The Bolshoi has finally reopened its doors after multi-million refit

Being a ‘balletomane’, the only disappointment about my trip to Moscow a few years back was that the historic Bolshoi Theatre was still under wraps. But now, the grand and very gold-leafed theatre is entering a new era following a six-year, $680 million renovation (that’s about 21 billion rubles!). This incarnation of the famous theatre has stood here since 1856, and the restoration means that it looks almost exactly as it did then, assisted by the lucky, last minute decision of the Bolsheviks to use the building for party meetings instead of destroying it. The ballet and opera companies associated with the theatre survived and maintain an international reputation for excellence; the Bolshoi Ballet is well known for its perfectionism. The theatre re-opened its doors in October, and tickets are now on sale but are in huge demand, however a Moscow arts blog is offering reservations, visit see-you-in-moscow.com for more info. This season – the theatre’s 236^th – offers a range of opera and ballet, including Swan Lake, Giselle, Tosca, La Sylphide and Iolanta – more info is available at www.bolshoi.ru/en