"Tchaikovsky would be stunned." The Internet is discussing the excitement around the ballet "The Nutcracker" at the Bolshoi Theater
The Internet is discussing a scandal surrounding tickets for the popular New Year's productions of "The Nutcracker" at the Bolshoi Theater, which was headed by Valery Gergiev a year ago. This year, new rules were introduced against the backdrop of a general rise in prices and an increasing excitement around the production with giant queues and resellers: now tickets will be sold only online and by passport. In addition, some tickets will be sold at auction with a starting price of 100 thousand rubles for two seats.
After the uproar with the comments, Gergiev personally commented on the situation. He said that the theater would distribute discounted tickets for the production: "The famous pre-New Year and post-New Year "Nutcrackers" will also be distributed in this way among those who deserve to receive discounted tickets. This will happen in the very near future," TASS quotes Gergiev as saying.
However, the news caused a great stir online. "In short, everything is confused with The Nutcracker this year. New management of the Bolshoi - new rules. First about auctions, now they say that the tickets are "distributed", - comments the Telegram channel "Patriarshie".
The Telegram channel "Nebozhena" is sure that what happened was a negative advertisement for the production. At the same time, they did not see any reason for discontent, because the auction will only affect the most expensive seats in the front rows of the stalls: "It is incorrect to say that the cost of a ballet ticket reaches 50 thousand rubles: this is the upper limit of prices. Now, thanks to restrictions, the resale market is controlled. Well, and then, no one is taking away the opportunity for viewers to go with tickets for 10 thousand rubles."
The Telegram channel "Cate Blanche" recalled that "tickets for The Nutcracker have never been on free sale." According to him, the cost of one ticket for the production from resellers in recent years has reached 500 thousand rubles: "My friend bought four tickets for the whole family for 2 million rubles... And then VAG (General Director of the Bolshoi Theater Valery Abisalovich Gergiev. - Ed.) came and decided to turn all this upside down. As for the auction that outraged everyone, this is a common international practice of large halls for event projects. So posting about 50 thousand rubles for a ticket to "The Nutcracker" is disingenuous, we are talking about almost the very first places, but there are others, 10 times cheaper... So everything is the other way around. Perhaps for the first time in many years, the Bolshoi is trying to become as accessible as possible. Hence the commotion."
Journalist Arina Borodina, in turn, drew attention to the fact that auction tickets cannot be purchased individually: "Only two people, a set, can buy tickets for The Nutcracker at the auction - that is, you need to urgently find someone else who can shell out 50 thousand for a second ticket, if you are suddenly alone, without a partner. What a nightmare it all is, these prices and the auction. Poor Tchaikovsky would be stunned if he found out what will happen in 2024 at the Bolshoi Theater around his great ballet." She also wondered who will receive the proceeds from the auction.
Along with the comments, insider information on the topic began to appear. Thus, according to the Telegram channel "Antiglyanets", information about ticket prices is being deliberately delayed: "That is, they really want it to be even more expensive, but it is unclear how to arrange this. And someone's bright head came up with the idea of an auction. The fig leaf is that part of the funds (it is not specified how much) will go to the Bolshoi Theater Artists Support Fund, although the artists receive salaries, and there are people in greater need," the channel notes. 
Some commentators wondered why the theater doesn't increase the number of performances to reduce the excitement. "They (Bolshoi Theater actors - Ed.) already ****** (work) every day, and on some days - two performances a day. Even taking into account two casts, the actors are ********* (tired) by the end of the holidays. I won't even mention the incessant rehearsals and run-throughs before the performances. And also the fact that in addition to the actors and orchestra, there are about 50 people just technical staff. That's why there is such excitement, because it is a world-famous production, which people fly in from other countries to see, and it runs for two weeks a year. It will always be expensive," the Luka Ebkov Telegram channel retorted.
The Internet has started to joke about the situation. "I propose issuing tickets to The Nutcracker as an independent security for trading on the stock exchange," writes BP Online. "Selling tickets to The Nutcracker (for bitcoins at a rate of 1:1 - very funny!) is what it's all leading to," Tatler's Heroine jokes.
After 85 years on the Bolshoi Theatre stage, the Nutcracker ballet has become a cult production. Particular interest in the performance has arisen in recent years. There were queues at the Bolshoi box office for tickets - some even had to spend the night at the theatre. For many, going to the New Year's Nutcracker at the Bolshoi Theatre became an indicator of high status.
