Mediaboss Marketing

Moscows Bolshoy Theater has permanently canceled Kirill Serebrennikovs production of Nureyev, a ballet celebrating the Soviet-born star dancer and choreographer. The production has now been dropped from Bolshoys repertoire.

The theaters General Manager Vladimir Urin explained the decision as a response to Russias new law against the so-called LGBT propaganda, which effectively introduced ani-LGBT censorship into all facets of Russian life at the end of last year.

Its only natural that, once the bill was signed into law, the theater made a decision to cancel this show, Urin told TASS.

Last year, Bolshoy had canceled the shows May performances and removed Kirill Serebrennikovs name from the productions Web page and playbills, in connection with Serebrennikovs criticisms of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Nureyev had a troubled history at the Bolshoy from the moment of its premier in 2017, postponed by direct order from Russias Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky. TASS reported at the time, citing an informed source, that Medinsky had spotted gay propaganda in the show. The minister himself denied having ever expressed this opinion.

Rudolf Nureyev defected from the USSR to France in 1961. For the final 14 years of his life, he was in a committed (though open) relationship with the American dancer and historian Robert Tracy. Nureyev died of AIDS complications in 1993.

Link:
Bolshoy Theater drops Nureyev ballet from repertoire, bending to Russias anti-LGBT censorship law - Meduza