“His absolutely pure dignity was devotion to art, burning with sacred fire,” - said the star of the Russian ballet T. Karsavin about Sergey Diaghilev.
Born at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Sergei Diaghilev managed to fundamentally change the choreography of the ballet, revive its unshakable canons, create a different culture of costumes and sets. It was with the advent of Diaghilev in art that the concept of "Diaghilev's ballet" and ballet entreprise appeared.
"Russian Seasons" in Europe
The history of the appearance of "Russian Seasons" in Europe begins in 1906. It was then that Sergey Diaghilev, preparing an art exhibition for the Paris Autumn Salon, planned to hold large-scale events in order to familiarize the European public with Russian art more widely.
At first it was the idea of holding "Russian historical concerts", brilliantly embodied in life. Concerts were held in 1907 and consisted of masterpieces of Russian music of the XIX and early XX centuries. And for the next season, in 1908, M. Mussorgsky’s opera “Boris Godunov” was shown in Paris with Fyodor Chaliapin in the title role.
The first opera and ballet season was held by Diaghilev in 1909.
Thus began the triumphal procession of the “Russian Seasons” abroad. The performances were organized according to the principle of entreprise, that is, not with a permanent troupe of actors, but with the invitation of the best soloists from various Russian theaters, the best artists for the development of costumes and sets for performances.
This was a real revelation to the theatrical audience of Paris. Until the First World War, the seasons were held annually with stunning success.
Diaghilev's ballet, photo of the poster of the 1911 season.
Origins: family craving for art
The date of birth of Sergei Diaghilev is March 31, 1872. Place of birth: a village in the Novgorod province called Selishchi. The future maestro appeared in the family of a hereditary nobleman and officer Pavel Diaghilev.
Sergey’s childhood passed first in St. Petersburg, and then the family moved to Perm, where the Diaghilevs lived until his son graduated from the Perm gymnasium. The hospitable house of the Diaghilevs in Perm was decorated with the originals of the engravings of Raphael, Rubens and Rembrandt, catalogs of all the leading museums in Europe crowded on bookshelves.
There were literary and musical evenings. The son accompanied on a piano a duet of the father and stepmother. In a word, not a house, but the center of the cultural life of the province.
Creative and creative atmosphere in the house contributed to the emergence of a young Sergei Diaghilev genuine craving for art, the desire to serve the muses.
Petersburg achievements
In the 90s of the XIX century, he returned to St. Petersburg, where he was immersed as much as possible in the study of various sciences: he entered both the conservatory and the law faculty.
However, an active nature required more exciting activities. In St. Petersburg, Sergei Diaghilev is completely immersed in the artistic life of the capital, neglecting jurisprudence and activities under the guidance of Rimsky-Korsakov.
The activity and enthusiasm of youth did a good deed, allowing the young man to show outstanding organizational skills.
Having set a noble goal - to show interested public new Russian art, he organizes several brilliant exhibitions of contemporary and then unknown artists. In fairness, it should be noted that these exhibitions were often the occasion for jokes of feuilletonists and the angry sermons of art critics.
But soon, despite the attacks and ridicule, and maybe thanks to scandalous exhibitions, all of Petersburg began talking about Diaghilev.
With the support of renowned patrons Savva Morozov and Maria Klavdievna Tenisheva, he and artist Alexander Benois become editors of the magazine "World of Art". The motto of the magazine is "Art, Clean and Free."
For many years this motto has become for Diaghilev the principle of life. Among the artists of the magazine were Ilya Repin, Lev Bakst, Isaac Levitan, Valentin Serov and other famous Russian artists in the future. The appearance of a true team of like-minded people united by publishing, once again proved that Sergey Diaghilev is not an accidental person in art and is in demand by time itself.
The release of the magazine "World of Art" was the first step towards the future great "Russian Seasons". Because it was a project pursuing educational goals and dedicated to both Russian and Western culture, combining all modern and relevant forms of art.
"Russian Seasons" and "Russian Ballet": what is the difference
Before we talk further about Diaghilev’s Russian ballet, we need to separate the concept of “Russian Seasons” from the concept of “Russian Ballet” in the sense in which Diaghilev understood these areas of Russian art.
For Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev, “Russian Seasons”, as a new phenomenon in art, took place or began in 1906, it was precisely by them, like milestones, that he measured his activities, celebrated their anniversaries, indicated the numbers of the seasons on posters.
"Russian Seasons" included art exhibitions, concerts, opera, and later ballet art.
The phenomenon of “Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet” is associated with the ballet entreprise and the appearance of unusual ballet performances, studies and performances - within the framework of the Russian Seasons programs, starting in 1909.
Officially, the first performance of Russian Ballet took place in Monte Carlo in April 1911, and this date is considered to be the date of origin of the tradition of showing ballet abroad.
In the community of talents
The triumph of the first season of Diaghilev’s Russian ballet in 1909 was predetermined: the common work and efforts of many talented, and even brilliant, people cannot be lost.
Having decided to start preparing for the season, S. Diaghilev applied for assistance to Matilda Kshesinskaya, the Russian ballet of that time. She was close to the imperial court. The future emperor Nicholas II was still in love with her at once. Thanks to the efforts of the ballerina, Diaghilev was promised a large subsidy of 25,000 rubles and the possibility of rehearsals in the Hermitage.
The goal before Diaghilev and a team of like-minded people was not simple: to create a qualitatively different type of ballet, in which a special role should be given to male parties, costumes and decorations. In an effort to achieve a “unity of artistic design and performing skills,” Diaghilev brought literally all future participants to the discussion of the production material: composers, artists, choreographers ... Together, they came up with plots, discussed the nature of music and dance, future costumes and sets. The result is a unique synthesis of innovation and professionalism in choreography, painting, and music.
At the same time, Diaghilev set about recruiting a troupe to which he invited the best ballet dancers of the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi theaters. The entrepreneur's invitation was answered by: Anna Pavlova, Matilda Kshesinskaya, Mikhail Fokin with his wife Vera, Ida Rubinstein, Serafim Astafiev, Tamara Karsavina, Vaclav Nizhinsky, Vera Coralli, Alexander Monakhov, Mikhail Mordkin and other dancers.
Designers of costumes and sets: Leon Bakst, Alexander Benois, Nicholas Roerich.
"Russian Seasons" by Diaghilev, ballet troupe backstage.
Seasonal obstacles
Not everything went smoothly during the preparation of the first ballet performances for Russian Seasons.
In the midst of rehearsals came a ban on continuing them in the Hermitage, and the subsidy was closed. The last boiling point was the refusal to provide costumes and scenery by the Mariinsky Theater.
There were several reasons for the almost end of work on the “seasons”. Firstly, Prince Vladimir Alexandrovich, the patron saint of Diaghilev, died. And secondly, Matilda Kshesinskaya was offended by the entrepreneur for the fact that she got a secondary role in the ballet "Artemis Pavilion" instead of the expected leading parties.
By the way, Diaghilev was adamant in choosing leading artists for the main roles, this is a great “vision” of the artist, when all the current or previous merits of the artist in this context were powerless. A similar story happened in the season when they showed "The Dying Swan" to the music of then-unknown composer Saint-Saens. Initially, choreographer Mikhail Fokin involved his wife Vera Fokina in the dance, but Diaghilev said that only Pavlova could dance the swan. As a result, the world for several decades received an amazingly expressive dance performed by Anna Pavlova, and the impresario, as always, was right.
Diaghilev's ballet in Paris: Anna Pavlova in the role of a wounded swan. The belly area of the ballerina costume is decorated with a huge ruby, symbolizing blood from injury.
The feathers on the suit and headdress are natural, swan.
Diaghilev's ballet: costumes for performances were decorated with natural jewelry, embroidered with patterns. In the decoration used and various natural materials.
Returning to the story about the preparations for the opening of Diaghilev's Russian ballet in 1909, we must also recall the fact that the director of all the imperial theaters Telyakovsky created additional obstacles. In fact, the combination of difficulties that ensured a loud failure for the Russian Seasons.
But the failure did not take place: old friends and patrons helped Diaghilev. Prince Argutinsky-Dolgorukov and Countess Maria (Mysya) Sert helped in financing by collecting the necessary money.
Paris applauds: the audience in ecstasy
Diaghilev's ballet arrives in Paris in April 1909. The stage of the famous Chatelet Theater was rented to show the performances. Upon arrival, work was begun to prepare the theater for the reception of new performances and sets:
- the scene was enlarged;
- updated interior;
- lodges are arranged in the stalls.
The last rehearsals were on. Coincided time, desire and opportunity. Mikhail Fokin introduced his own ideas of choreography into the ballet, which corresponded to the ideas of Diaghilev.
The 1909 repertoire included five ballets staged by aspiring choreographer Mikhail Fokin:
- "Armida Pavilion" is a performance in one act and three acts; the script and design was written by Alexander Benois, music by Nikolai Cherepnin; the part of Madeleine and Armida was performed by V. Coralli, the viscount de Beaugancy - M. Mordkin; the slave of Armida danced V. Nizhinsky.
- “Polovtsian Dances” is a ballet part of the opera “Prince Igor” to the music of Borodin, when the ballet fragment took the form of an independent 15-minute performance; Scenography by N. Roerich, performers Adolf Bolm, Sofya Fedorova 2nd, Mariinsky soloist E. Smirnova.
- “Feast” is a divertissement to the music of national dances composed by Russian composers - Glinka’s Mazurka, Mussorgsky’s “Hopak”, Rimsky-Korsakov’s March from the Golden Cockerel, Lezginka Glinka, Glazunov’s Chardash; "Feast" completed the display of Diaghilev's Russian ballet, and his goal was to show the audience the whole troupe in the most spectacular and characteristic dances. The Feast ended with a stormy excerpt from Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony. All the stars danced the Padecatra together, it was a triumph of artists.
Brilliant sequel
The first three performances were shown on May 19, and on June 2, 1909, the premieres of the performances: La Sylphide and Cleopatra took place.
The ballet La Sylphide or Chopiniana was shown with the participation of Tamara Karsavina, Anna Pavlova, Alexandra Baldina, Vaclav Nizhinsky to the music from the works of Chopin arranged by D. Gershwin, orchestras by A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov, S. Taneyev, N. Cherepnin .
Costumes were painted by Leon Bakst on lithographs of the Italian ballerina Maria Taglioni, famous in the 19th century, as La Sylphide.
The performance was enthusiastically received, and Serov’s painting, based on impressions of the performance depicting Anna Pavlova for many years, will become the hallmark of Diaghilev’s ballet.
Cleopatra
The play based on the story of Theophilus Gauthier underwent significant modernization. In addition to the music of the Arensky, Mikhail Fokin introduced Glazunov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Lyadov, Cherepnin to the music of the Arena. The result was a tragic ending with dances expressing real passion and grief.
Leo Bakst created sketches of new scenes and costumes. The magic of Ancient Egypt, music and dancers fully met the expectations of the public with an unusual setting.
The action took place in the courtyard of the temple between the red statues of the gods, the magnificent brilliant waters of the Nile served as the background. The audience was captivated by the sensuality and expressiveness of the production and the leading woman, Ida Rubinstein.
In the photo: Diaghilev’s Russian ballet, a painting by L. Bakst for the dance of “seven veils” by Cleopatra.
The famous writer and playwright of France, Jean Cocteau, wrote that one can briefly characterize Diaghilev’s Russian ballet as follows: “This is a holiday over Paris, shining like the“ chariot of Dionysus ”.
So, the work is done and brilliant.
Choreographers and style
On the way of Diaghilev's seasons there was a lot of success, ups and downs. But it was a living organism in constant development. The desire for a new, the search for art of the unprecedented - these are the results of the great impresario.
Sergey Leonidovich Grigoriev, the permanent director and administrator of the troupe, believed that Diaghilev’s ballets also developed from the influence of choreographers.
List of choreographers who created new stages in the development of ballet art:
- The time of creation in the entreprise of M.M. Fokin, which begins from 1909 and continues through 1912, also produced the performances of 1914 with his participation. Mikhail Fokin managed to change the classical choreography, to distinguish male ballet parts as new dance forms, to enrich the dance plastic.
- The second period of the development of "Russian ballet" is the years of V.F. Nizhinsky's work, starting from 1912 to 1913, 1916. It is difficult to underestimate the experience of a dancer and choreographer in trying to create a new ballet full of feelings, emotions and amazing technique.
Diaghilev's ballet, photo of the soloist and choreographer Vaclav Nizhinsky.
- The next stage in the introduction of innovations in ballet art was the time of L.F. Myasin in the Diaghilev troupe, and covers the period from 1915 to 1920, 1928. Myasin, developing the traditions of Fokin, maximally complicated the drawing of the dance, introducing broken lines, pretentiousness and sophistication of movements, creating at the same time his own unique style.
- The fourth stage of development on the path of the movement of the Russian ballet Diaghilev was the period of creativity of Bronislava Nizhinsky, beginning with the seasons 1922 - 1924 and 1926. This is the time of the neoclassical style of ballet.
- And, finally, the fifth stage of development is the years of work with Diaghilev by George Balanchine from 1924 to 1929. The years when the choreographer managed to approve new forms of the 20th century, ideas of symphony ballets, ideas of the primacy of expression over the plot.
However, regardless of who was the director, Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet retained freedom of search, was a symbol of avant-garde and innovative decisions in art, a presentiment of the trends of the time.
For decades, he will remain uncaught, free and coveted by the Firebird.
A folk tale or the new triumph of Diaghilev's ballet in Paris
Speaking about the fabulous motives that make up many of the plots of the performances staged on the stages of France, one cannot but recall the most successful premiere of 1910.
This is a production on the theme of the story of the Firebird, the idea of which Mikhail Fokin has long nurtured. At first Lyadov was ordered music, but since he did not start writing it even after three months, Diaghilev decided to turn to Stravinsky, whom he considered the new genius of Russian music.
The composer, choreographer and artist worked closely together in the process of creating the ballet, helping each other, sharing creative tips. It was a union that gave the stage a new ballet, implicated in modernist painting, folklore and avant-garde music. The magnificent scenery of Alexander Golovin transported the viewer to the fairy world.
The uniqueness was that Diaghilev's new ballet, costumes for him were decorated with gold and jewelry, embroidered with folk ornaments and fur.
Cast: T. Karsavina - The Firebird, Mikhail Fokin - Ivan Tsarevich, V. Fokina - Tsarevna, A. Bulgakov - Koschey.
Thanks to the ballet Firebird, the world recognized the great Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, who over the next 18 years will collaborate with Diaghilev and create truly amazing music for the ballets Petrushka, Sacred Spring and others.
Diaghilev's ballet: bird fever, costume design for ballet, artist L. Bakst.
Scandalous failure of the "Parade"
Like any great artist, Diaghilev subordinated everything to the idea of innovation, was not afraid to be "premature", to go against.
Many ballet performances were sometimes so vanguard in music, choreography or painting that they met with misunderstanding on the part of the audience, and their significance was appreciated much later.
So it was with the scandalous failure of the premiere in Paris of "The Rite of Spring" to the music of Stravinsky, with the shocking choreography of "Faun" by Nizhinsky, the first show of the ballet Parade was also waiting for the failure.
The ballet was staged in 1917. In the context of the performance, the word "parade" meant an invitation to barkers and fair jesters before a performance inviting the public to the circus booth. They showed small excerpts from the play that awaits them in the form of advertising.
This is a one-act ballet to the music of Enrique Sati, the scenery and costume designer Pablo Picasso, the script was written by Jean Cocteau, choreographer Leonid Myasin.
In the photo: costumes for the ballet Parade, Diaghilev with a new production in Paris.
Some costumes created by Picasso in the style of Cubism, allowed dancers only to walk on stage or make minor movements.
The Parisian public considered Cubism a German offspring in art. And since the First World War was on, the performance was perceived as a mockery and a challenge. The audience shouted "Damned Bosh!" and threw herself into a fight to the scene. In the press, Russian Ballet was almost declared a traitor to the ideas of freedom.
Despite the first scandalous show, this ballet became a milestone in the art of the 20th century, both in music and in stage painting. And Sati's Ragtime music was later adapted into piano solo.
The last tour and some interesting facts from the life of Russian ballet
Sergei Diaghilev is rightly reckoned among the founders of the Russian show business. He not only embodied all the trends of time on the stage, but also paved the way for new techniques and styles at other levels: in painting, music, stage art.
His "Russian Seasons" still inspire creative people to search for new ways of artistic expression of time.
Special achievements and facts about the Russian ballet of Diaghilev:
- There were a total of 20 "Russian Seasons" in which the ballet was involved. Although initially Diaghilev did not plan to include ballet performances in the concert program.
- For staging the eight-minute ballet number “Afternoon Faun Rest”, V. Nizhinsky conducted a total of ninety dance rehearsals.
- S. Diaghilev was an avid collector. In 1929, he received letters from A. Pushkin addressed to N. Goncharova in his collection. They were handed to him before leaving on a tour to Venice. Impresario was late for the train and postponed reading letters for a while after the end of the tour, putting the collection rarities in a safe. But he never returned from Venice.
- The last to be seen were Diaghilev Misia Sert and Coco Chanel. They came to visit him during his illness. They also paid for his funeral, as Diaghilev did not have any money with him.
- The phrase written by the great impresario a few days before his death is engraved on the monument to Diaghilev in the Orthodox part of the San Michele cemetery: "Venice is the constant inspiration of our reassurances."
- Igor Stravinsky and Joseph Brodsky are buried near the grave of S. Diaghilev.