Restoration work on all the facades of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater will be completed by the end of October, acting head of the city's construction department said on Saturday.
"All work on the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater is being carried out according to plan. The facades will be completely finished by the end of the month," Alexander Levchenko said.
He said engineering work is being carried out under the building of the world-renowned theater to install a ventilation system and power supply.
"Everything is running smoothly; we are satisfied with the work being carried out," Levchenko said.
The reconstruction efforts in the theater, built in 1825, were launched in 2005 and were initially due to be completed in 2008, but the project has been marred with repeated schedule delays and a misspending scandal.
Russian prosecutors opened a probe last year into the suspected embezzlement of millions of dollars during the renovation.
The Moscow government said earlier this year that the official opening would take place in October 2011.
After reconstruction, the theater will have a back stage, extra foyers and cafeterias, and underground premises that will also accommodate spacious storage for stage decorations. The work is expected to create an extra 50,000 sq meters of space in the buiding.
MOSCOW, October 23 (RIA Novosti)
