Russia's Bolshoi to reopen after reconstruction

[April 26, 2011]  MOSCOW (AP) -- After years of reconstruction amid accusations of embezzlement and fraud, Russia's Bolshoi Theater is ready to reopen in its czarist-era, violin-shaped form.

Construction company Summa Capital said Monday the theater will reopen in October in its original, 1825 design, with czarist insignia and additional underground stages.

The 1825 building was damaged by fires and a Nazi bombing. The Communists used the theater for party gatherings and expanded the hall, damaging the acoustics.

In 2005, the theater closed for reconstruction that authorities said cost at least $660 million. Investigators said in 2009 that millions of dollars have been misspent by a subcontractor.

Productions by the famed Bolshoi ballet and opera corps have continued at a nearby auxiliary theater.

[Associated Press]

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