Sergei Filin hopes to attend opening of new season at Bolshoi Theater

(Interfax – MOSCOW, August 2, 2013) Bolshoi Theater Artistic Director Sergei Filin, who is being treated in a German clinic, has said he does not rule out that he might return to the theater in September.

“If vision in my left eye continues recovering at the same pace and if it stabilizes, it is quite possible that I could return to work and could attend the opening of the new season at the Bolshoi Theater,” Filin told Russia’s Channel One television station on Thursday.

The theater’s recently appointed General Director Vladimir Urin, who is currently visiting Filin in Germany, told Channel One he thinks that Filin is psychologically ready to return to work at the theater.

“He is eager to begin working again, but so far, unfortunately, he cannot do so because his treatment still continues,” Urin said.

An attacker threw acid into Filin’s face in the early hours of January 17. Filin suffered severe burns to his eyes and face. He has undergone 18 rounds of eye surgery and tissue transplants. He is currently being treated at a hospital in Aachen, Germany.

On March 7, investigative authorities formally indicted Bolshoi Theater ballet soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko for ordering and organizing the attack, Yury Zarutsky for committing the attack itself, and driver Andrei Lipatov for bringing the attacker to the crime scene.

The suspects face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.

Medical examination results confirmed that Filin’s health was seriously damaged as a result of the attack.