Will the Nutcracker disappear from the Bolshoi? The dispute continues over the rights to Yuri Grigorovich's productions. The Serbsky Institute admitted that the choreographer was in fact incapacitated as soon as he signed the transfer of the copyrights to his productions. In August 2024, the 97-year-old Grigorovich signed an agreement according to which exclusive rights to the libretto and choreography of his most famous ballets are transferred to his assistant and former Bolshoi Theater master Ruslan Pronin. After the publication of this agreement, the law enforcement authorities received two statements at once - from the only close relative of the choreographer, his nephew Nikolai Kratygin, to whom in 2022 Grigorovich bequeathed the rights to all his productions, and from the Bolshoi Theater itself, to which he transferred from 2012 to 2014 also the rights of Grigoval to 20. Controversial productions. In December of last year, a criminal case was opened in the article "Fraud on an extremely large scale". True, the investigation is ongoing against unknown persons, and there are still no suspects in the case. The Bolshoi intends to request the recognition of Grigorovich's productions as a national treasure, and the transfer of the rights to them to the state. But such a scenario is unlikely, says the managing partner of the law firm of Dokhina and Partners, international law expert Yekaterina Dokhina. She explains that national heritage status does not automatically transfer rights to countries. In her opinion, if the disputed agreement is declared invalid, the rights should pass to the choreographer's heir in accordance with the will. The dispute concerns the rights to twelve ballets directed by Yuri Grigorovich - including "The Nutcracker", "Swan Lake", "Romeo and Juliet", "Le Bader", "Spartacus" and other iconic productions. These ballets occupy a central place in the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater, says ballet and music critic Leila Guchamzova.

Will the Nutcracker disappear from the Bolshoi? The dispute continues over the rights to Yuri Grigorovich's productions. The Serbsky Institute admitted that the choreographer was in fact incapacitated as soon as he signed the transfer of the copyrights to his productions. In August 2024, the 97-year-old Grigorovich signed an agreement according to which exclusive rights to the libretto and choreography of his most famous ballets are transferred to his assistant and former Bolshoi Theater master Ruslan Pronin. After the publication of this agreement, the law enforcement authorities received two statements at once - from the only close relative of the choreographer, his nephew Nikolai Kratygin, to whom in 2022 Grigorovich bequeathed the rights to all his productions, and from the Bolshoi Theater itself, to which he transferred from 2012 to 2014 also the rights of Grigoval to 20. Controversial productions. In December of last year, a criminal case was opened in the article "Fraud on an extremely large scale". True, the investigation is ongoing against unknown persons, and there are still no suspects in the case. The Bolshoi intends to request the recognition of Grigorovich's productions as a national treasure, and the transfer of the rights to them to the state. But such a scenario is unlikely, says the managing partner of the law firm of Dokhina and Partners, international law expert Yekaterina Dokhina. She explains that national heritage status does not automatically transfer rights to countries. In her opinion, if the disputed agreement is declared invalid, the rights should pass to the choreographer's heir in accordance with the will. The dispute concerns the rights to twelve ballets directed by Yuri Grigorovich - including "The Nutcracker", "Swan Lake", "Romeo and Juliet", "Le Bader", "Spartacus" and other iconic productions. These ballets occupy a central place in the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater, says ballet and music critic Leila Guchamzova.