Svetlana Lunkina the 33 year old Russian Bolshoi principal ballerina having trained under the great Soviet ballerina Ekaterina Maximova under whose leadership at 18 years of age she became the youngest dancer in the history of the company to perform the title role in Giselle. Lunkina is the subject of an article published in the Independent by Matilda Battersby titled ‘Bolshoi ballerina Svetlana Lunkina says she's been driven from Russia by 'threats'’, following the acid attack on artistic director Sergei Filin two weeks ago, and general director Anatoly Iksanov stating that 'evil' has entered the company. Battersby states “…the company’s top ballerina [Lunkina] has revealed she has moved to Canada in response to unspecified “threats”. …Lunkina has left Russia claiming that threats had been made towards herself and her film producer husband. Lunkina… told Russian newspaper Izvestia: “I think we need to react to these threats. These people have no right to interfere in our private lives or my professional work.” The 33-year-old dancer’s unspecified allegations suggest that the threats were made in connection with a film project involving her husband. She had been due to perform in Stravinksy’s The Rite of Spring later this year. "I was supposed to be doing a lot of interesting work, including several premieres," she said. While believed to be unconnected the news of Lunkina’s departure from Russia comes at a dark time for the Bolshoi after its well-liked artistic director Sergei Filin, 42, was brutally attacked in Moscow on 17 January. A masked man threw sulphuric acid in his face as Filin was returning home after a party.  Inspired by Matilda Battersby, The Independent ow.ly/hnHUj Image source Malixia ow.ly/hnIt6 No right to interfere in our private lives (February 12 2013)Svetlana Lunkina the 33 year old Russian Bolshoi principal ballerina having trained under the great Soviet ballerina Ekaterina Maximova under whose leadership at 18 years of age she became the youngest dancer in the history of the company to perform the title role in Giselle. Lunkina is the subject of an article published in the Independent by Matilda Battersby titled ‘Bolshoi ballerina Svetlana Lunkina says she’s been driven from Russia by ‘threats’’, following the acid attack on artistic director Sergei Filin two weeks ago, and general director Anatoly Iksanov stating that ‘evil’ has entered the company. Battersby states “…the company’s top ballerina [Lunkina] has revealed she has moved to Canada in response to unspecified “threats”. …Lunkina has left Russia claiming that threats had been made towards herself and her film producer husband. Lunkina… told Russian newspaper Izvestia: “I think we need to react to these threats. These people have no right to interfere in our private lives or my professional work.” The 33-year-old dancer’s unspecified allegations suggest that the threats were made in connection with a film project involving her husband. She had been due to perform in Stravinksy’s The Rite of Spring later this year. “I was supposed to be doing a lot of interesting work, including several premieres,” she said. While believed to be unconnected the news of Lunkina’s departure from Russia comes at a dark time for the Bolshoi after its well-liked artistic director Sergei Filin, 42, was brutally attacked in Moscow on 17 January. A masked man threw sulphuric acid in his face as Filin was returning home after a party.

 

Inspired by Matilda Battersby, The Independent ow.ly/hnHUj Image source Malixia ow.ly/hnIt6