Bolshoi Babylon

On the night of January 17th 2013 Sergei Filin, former lead dancer and controversial artistic director of the Bolshoi's ballet company, was assaulted outside his home when a masked man threw acid in his face. Filin's injuries were serious, threatening his sight. The consequences for Russia's world famous theatre were harder to determine, but when one of their own - male soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko - was arrested and charged, it revealed what Bolshoi insiders had known for decades: a company defined by personality clashes, power struggles, professional jealousy, alleged sexual favours and financial corruption. After a tumultuous period of public outcry and bloodletting, when several dancers were sacked or resigned, the Kremlin stepped in and appointed a new director, Vladimir Urin, to restore order.