Still Recovering From Acid Attack, Artistic Director Returns to Bolshoi

MOSCOW - The artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet, Sergei Filin, who was injured early this year in a sinister acid attack that nearly blinded him, made a happy, if temporary, return to the historic theater on Tuesday as the company officially opened its 238th season.

The first performance of the season was an opera - “The Queen of Spades” - but attention lingered on the violence and intrigue that has consumed the ballet troupe in recent months. And it seems likely to continue to do so, as a Bolshoi dancer, Pavel Dmitrichenko, is set to go on trial in October for orchestrating the attack.

Mr. Dmitrenchko has pleaded not guilty, saying he arranged for two men to beat Mr. Filin but did not know that acid would be thrown in his face. Mr. Filin, 42, flew to Moscow on Saturday from Germany, where he spent seven months being treated at a specialty clinic.

After 23 operations, his eyesight is only partially restored and he has said that he will have to return to Germany for further treatment and rehabilitation. Although he was involved in planning this season’s program, which will begin on Nov. 9 with “Marco Spada,” produced by the French choreographer Pierre Lacotte, it is still unclear if Mr. Filin will ever be able to resume his full duties with the company.

“I understand that even half of the way has not been covered,” Mr. Filin said at the airport where he was greeted by a large throng of reporters, and colleagues, including several dancers, who gave him a big bouquet of pink roses. “Huge work is ahead.”

At the airport, Mr. Filin, who was wearing large wrap-around protective sunglasses, spoke emotionally. “I was warned that journalists would gather but I did not expect that there would be so many of you; I feel myself like on the stage,” he said. “The only thing that is left is to dance.” He added, “I miss the theater very much.”

At the formal opening ceremonies at the theater on Tuesday afternoon, however, Mr. Filin made only brief remarks and mostly focused on describing the season ahead. But he began with a poignant and pointed double entendre. “First of all I would like to say hello to everybody,” he began. “And I am very glad to see you.”

A string of scandals followed the acid attack, resulting in the termination in June of a contract with Nikolai Tsiskaridze, a popular dancer, who had clashed with the theater’s leadership, and the ousting in July of the Bolshoi’s longtime general director, Anatoly Iksanov.

Mr. Iksanov’s replacement, Vladimir Urin, in his speech, said that he recognized the challenge he had taken on by accepting the job. “I understand fairly well, and these are not words, but a very clear understanding, what burden of responsibility I put on my shoulders,” Mr. Urin said. “I did not come here to carry out any revolutions but this does not mean that there will not be some correction of some decisions, including some decisions dealing with personnel.”

He also said that one goal was to restore a sense of unity at the theater, which had been deeply fractured. “I came here to continue working so that the name of the Bolshoi would still sound like the Bolshoi Theater of Russia,” he said. “I understand fairly well that sitting in the office, no matter what I would invent or decide, if I don’t find real support of the majority of the collective, all my decisions will be pointless.”