<B>Kirov strikes note of discord in US</B> <BR>Ian Traynor in Moscow for The Guardian<P><BR>Staging a premiere last night at La Scala in Milan while simultaneously packing the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow's Golden Mask arts festival, St Petersburg's Mariinsky opera and ballet are the darlings of the Russian arts scene. <P>Known internationally as the Kirov, it has won global acclaim and is seen by many as the best opera company in the world. <P>But for musicians in the US, its maestros are nothing but "economic terrorists" who should be banned from the stage of the New York Met, where the Russians are due to perform this summer. <P>The Americans are miffed that the Kirov orchestra is undercutting US players to secure lucrative recording deals for Hollywood soundtracks.<P><A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4393268,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A><BR>