Bolshoi Troubles

Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater sits astride Teatralnaya Square, a stone’s throw from the Kremlin. It is one of the most visible and famous landmarks in the capital, but today, and for at least another 20 months, it is wrapped up—hidden behind huge scaffolding—as a mammoth reconstruction program, four years old and counting, drags on and on.

above the building, cranes move slowly and the sound of construction work can be heard coming from what was once the main stage—where Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake premiered and the likes of Rudolf Nureyev danced.

Behind and to the left of the building, is the New Bolshoi Theater, where today’s opera and ballet performances are played out.