The Bolshoi Ballet has announced that it is ending a contract with its most prominent male dancer, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, whose simmering complaints about the theater's leadership boiled over into a full-fledged power struggle earlier this year. At 39, he is approaching the end of his dancing career, but he still has a fanatical following among balletomanes as well as influential advocates in Moscow's elite.

His dismissal was announced unexpectedly and tersely on Saturday. "He had a one-year, short-term contract, and this contract is over," said Bolshoi spokeswoman Katerina Novikova, adding that his contract ends June 30 and will not be extended. "The Bolshoi's leadership decided not to renew it. They do not have to give reasons for this."

In a text message on Sunday, Tsiskaridze said: "All this was thought up to make a mockery of me. I knew it would happen. Their opera, 'Prince Igor,' was a failure. And they needed to distract attention with another scandal." The opera had its premiere at the house on Saturday.

Retired NBA player attends wife's show

A week after he retired from the NBA, Grant Hill celebrated with his wife as she performed for a feverish crowd in New York City on Saturday night. Hill and New York Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire watched from the VIP section of the Highline Ballroom as Tamia sang R&B tunes for a few hundred people. Tamia gave Hill a shout-out before singing the song "Still" saying, "We're celebrating almost 15 years of marriage." Her fifth album, "Beautiful Surprise," was nominated for two Grammy Awards this year.

modern maestro dies: Bruno Bartoletti, an orchestra conductor who was associated with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for 50 years, and who championed modern opera as well as classic works, died on Sunday in his native Tuscany, a day before his 87th birthday. The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, said Bartoletti died in a Florence hospital after a long illness.

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