Actor struck by the backdrop
New scandal shakes Bolshoi Theater: Ballet legend unpacks inside information
Nikolai Tsiskaridze now heads one of the world’s leading ballet academies, but also continues to teach at the Bolshoi Theater
© Vyacheslav Prokofyev / Picture Alliance
An artist dies in the middle of the stage of the legendary Bolshoi Theater. Who is in charge? Ballet star Nikolai Tsiskaridze raises serious allegations against the management.
The Bolshoi Theater’s 246th season only began a few weeks ago, but a tragedy has already rocked Russia’s largest theater. During a performance of the opera “Sadko”, an actor was killed when he came under a heavy decoration while changing the scenery. Video recordings show the construction being lowered at a rapid pace. Evgeny Kulesch could no longer evade her. For 19 years he appeared on the stage that meant death for him. The 37-year-old died before the emergency doctor arrived.
While the management of the Bolshoi Theater tries to spread a shroud of silence about the incident, the question of responsibility is getting louder and louder. Ballet legend Nikolai Tsiskaridze is someone who doesn’t mince his words. The former soloist of the Bolshoi Theater raises serious allegations against the management of the traditional house, which would give no notice to any security precautions. “The chaos that reigns in the theater is due to the fact that the management positions are filled by absolutely incompetent people,” said the director of the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Saint Petersburg, one of the most famous and influential ballet schools in the world Interview with the journalist and blogger Andrei Karaulov.
There is nepotism behind the scenes, he alleges. In fact, the post of Head of Planning, who is also responsible for the processes of rehearsals and performances, will be filled by the wife of General Director Vladimir Urin. “These people don’t understand anything about theater. The Bolshoi has long ceased to be a temple for artists, but a temple for managers,” said Tsiskaridze, explaining his point of view in another interview. “Nobody cares about the actors or under what conditions they have to work.”
Decoration almost rushed onto the stage during rehearsals
Tsiskaridze has been criticizing the direction of the Bolshoi Theater for years. In 2011 he was dismissed as a soloist after accusing the management of incompetence and daring to criticize the reconstruction of the historical stage. As a teacher, however, he was allowed to continue to work. Even then he complained of disastrous conditions and conditions for the artists. Apparently nothing has changed about that. After the tragic death of Kulesch, colleagues reported to him that problems with the decoration had already arisen during the rehearsals for “Sadko”.
Nikolai Tsiskaridze danced during his active career in the Bolshoi Theater in the Grand Pas de Deux of the ballet “Paquita” in 2010
© Astapkovich Vladimir / Picture Alliance
He posted several chat histories with Bolshoi staff who were present at the incident. “Before the premiere, I personally witnessed how the same decoration got caught in the lighting and almost fell on people,” said an eyewitness. Video recordings document the incident during the rehearsal. Although the performance is very elaborate and complicated, there have generally only been two rehearsals this season.
Bolshoi Theater did not want to cancel the second performance
What particularly outraged him, however, was how the theater dealt with the death of Kulesch, emphasized Tsiskaridze. “The most disgusting thing for me is that the next day the blood was still on the stage. It never occurred to anyone to remove the traces that were too obvious,” he said. Under these circumstances, the performers were supposed to go to the second performance of the same opera the day after the tragedy. The horror was so great that the artists had to turn to the management with a petition. Only then was the performance canceled. “Everyone signed it. And given the pressure and intimidation that is currently prevailing, it must have been extraordinary circumstances that made them do it.”
“I have no doubt that the matter will be covered up”
The official justification of the theater for the cancellation or interruption of the opera performances is at least as outrageous. “For technical reasons”, it said only in the official statement. In addition, rumors have already been spread that the deceased was drunk. Tsiskaridze said he knew right away that it would turn out like this. “I knew this man, he was the husband of one of my colleagues. All artists unanimously say that he is not to blame. But now they will say that he should have turned left, he should have turned right. One will begin with such things To invent fables! I have no doubt that either the deceased artist or some stage worker will end up being held responsible and the matter covered up, “said the ballet dancer, who bears the honorary title of” People’s Artist of Russia “.
The crown also added the fact that the staff had to collect money for the funeral, even though the theater had announced that it would pay for it.
On October 13th, Kulesch was buried – behind closed doors. The Bolshoi Theater did not allow media representatives or fans to attend the ceremony. “I think the logic is this: the sooner the incident is forgotten in public, the better,” commented the chairman of the independent union of theater and film actors. The Russian Ministry of Culture, to which the theater is subordinate, has not yet commented on the tragic death.