The head of a state agency overseeing the reconstruction of Moscow's famed Bolshoi Theater has been dismissed by the mayor over design disagreements, a source in the city administration said on Wednesday.
The project to rebuild the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet has been marred by repeated reconstruction schedule delays and a misspending scandal. Russian prosecutors opened a probe last year into the suspected embezzlement of millions of dollars during the renovation.
A dispute between Mayor Yury Luzhkov and Yakov Sarkisov, former head of the state Directorate for Construction, Reconstruction and Renovation, began in December when the mayor demanded changes to the structure of an underground rehearsal room and Sarkisov rejected the changes which would require additional studies and further prolong the project, the unidentified official said.
"Luzhkov called Sarkisov's position sabotage of the city government's decisions and said he would demand his dismissal," the official said.
The official said the dismissal earlier this week was also a result of the Directorate's conflict with the reconstruction general contractor, Intex, over repeated reconstruction schedule delays.
The reconstruction efforts in the theater, built in 1825, were launched in 2005 and were initially due to be completed in 2008.
Sarkisov's dismissal was finally decided after the Bolshoi joined the mayor's demands to change the rehearsal room this week.
However, a member of a commission set up by the president in May 2009 to oversee the Bolshoi's troubled reconstruction denied the dismissal later on Wednesday, saying Sarkisov quit on his own will and described him as a "successful crisis manager."
"Sarkisov resigned on his own will. Major progress was made over the year he headed the reconstruction. He proved to be a highly professional builder and a successful crisis manager," the official said.
He said Sarkisov took charge of the project in late 2008 at a difficult time and sped up the pace of the work considerably.
On Tuesday, the Bolshoi opened its doors to the public for the first time since the renovation started. A classic opera concert was heard in the Choral Hall, which was the first to be renovated in line with the old designs.
Two more halls, the Round and Beethoven halls, will be reopened next spring. Work on the main foyer, the facade and the square in front of the theater will also be completed by spring.
The Moscow government said the official opening will take place in October 2011.
The theater will have a back stage, extra foyers and cafeterias, and underground premises that will also accommodate spacious storage for stage decorations. The theater will have an extra space of 50,000 sq meters after the reconstruction.
Bolshoi ballet and opera productions have continued at a recently built theater nearby.
MOSCOW, February 3 (RIA Novosti)
