater was not an easy one. "It is a huge load of responsibility", he said.
At first, Urin rejected the culture minister' proposal to become Bolshoi director. He had long been thinking over the proposal before he finally agreed, Urin said.
Anatoly Iksanov promised him all possible assistance, Urin added. It is possible to go ahead only together with the theater collective, Urin said. "I am planning no revolutions," he stressed.
"I thank Bolshoi," Anatoly Iksanov said in a most laconic statement before he left. The departure of the ex-Bolshoi director was accompanied by a storm of applause.