In the first demonstration of its kind in the history of the Bolshoi Theater, performers postponed the opening of the ballet "Giselle" by 20 minutes Thursday night to protest proposed reforms.


The packed audience quietly applauded and generally supported the demonstration which targeted the Bolshoi's general director, Vladimir Kokonin, and his plans to introduce a contract system to replace lifetime tenure and a collegium to oversee artistic activity.


Strongly encouraged by artistic director Yury Grigorovich, who has controlled the theater for three decades, performers voted last Friday to delay "Giselle" and thus draw public and official attention to their complaints. They also voted against Kokonin and his reforms, although the votes have no legal effect.


According to Yury Vladimirov, head of the workers' committee of the theater, the management has not reacted to the vote or to the strike.


"So far there's been nothing but decrees from above," he said, referring to an order which President Boris Yeltsin signed in September to introduce contracts for Bolshoi staff, "And what about us? Are we just supposed to follow, or what?"


Hours before "Giselle" was due to begin, Bolshoi spokesman Alexander Kolesnikov said the protest was illegal and badly prepared, but that it was still too early to say whether it would have any effect.


Anatoly Valyetny, a member of the orchestra, said a letter from Culture Minister Yevgeny Sidorov had been on display in the theater since Wednesday, urging employees not to hold the protest. "He said a strike like this would damage the honor and good name of the Bolshoi Theater," Valyetny said.


"But isn't what our leaders are doing an even greater embarrassment?" Valyetny asked.


While many of the performers shared Valyetny's view, saying the protest was the only way to gain involvement in administrative decision-making, some remained adamantly opposed to the delay.


"Nothing good will come of this strike," said Vitaltis Taranda, a member of the corps de ballet whose brother was recently fired from the company. "People are simply scared of change and of the fact that a contract system will force performers to stay in shape."


To ballet critic Natalya Chernova, the lack of change at the theater is as harmful administratively as it is artistically "All the rest of the world has changed but the Bolshoi is exactly as it was 30 years ago," she said last week.


Chernova and other critics said they hoped that dancer and choreographer Vladimir Vasiliev would support reform at the theater as Grigorovich's scheduled replacement.


The Culture Ministry first confirmed and then backed away from acknowledging his appointment last month.


The audience, however, seemed to fully support the demonstrators. "They are doing the right thing," said Valentina Yegorenkova, who said she had been going to the theater for 40 years.


"Why start something new now?" she added. "People should just work as they used to."