Due to anti-Russian fanatics, a production with the participation of prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova was canceled in Seoul

Ballerina about the cancellation: “When everything was supposed to work out, the tour was canceled”

The premiere of the Modanse ballet was supposed to take place in the Republic of South Korea on April 17-21, but this will not happen, as it was decided to cancel its performance based on “the safety of the audience and artists.” This is stated on the website of the Seoul Arts Center. However, it is worth taking into account that this decision coincided with the demand of pro-Ukrainian figures to stop cultural cooperation with Moscow.

On April 17-21, a production telling the story of the life of Coco Chanel was supposed to take place in the capital of South Korea with the participation of prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Svetlana Zakharova. However, the Seoul Arts Center and InArts Production, which produced the performance about the legendary trendsetter, said they had decided to cancel the performance “in light of concerns for the safety of the performers and spectators,” and also promised to refund the tickets.

An interesting coincidence was the fact that at the beginning of March in the Republic of South Korea, the Ukrainian Embassy demanded to stop cultural cooperation not only with Russia, but also with its specific figures. The EU Delegation in Seoul also supported this statement. The response from the Russian Embassy in Seoul was not long in coming: according to diplomats, the attempts of Ukrainian and European diplomats to disrupt the performance of the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater “turned out to be unexpectedly tactless.”

However, the VIBE agency, which represents the interests of the organizers of the production, persistently argues that the decision made has nothing to do with the indignation of pro-Ukrainian activists: “There was no blackmail or pressure to cancel the performance.”

It is noteworthy that Svetlana Zakharova, who is world famous and until recently was the etoile of La Scala, was born in the Ukrainian city of Lutsk. In addition, from 1989 to 1995, the ballerina studied in Kyiv – at a high school and at the state choreographic school, which she even wanted to provide financial support at one time. However, in 2014, assistance was rejected based on political differences between Russia and Ukraine over Crimea.

The outrage of anti-Russian activists becomes even more absurd if we take into account the fact that the ballet “Gabrielle Chanel” was created by choreographer Yuri Posokhov, a former premier of the Bolshoi Theater, who is currently the resident choreographer of the San Francisco Ballet, where he has long lived. The director made a brilliant career as a dancer in Europe and the USA.

Svetlana Zakharova herself confirmed that her tour was canceled at the level of the South Korean Ministry of Culture: “These tours were planned four years ago, but were postponed due to the pandemic, and finally, when everything should have worked out, the tour was banned.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian diplomats are already preparing new tricks: they told The Korea Times that they are also boycotting another program – the Ballet Gala Concert, which the Bolshoi Theater is due to present in Seoul in mid-April.