Austrians sack Russian prima ballerina over erotic photos

8 Oct, 2010 17:12 / Updated 13 years ago

Russian prima ballerina Karina Sarkissova has been sacked from The Vienna State Opera following her participating in an erotic photo session.

According to Dominique Meyer, the head of the opera, she had already been warned following publication of nude photos in Penthouse magazine in May.But after the new series of provocative photos appeared in Viennese «Wiener», the ballet company decided to punish the celebrity."The ballet corps has been shocked by these new photos, which appeared in the sex section," said Meyer. "On the cover of the magazine, you could read 'The ballerina nude, the ballet as you love it,'" he said.Concerning the incident, Sarkissova has told the press that she felt discriminated against.Sarkissova is an Austrian ballerina of Russian origin. Before joining the Vienna Opera ballet in 2000 she had trained at Russia's famous Bolshoi Theater.