Breaking: Bolshoi ballerina defects to the West
NewsI never expected to write another Cold War headline so long as I lived, but this is the new reality.
The Russian prima ballerina Olga Smirnova, a star of the Bolshoi Theatre, today signed on with Dutch National Ballet where she will start rehearsals immediately for Raymonda, debuting in Amsterdam on April 3.
Smirnova has been a vociferous critic of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She says: ‘I have to be honest and say that I am against war with all the fibers of my soul. It is not only about every other Russian perhaps having relatives or friends living in Ukraine, or about my grandfather being Ukrainian and me being quarter Ukrainian. It is that we continue to live as if this were the 20th century, even though we have formally moved to the 21st century. In a modern and enlightened world, I expect civilized societies to resolve political matters only through peaceful negotiations. I never thought I would be ashamed of Russia, I have always been proud of talented Russian people, of our cultural and athletic achievements. But now I feel that a line has been drawn that separates the before and the after. It hurts that people are dying, that people are losing the roofs over their heads or are forced to abandon their homes. And who would have thought a few weeks ago that all of this would happen? We may not be at the epicentre of the military conflict, but we cannot remain indifferent to this global catastrophe.’
On the same day, the Dutch have been joined by Vitor Caixeta, 22, a rising star and soloist of Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersbur. He says: ‘The current circumstances have meant I’ve had to make the hard decision of leaving Russia – the place I’ve called home for almost 5 years, as well as the theatre that has given me such an amazing start to my professional career. I look forward to joining Dutch National Ballet and to continue developing as an artist and a person.’
There is no need to be over dramatic. The borders are still open, there are no prohibitions on leaving and people can pack up and go. She did not defect, she just moved to another country to work there. The dramatic title is an overstatement.
possibly, but it’s as good as a defection when she’ll be imprisoned on her return for espousing these views publicly. Denouncing your home country cannot be easy when the stakes are so high. I wish her well.
@noname is absolutely spot on.
How many Russian laws she did she just break by making a simple statement like that and how many years of prison could she be sentenced to?
Not to mention Putin assassinates dissidents abroad by radioactive toxin with impunity so far.
They won’t care about a ballerina. Also, she didn’t make those statements in Russia, but in another country, different jurisdiction. Laws are territorial with some rare extra-territorial exceptions. Not to diminish anything she did, but it is hardly a defection in the cold war terms. We all will her well, of course. Artists should be free.
Another positive reaction to noname from me.
The delusional “Simpson” must again be riding in a white Bronco.
Do you know WTF you are talking about?
Have you ever lived or worked in the country you claim to be an expert on?
Do you realise for a foreigner who has legit interests and family members in RF it’s bloody constant nightmare to see them and get a visa with triplicate crap to fill in of 5 pages of A4?
You have no clue what you are on about!
Your stupididy is really terrifying.
No SCHENGEN visas are now being issued to Russians in most countries of the EU, so how the f..ck are Russians supposed to cross this so called “open” border….least of all if they have done military service, which forbids them from crossing it for a good 2-3 years after doing service.
I get really annoyed with people like you, who have never been there, have no family there and sit there rattling away shitty ascii on here with no idea of what it’s like to live on 100 EURO a month in Russia or less (Pensioners get 11 000 ROUBLE which at current rate of exchange is about 75….)
If you can’t think of anything to write shut the f…ck up until you are at least properly informed about a country which is rapidly becoming a prison for all of its young generation.
She is almost right, except that her Tsar lives in the 11th rather than the 20th century. Somewhere around 1095.
Brave woman! Amsterdam DNBallet dancers usually ride a bike when they go home after rehearsals / show. Perhaps Smirnova better take a cab for the time being, just for safety… (Also: her bike riding skills may be nil.)
Riding a bike in contemporary Amsterdam is suicidal, as many foreigners have experienced to the chagrin of their surviving family members.
Being a pedestrian is suicidal in Amsterdam….
She is a great dancer, and will be a loss to the Bolshoi
I’m with you, sir. Would would have thought we’d be getting back into defections. Midnight exchanges of each other’s spies is next?
Not sure how many we have left in Russia, given the low level of understanding of the country here in the UK. I don’t think our intelligence services have a clue what’s going on or what Putin’s intentions and red lines really are.
Much more clever comment and to the point than Tugan Sokhiev rant about culture.