Bolshoi’s new director promises the best of classical ballet, but not stuck in the past
Makhar Vaziev takes on the task of restoring the embattled company’s confidence while creating an environment where the most talented dancers can flourish
Just a few weeks into his job, the new artistic director at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre is making only one big promise – to keep doing what he says Russia does best – classical ballet.
But that doesn’t mean that the illustrious ballet company will be stuck in the past, says Makhar Vaziev, who succeeded Sergei Filin at the Bolshoi last month.
“Any young generation of dancers who come to ballet, in one way or another, they bring something new, modern,” he says.
His first steps will be closely watched inside and outside the theatre. The Bolshoi has a special status in Russia, where it is considered a national treasure and a symbol of Russian culture if not of Russia itself. And as a state theatre, it has close links to the Kremlin.
