The world's most famous ballet theatre, the Bolshoi in Moscow, is to receive $180m from the Russian Government for refurbishment.

The Bolshoi's general director, Anatoli Iksanov, said the renovation was expected to take four-and-a-half years, with work starting next year on the main building.

He said the Bolshoi company would continue performances and that the theatre would only be closed to the public during summer months.

Marking the theatre's 225th anniversary last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Bolshoi as the symbol of Russian culture.

Since the collapse of Communism, the Bolshoi has seen its government funding fall, and in recent years there has also been criticism of its artistic direction.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service