The Bolshoi Stops Here

There's Broadway, there's the West End in London and then there's the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. All three represent the finest in stagecraft, but only one of them isn't doing "The Lion King" productions. That would be Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, founded the same year as these United States of ours, and it remains the epitome of par excellence for ballet, opera and serious theatre. Or, shall we say, it's more Tchaikovsky than Mickey. The majestic Theatre itself (pictured above) has been closed since 2005 for nearly $1 billion in renovations and restorations (see below) and will reopen fall of 2013. Needless to say, they're doing more than adding track lighting and auto-flush toilets. There is a temporary theater nearby handling productions, but with their crown jewel getting its epic makeover, the Bolshoi's new motto is perhaps: "Have ballerinas, will travel!"Why? Because the Bolshoi Ballet has landed in the United States -- and you only have a few days to catch them. The group started its Chapel Hill, NC run at Memorial Hall with Don Quixote last night and tonight and Swan Lake this weekend. The Ballet then switches to the Kennedy Center in our nation's capital on Tuesday performing Le Corsaire all week. This is their third U.S. visit since the renovations began, and the previous tours in 2005 and 2007 naturally sold out. Whether you like the ballet or not, there aren't many chances in life to see a performance by the world's very best, and these opportunities shouldn't be missed.Interior Bolshoi Theatre photo by Theefer and courtesy of Wikipedia; exterior photo by author.