The Bolshoi Theatre reopens ......

[tfcrew]

The Bolshoi Theatre   in Moscow reopens after a six-year, 21-billion-ruble (US$ 680-million) renovation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolshoi_Theatre

[viking]

They had the opening show on a Russian TV station ( Planeta I think) last night. Absolutely beautiful. And a great show.

[possum]

What they've done is they've stripped the inside of all the valuable materials and replaced them with cheap plastic imitations.. The biggest robbery of the century has gone on right under our noses, and nobody noticed a thing.

[SANDRO43]

What they've done is they've stripped the inside of all the valuable materials and replaced them with cheap plastic imitations..

What are they using those stripped materials for? 'Improving' their dachas ?

[possum]

What are they using those stripped materials for? 'Improving' their dachas ?

I wouldn't be surprised!. What a disgrace..

[tfcrew]

But nearly $700,000,000.00!!
Who was the general contractor...Barak Obama?

[OlgaH]

What they've done is they've stripped the inside of all the valuable materials and replaced them with cheap plastic imitations.. The biggest robbery of the century has gone on right under our noses, and nobody noticed a thing.

When we had a reconstruction of our theater in Siberia that was built during the Soviet time nobody replaced our marble floors, banisters, original moldings, ceiling paintings and so on with something else     

Bolshoi Theater is a monument of architecture and history of Federal category. Last time I visited the theater in February 2005.

Here about reconstruction
http://www.bolshoi.ru/about/reconstruction/
http://www.restavrator-m.ru/bt.shtml

In English
http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/about/reconstruction/

[OlgaH]

What are they using those stripped materials for? 'Improving' their dachas ?

Oh yes, the plaster moldings and ceiling paintings. 

[OlgaH]

[viking]

If I ever go back o Moscow, I would be thrilled to see a ballet performance there. It was like when I visited the Hermitage in St. Pete. Wow.

[Gator]

A traveler should try to attend opera or ballet in the FSU.   I had the good fortune to see three performances at the Bolshoi, all during the winter, and the experience is awesome.  One can feel the Russian spirit in not just the performance but the audience's reaction.  I went to the Mariinsky as well, yet it was in the summer with bus loads of tourists - not the same.


Almost as worthy are the local productions in provincial cities.  Most have a delightful theater with frequent performances by traveling companies as well as their own.   


One of the most enjoyable evenings was spent in a small church in Dnepropetrovsk where for the price of about $2 I attended a performance to include what seemed like a world class violinist, and the antique harpsichord was a delight (perhaps taken from Nazi Germany).


In my experiences most RW have an interest in such music performances.  The other night in Chelyabinsk I attended a tribute to a local yet well traveled jazz guitarist Valeri ______.    About 15 local artists/groups joined him throughout the evening playing contemporary jazz, Dixieland, R&R, etc.   All were good except for one who I assume was related to the mayor.