Filin on stage for Bolshoi curtain call

Posted on August 13, 2013

Sergei Filin, the director of the Bolshoi Ballet, appeared on stage after last night’s performance of Jewels at the Royal Opera House, London. Filin was injured in an acid attack in January. He has had many operations in an attempt to rescue his sight.

At Monday’s curtain call, leading dancers Olga Smirnova (pictured) and Semyon Chudin rushed to the wings and brought on Filin, to huge cheers from the audience. Filin moved easily, acknowledging the audience and his company with low bows, but was wearing dark glasses. His sight is clearly limited, and the company on stage were protective of him. Chudin guided him across the stage, and at one point a hand reached from the wings, ready to catch Filin if he moved too close to the edge of the stage.

Nevertheless, Filin looked happy to be with his dancers, and was greeted with huge cheers.

The Bolshoi Ballet’s London season continues until August 17.

Picture: Sergei Filin with dancers of the Bolshoi Ballet following the performance of Diamonds. Photograph: Marc Haegeman / Bolshoi Theatre.

Zoe Anderson

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.