The Bolshoi Ballet

The Bolshoi Theatre opened on the day of Tsar Alexander II's coronation on 20 October 1856 and recently re-opened on 28 October 2011 after a six year restoration costing $660 million.

Over three and a half thousand specialists worked at the Bolshoi Theatre each day during the major phase of it's reconstruction, whilst another thousand labored in restoration workshops outside the Theatre.

The Bolshoi has largely reclaimed its authentic historical appearance which was lost during the Soviet years.

Restoration extended beyond the external aesthetics to include the legendary Bolshoi acoustics; the stagehouse which now incorporates seven double-tiered platforms; computerised upper stage equipment; and an orchestra pit for 130 musicians.

The Bolshoi Theatre is truly a work of art as well as a home of grand art.

I remember my first visit to the Bolshoi Theatre.

It was April 1995 and I had never before visited one of the great European theatres. I expected our tickets to La Sylphide to be expensive and was more than willing to participate in the treat of a lifetime luxury. Our tickets were pre-purchased by a Russian friend for $US10.00 each, but we indulged in the moment and dressed appropriately for the grand occasion despite the low ticket price and associated expectation.

Our driver delivered us to the Bolshoi Theatre in the cold of a Moscow April night. We jostled with eager Moscovite ballet enthusiasts, trustingly left our coats amongst the hundreds of others with an attendant with whom we couldn't communicate, and further struggled with our minute grasp of the Russian language to find our seats in the blur of red and gold luxe.

We felt touched by an angel when finally directed to our own box, with it's plush red velvet seats, champagne upon arrival, and captivating view of the Bolshoi stage. Like royalty of a bygone era, we were feted and escorted at intermission to an extravagant reception room where we were served caviar blinis and champagne. We imagined the patrons of other boxes shared admiring commentaries on the ballet as we supped in the whir of foreign sounds and experiences.

The ballet was exceptional and the atmosphere surreal, but the most memorable moment was when the young men in the stalls, poorly dressed, but with the greatest appreciation of beautiful art, adoringly threw red roses by the dozen to their ballerinas at encore. My understanding of Russian culture since this magical evening is that their tickets would have cost a mere fraction of ours - I would have gladly multiplied the cost of ours many times over to subsidise more young Russians to their Bolshoi.