Sergei Filin, artistic director for the famous Bolshoi
Theater in Moscow was attacked by an unknown assailant on Friday, who
threw acid into his face. Filin is suffering from severe burns and may
lose his eye sight.
Filin was attacked
at around midnight on Friday as he left his car outside his home in
central Moscow. After throwing sulfuric acid into his face, the masked
assailant then fled the scene.
Filin, a 42-year-old former dancer, now artistic director
of the Bolshoi Theater, suffered third-degree burns to his face and
eyes. He is being treated at a hospital in Moscow where doctors are
hoping to save his eyesight.
According to a hospital spokesperson, Filin is “in a satisfactory condition, in our burns center, not intensive care.”
36th Moscow city hospital chief physician Alexander Mitichkin told Interfax
that "Sergei Filin has had a surgery. Today is the first post-surgery
day, and he cannot use his eyes although he can see. He will stay
blindfolded for a while."
He said that Filin's eyesight would be evaluated only two weeks later.
"Sergei Filin is receiving initial therapy. As a rule, sutures are
removed on the sixth or seventh day but it is premature to speak about
his eyesight," he said.
Filin will reportedly need plastic surgery and his hair may fall out as it was also affected by the acid.
Once his condition improves, the theater's supervisory board has decided
to sent Filin to a foreign clinic for treatment, possibly in Germany or
Israel, as these are the best options.
According to Ekaterina Novikova, a spokesperson for the Bolshoi Theater,
Filin will need at least six months to completely recover from the
incident and that his position will remain vacant during this time, as
any replacement must first be approved by Filin.
Novikova told Channel One that Filin has received threats from anonymous
callers in the past. She said that “We never imagined that a war for
roles – not for real estate or for oil – could reach this level of
crime.”
Anatoly Iksanov, the Bolshoi general director believes the attack was
linked to Filin's work at the theatre, saying “He is a man of principle
and never compromised.”
“If he believed that this or that dancer was not ready or was unable to perform this or that part, he would turn them down.”
According to Filin's mother, the threats began on December 31 and that
his Facebook page and email account hacked shortly before the attack.
She said that on Friday, someone slashed his car tires. She further
said that someone has been calling Filin repeatedly, but keeping silent
when he answered the phone.
Filin himself said, "This is linked to my work – someone doesn't like that I'm successfully leading the Bolshoi Theater."
Alexey Vikhrov
The Bolshoi Theater, taken after the latest renovation work in 2011.
Police are convinced that Filin's professional activity is the
primary reason for the attack and security forces and investigating,
saying that the assailant, if convicted, could face up to eight years in
jail for inflicting willful damage to health.
Filin, a former Bolshoi ballet star himself, was appointed to the
position of artistic director in March 2011 and there was reportedly
fierce rivalry for the position.
When the Bolshoi Theater reopened in October 2011 after a six-year
reconstruction project, the opening was apparently surrounded by
scandals. It was also delayed several times due to construction
problems.
There was also a huge row over the sacking of a ballet superstar Nikolay
Tsiskaridze from the theater. He apparently said that he had not
expected such poor results from six years of repair work, costing over
$1 billion. He reportedly criticized the acoustics, and the makeup and
rehearsal rooms.
Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky expressed his indignation at
the attack but when visiting him at the hospital on Saturday, he was
amazed at how well Filin was handling the situation.
"Much to my astonishment, we spoke about artistic plans and current
ballet management instead of problems and Sergei's condition. Sergei's
courage amazed me," he told Interfax.
"I would never have thought that artistic differences may take such
forms. I wholeheartedly sympathize with Sergei and his family. This is a
terrible crime," he said.
Saying that the country was doing its best to help Filin recover, he
said, "[Vice-Premier Olga] Golodets personally controls the case,"
Medinsky said.
The Australian
is reporting that police have arrested a suspect in the attack. Grainy
CCTV footage had shown the attacker fleeing the scene across a
snow-covered car park.
