Ballet Acid Attack: Bolshoi Art Director Sergei Filin May Lose Eyesight, Russia Hunts for Attacker

The art director of the esteemed Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, Sergei Filin, is recovering from an acid attack. He underwent surgery to save his eyesight on Friday, as authorities hunt for his assailant.

"A masked assailant threw acid into the face of the Bolshoi ballet's artistic director on Thursday in Moscow in what may have been a 'reprisal for his selection of dancers in starring roles at the famed Russian company,'" writes The Guardian.

"A masked attacker approached Sergei Filin, 42, as he returned home in central Moscow at about 11pm on Thursday."

"The attacker threw acid in Filin's face and fled. The former dancer suffered third-degree burns to his face and neck and faces the possibility of partial or total blindness."

"This is linked to my work -- someone doesn't like that I'm successfully leading the Bolshoi Theatre," Filin said.

There have been threats and harassment for weeks over casting and preferential treatment at the ballet. "Filin reportedly has been plagued by numerous intimidation tactics over the last few weeks, including tire slashing and Facebook hacking," reported the Wall Street Journal.

But Filin is lucky to be alive.

"It will take Filin at least six months to recover, Bolshoi spokesperson Ekaterina Novikova said. She added that Sergei Filin had received threats from anonymous callers before. 'We never imagined that a war for roles -- not for real estate or for oil -- could reach this level of crime,'" reported National Public Radio.

"Bolshoi general director Anatoly Iksanov said he believed the attack was linked to Filin's work at the theater. 'He is a man of principle and never compromised," Iksanov said. 'If he believed that this or that dancer was not ready or was unable to perform this or that part, he would turn them down."

Filin's prognosis is still unclear, but doctors should know whether his eyesight can be saved sometime this week.

Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev described the attack as a ''horrible tragedy'' and promised to find and punish those responsible.