Bolshoi director departs in scandal

Miriam Elder



MOSCOW: The director of the Bolshoi theatre's ballet company has stepped down after erotic photographs of him appeared on the internet in a suspected dirty tricks campaign to force him from his job.

Gennady Yanin left his post last week after an email, containing a link to a website with the erotic photographs, was sent to thousands of addresses in Russia and abroad. The website is now down.

The Bolshoi's long-time soloist Yan Godovsky, 37, was named as Yanin's replacement this week. He is due to hold the position until the end of the 2011 season, when his contract will come up for renewal.

Advertisement: Story continues below ''The current situation is not seen as critical inside the theatre,'' Yekaterina Novikova, a spokeswoman, told the state-run news agency RIA-Novosti. ''The entire repertoire is set, as is the tour schedule.''

Russian critics decried the latest scandal engulfing one of the country's leading cultural institutions. ''Despite all the vileness of this act, it reached its goal,'' wrote Tatyana Kuznetsova, a critic at Russia's leading daily, Kommersant. Kuznetsova heaped praise on Godovsky for having an ''irreproachable reputation, both personally and professionally''.

The 234-year-old theatre has seen various scandals in recent years. In 2003 it dominated tabloid magazines for weeks after the prima ballerina Anastasia Volochkova was fired for being ''too heavy''.

The theatre building has been shut since 2005 for renovations that have run over budget and well over schedule. Its reopening, first scheduled for 2008, is now set for later this year.

The Bolshoi ballet also lost its artistic director this week, with the expiry of Yury Burlak's contract on Tuesday. A replacement has not yet been named.

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/dan ... 1byxq.html

Bolshoi director resigns after erotic photos published

The director of the Russian Bolshoi ballet troupe has resigned after erotic photographs purporting to be him were posted on a website.

Gennady Yanin stepped down after a link to the website was circulated to thousands of e-mail addresses, the daily Izvestia reported.

Russian media have speculated that Yanin may have been the victim of a smear campaign.

Yanin has been replaced by long-standing soloist Yan Godovsky.

The website the photos were posted on is no longer online.

However, news agency Interfax has cited Yanin, who has led the troupe since 2005, as saying he had long been considering his future and took the opportunity presented by the scandal to step down.

The Bolshoi ballet confirmed the staffing changes, saying "The theatre's general director Anatoly Iksanov appointed Yan Godovsky to the position of the ballet troupe director yesterday, after Yanin filed for voluntary leave".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12770911

Bolshoi Ballet Boss Quits Over Porn Scandal

Rebekah Cavanagh

The head of Russia’s world-famous Bolshoi Theatre ballet troupe has resigned after erotic photographs purporting to be him appeared on the internet.



Hundreds of "pornographic pictures" of Gennady Yanin, 42, were posted online and then circulated via a web link to thousands of email addresses.

The soloist who has led the troupe since 2005 handed in "voluntary leave" following the scandal.

He said he had long been considering his future and took the opportunity presented by the image release to stand down.


The website where the pictures were reported to have appeared has been shut down.

Russian media have speculated that colleagues conspired against Yanin to force him out.

Newspaper critic Tatyana Kuznetsova said it looked like the talented dancer had been the victim of a smear campaign similar to that used in the past to unseat politicians.

"Links to online material of a sexual nature casting Gennady Yanin in the worst possible light were sent to thousands of email addresses," she said.

"Despite all the vileness of this act, it achieved its goal."

It is not the first time the 234-year-old theatre has been in the spotlight.

In 2003 it received worldwide media attention after it dismissed one of its best-know ballerinas, Anastasia Volochkova, for being too heavy and tall.

She later won a battle for unfair dismissal.

Bolshoi has announced experienced soloist Yan Godovsky, who is in his 18th season with the troupe, will replace Yanin.


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