REPORT: Bolshoi ballet chief has surgery after acid attack

An acid attack on the artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet has shone the spotlight on the fierce "Black Swan" -like competition for starring roles at the famed Russian dance company.     

The attack on Sergei Filin could be in retaliation for his selection of certain dancers over others for the prized roles, his colleagues said Friday. They expressed fears that Filin, a 42-year-old former Bolshoi star, could be left partially blind after a masked assailant threw acid in his face as he returned home in Moscow late Thursday.     

Filin suffered third-degree burns on his face and underwent eye surgery Friday evening to try to save his sight, Bolshoi spokeswoman Katerina Novikova said.  Doctors said his right eye was badly burned and it would not be clear for days whether the operation was a success.     

The Bolshoi Theater is one of Russia's premier cultural institutions, best known for "Swan Lake" and the other grand classical ballets that grace its Moscow stage. But backstage, the ballet company has been troubled by deep intrigue and infighting that have led to the departure of several artistic directors over the last few years.     

The Bolshoi's general director, Anatoly Iksanov, said he believes the attack was linked to Filin's work.


AP