Diaghilev's "Russian Seasons": history, interesting facts, videos, films. "Russian Seasons" Diaghilev

A little over a hundred years ago, Paris and all of Europe were stunned by the bright colors, beauty and, of course, the talent of the actors of the Russian Ballet. "Russian Seasons", as they were also called, for several years remained an unsurpassed event in Paris. It was at this time that the performing arts had such a great effect on fashion.

Costumes made according to sketches by Bakst, Goncharova, Benois and many other artists, their decorations were distinguished by their brightness and originality. This led to an explosion of creative enthusiasm in the creation of luxurious fabrics and suits, and even determined the future lifestyle. Oriental luxury swept the entire fashion world, there were transparent, smoky and richly embroidered fabrics, turbans, aigrettes, feathers, oriental flowers, ornaments, shawls, fans, umbrellas - all this was embodied in fashionable images of the pre-war period.

"Russian Ballet" literally caused a revolution in fashion. How could the naked nakedness of Mata Harry or the barely covered Isadora Duncan compare with the fantastic costumes of the Russian ballet? The performances literally shocked the whole of Paris, for which the new world.

The queen of cosmetics of that time, all her life recalled the performances of the Russian Ballet, after attending which one day, as soon as she returned home, she changed all the decoration of her house to bright shiny colors. The brilliant impresario S. Diaghilev determined the lifestyle of Parisian society. The fireworks of the "Russian Ballet" on the stage inspired the famous Paul Poiret to create bright colorful clothes. Oriental exoticism and luxury were also reflected in the dances of that time, which primarily include tango.

On the eve of the revolutionary events of 1905, Sergei Diaghilev, the former publisher of the magazine World of Art in Russia, founded a new theater company, which included artists Lev Bakst, Alexander Benois, Nikolai Roerich, composer Igor Stravinsky, ballerinas Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, dancer Vaclav Nijinsky and choreographer Mikhail Fokin.

Then many more joined them. talented artists and dancers, who were united by S. Diaghilev's ability to see and find these talents and, of course, love for art. S. Diaghilev's numerous connections with the commercial and artistic world helped to organize a new troupe, which became famous under the name of the Russian Ballets.

Mikhail Fokin, a former student of the genius Marius Petipa, at the beginning of the 20th century began to develop his own ideas of ballet choreography, which were very well combined with the ideas of S. Diaghilev.

Among outstanding artists gathered around Diaghilev, a special world recognition won the work of Lev Bakst. In the magazine "World of Art" Bakst was the main graphic artist. After graduating from the Imperial Academy of Arts, the artist painted portraits and landscapes, and then became interested in scenography. Already in 1902, he began to develop scenery for the Imperial Theater, and already here he showed himself as a capable innovative artist.

Bakst was passionate about scenography, he thought a lot about how to make a ballet capable of expressing thoughts and feelings. He traveled through North Africa, was in Cyprus, in, studied ancient art Mediterranean. Lev Bakst got acquainted with the works of Russian art researchers and knew well the works of Western European artists.

Just like Mikhail Fokin, he followed and strove for the emotional content of the performance. And to convey feelings and emotions, he developed his own color theory, which made fireworks in the Russian Ballet. Bakst knew where and what colors could be used, how to combine them in order to convey all the emotions in the ballet and influence the audience through color.

Bakst created luxurious scenery and costumes, and at the same time, Vaclav Nijinsky conquered the audience with his dance, he made hearts flutter. A reviewer for the French newspaper Le Figaro wrote that "... the love of oriental art was brought to Paris from Russia through ballet, music and scenery…”, Russian actors and artists “became mediators” between East and West.

Most Europeans then, as well as now, considered Russia to be part of the East. On the stage there was music by Russian composers, scenery by Russian artists, libretto, costumes and dancers - Russian. But the composers composed harmonies of Asian music, and Bakst, Golovin, Benois and other artists depicted the pyramids of the Egyptian pharaohs, the harems of the Persian sultans.

On the stage, there was a connection between the West and the East, and Russia was both at the same time. As Benois said, from the first performances he felt that the "Scythians" presented in Paris, "the capital of the world", the best art that hitherto existed in the world.

The fireworks of the colors of the Russian Ballet made me look at the world with different eyes, and this was received with enthusiasm by the Parisians.

Prince Pyotr Lieven wrote in his book The Birth of Russian Ballet: “The influence of Russian ballet was felt far beyond the theater. The fashion makers in Paris included it in their creations…”

The costumes of the Russian Ballet contributed to the change real life women, freeing her body from the corset, provided her with great mobility. The photographer Cecil Beaton later wrote that after the performances the next morning, everyone found himself in a city immersed in the luxury of the East, in flowing and bright outfits, which reflected a new and fast pace modern life.

New fashion touched and male images. Although they did not change into bloomers and, some tough elegance with a high collar and a top hat left the fashion of men, a new silhouette appeared - a narrow torso, high waist, low collars and bowlers almost pulled over the eyes.

New images and silhouettes attracted the attention of fashion designers, who began to study the work of Bakst and other artists of the Russian Ballet. And Paul Poiret went to Russia in 1911-1912, where he met with Nadezhda Lamanova and other Russian fashion designers, and recognized the influence of Russian fashion.

To this day, textile designers and artists recall and play variations on the theme of "Russian Seasons". Fashion designers are returning to bright exotic images, folklore motifs, to Russian, Indian or Arabic ornamental traditions. They skillfully vary cultural forms East, connecting it with the West. Under the banner of Russian artistic traditions, European and Russian cultures united.

Introduction

S.P. Diaghilev was prominent figure Russian art, propagandist and organizer of tours of Russian art abroad. He was neither a dancer, nor a choreographer, nor a playwright, nor an artist, and yet his name is known to millions of ballet lovers in Russia and Europe. Diaghilev opened Russian ballet to Europe, he demonstrated that while in the European capitals ballet fell into decay and perished, in St. Petersburg it strengthened and became a very significant art.

From 1907 to 1922, S. P. Diaghilev organized 70 performances from Russian classics to contemporary authors. At least 50 performances were musical novelties. He was "eternally followed by eight carriages of scenery and three thousand costumes." "Russian Ballet" toured Europe, the USA, always meeting with a storm of applause.

The most famous performances that delighted the audience in Europe and America for almost two decades were: "Pavilion of Armida" (N. Cherepanin, A. Benois, M. Fokin); The Firebird (I. Stravinsky, A. Golovin, L. Bakst, M. Fokin); "Narcissus and Echo" (N. Cherepanin, L. Bakst, V. Nijinsky); "The Rite of Spring" (I. Stravinsky, N. Roerich, V. Nijinsky); "Petrushka" (I. Stravinsky, A. Benois, M. Fokin); "Midas" (M. Steinberg, L. Bakst, M. Dobuzhinsky); "Jester" (S. Prokofiev, M. Lermontov, T. Slavinsky) and others.

About S. P. Diaghilev. His characterization by contemporaries

S. P. Diaghilev can be called an administrator, entrepreneur, organizer of exhibitions and all kinds of art actions - all these definitions suit him, but the main thing in him is his service to Russian culture. S. P. Diaghilev brought together everything that without him could take place on its own or already existed on its own - creativity different artists, artists, musicians, Russia and the West, past and present, and only thanks to him all this was linked and conformed to each other, acquiring a new value in unity.

Diaghilev combined in himself diverse tastes, quite often contradictory, asserting artistic perception, eclecticism. Reverent for the masters of the “great century” and the Rococo century, he was also delighted with Russian wild animals, like Malyutin, E. Polyakova, Yakunchikov ..., he was touched by Levitan’s landscapes and Repin’s skill, and when he had seen enough of the Parisian “constructive” innovations, then closest to Picasso, Derain, Léger. Few have been given such an ability to feel beauty ... ”- from the memoirs of contemporaries.

He was richly gifted musically, sensitive to beauty in all its manifestations, well versed in music, vocals, painting, from childhood he showed himself to be a great lover of the theater, opera, ballet; later became a skillful and enterprising organizer, a tireless worker who knew how to make people realize their ideas. Of course, he "used" them, taking from his comrades-in-arms what he needed them, but at the same time he made talents blossom, enchanted and attracted their hearts. It is also true that, with ruthlessness equal to charm, he knew how to exploit people and part with them.

Diaghilev's broad sense of beauty attracted extraordinary people, individuals and individualists to him. And he knew how to communicate with them. Diaghilev had the ability to make the object or person on which he drew his attention especially shine. He knew how to show things from their the best side. He knew how to call out best qualities people and things."

He was a born organizer, a leader with dictatorial tendencies and knew his own worth. He did not tolerate anyone who could compete with him, and nothing that could stand in his way. Possessing complex and controversial nature, he knew how to maneuver among the intrigues, envy, slander and gossip that abound in the artistic environment.

“His intuition, his sensitivity and his phenomenal memory allowed him to memorize innumerable masterpieces (paintings) and never forget them again.

He had an exceptional visual memory and an iconographic flair that surprised us all,” recalled Igor Grabar, his classmate at the university. “Swift, categorical in his judgments, he, of course, was mistaken, but he was mistaken much less often than others, and by no means more irreparably.”

“He was a genius, the greatest organizer, seeker and discoverer of talents, endowed with the soul of an artist and the manners of a noble nobleman, the only comprehensively developed person whom I could compare with Leonardo da Vinci" - such an assessment was awarded to S. P. Diaghilev from V. F . Nijinsky

Diaghilev's activities and the "Russian Seasons"

S.P. Diaghilev received a good musical education. Even in the student circle of A. N. Benois, he gained fame as an admirer and connoisseur of music. D. V. Filosov recalled: “His interests were then mainly musical. Tchaikovsky and Borodin were his favorites. For days on end he sat at the piano, singing Igor's arias. He sang without any particular schooling, but with a natural skill.” His musical mentors were called either A. K. Ledov, or N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. In any case, he was well trained not to be an "outsider" in the composing environment; he felt special musical composition, he himself had a composer's gift, as evidenced by the surviving manuscripts of his youthful compositions, he possessed musical and theoretical knowledge.

In 1896 he graduated from the law faculty of St. Petersburg University (for some time he studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov). He was engaged in painting, theater, history artistic styles. In 1897 he arranged his first exhibition at the St. Petersburg Academy, dedicated to the works of English and German watercolorists. In the autumn of the same year, he arranged an exhibition of Scandinavian artists. Having acquired a stable reputation as a connoisseur of the arts and a law degree, he received a position as an assistant director of the Imperial Theaters.

In 1898 was one of the founders of the association "World of Art", in 1899-1904 - together with A. Benois was the editor of the magazine of the same name. His activities to promote Russian art - painting, classical music, opera - S.P. Diaghilev began in 1906. In 1906-1907. organized exhibitions of Russian artists in Paris, Berlin, Monte Carlo, Venice, among which were Benois, Dobuzhinsky, Larionov, Roerich, Vrubel and others.

Exhibitions of Russian visual arts was a revelation for the West, which did not suspect the existence of such a high artistic culture.

Supported by circles of the Russian artistic intelligentsia (World of Art, music. Belyaevsky circle, etc.) in 1907, Diaghilev organized the annual performances of Russian opera and ballet dancers "Russian Seasons", which began in Paris with historical concerts.

That year he organized in Paris 5 symphony concerts(“Historical Russian Concertos”), introducing Western Europe to the musical treasures of Russia, presenting Russian music from Glinka to Scriabin: S. V. Rakhmaninov, A. K. Glazunov, F. I. Chaliapin, Rimsky-Korsakov, and others performed.

Russian musical and theatrical art began its victorious march across Europe on May 6, 1908; Rimsky-Korsakov, Judith by A. Serov, Prince Igor by A. Borodin. The part of B. Godunov was performed by F. I. Chaliapin. The audience was captivated by the unique timbre of Chaliapin's voice, his game, full of tragedy and restrained strength.

The troupe selected by Diaghilev for foreign tours included A. Pavlova, V Nizhinsky, M. Mordkin, T. Karsavina, later O. Spesivtseva, S. Lifar, J. Balanchine, M. Fokin. Choreographer and artistic director M. Fokin was appointed. The performances were designed by artists: A. Benois, L. Bakst, A. Golovin, N. Roerich, and in more later years M.V. Dobuzhinsky, M.F. Larionov, P. Picasso, A. Derain, M. Utrillo, J. Braque.

For the first time, the "World of Art" ballet was presented not in Paris, but in St. Petersburg, at the Mariinsky Theater. These were ballets to the music of N. Tcherepnin "Animated Tapestry" and "Pavilion of Armida" (artist A. N. Benois, choreographer M. M. Fokin). But there is no prophet in his own country. The new has collided with the age-old omnipotent Russian bureaucracy. Illiterate hostile editions flashed in the press. In an atmosphere of frank persecution, artists, artists, could not work. And then the happy idea of ​​“ballet export” was born. The ballet was taken abroad for the first time in 1909 on May 19, 1909. in Paris, at the Chatelet Theater, performances by M. Fokin were shown: “ Polovtsian dances» from op. A. Borodin, "Pavilion of Armida" at the music. Tcherepnin, "La Sylphides" to the music. F. Chopin, suite - divertissement "Celebration" to the music. M.I. Glinka, P.I. Tchaikovsky, A. Glazunov, M.P. Mussorgsky.

"Revelation", "revolution", and the beginning new era in the ballet, the Parisian chroniclers and critics called the Russian "surprise".

Diaghilev, as an entrepreneur, counted on the preparedness of the Parisians for the perception of the new art, but not only. He foresaw the interest in native Russian national essence those works that he was going to "discover" in Paris. He said: “The entire post-Petrine Russian culture is cosmopolitan in appearance, and one must be a subtle and sensitive judge in order to note in it the precious elements of originality; you have to be a foreigner to understand Russian in Russian; they feel much deeper where “we” begin, that is, they see what is most dear to them, and to which we are positively blind.

For each performance, M. Fokin selected special means of expression. The costumes and scenery corresponded to the style of the era during which the action took place. Classical dance took on a certain color depending on developing events. Fokin sought to ensure that the pantomime was dancing, and the dance was mimic expressive. The dance in his productions carried a specific semantic load. Fokin did a lot to update Russian ballet, but he never abandoned classical dance, believing that only on its basis can a real choreographer, choreographer, artist-dancer be brought up.

T. P. Karsavina (1885-1978) was a consistent exponent of Fokine's ideas. In her performance, the "World of Art" especially appreciated the amazing ability to convey the beauty of the inner essence of the images of the past, whether it be the mournful nymph Echo ("Narcissus and Echo"), or Armida, descended from the tapestry ("Pavilion of Armida"). The theme of the alluring but elusive beautiful ideal was embodied by the ballerina in The Firebird, subordinating the development of this exotic look purely decorative, "painterly" ideas of the new synthetic ballet.

Fokine's ballets corresponded perfectly to the ideas and motives of the Silver Age culture. Most importantly, drawing something new from kindred muses, Fokine found equally new choreographic techniques that reveal the dance, advocating for its “naturalness”.

Since 1910, the Russian Seasons have been held without the participation of the opera.

Best performances in 1910 There were "Scheherazade" on the muses of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and the ballet-tale "The Firebird" to the music. I.F. Stravinsky.

In 1911 Diaghilev decided to create a permanent troupe, which was finally formed by 1913 and received the name "Russian Ballet" of Diaghilev, existed until 1929.

The 1911 season began with performances in Monte Carlo (continued in Paris, Rome, London). Fokine's ballets were staged: "Vision of the Rose" to the music. Weber, "Narcissus" to the music. Tcherepnin, "The Underwater Kingdom" to the muses from the opera "Sadko" by N. A. Rimsky - Korsakov, "Swan Lake" (abridged version with the participation of M. Kshesinskaya and V. Nijinsky).

Particular success was caused by the ballet "Petrushka" at the music. I. Stravinsky, and designed the ballet by A. Benois. A huge share of the success of this production belongs to the performer of the main part, the part of Petrushka, the brilliant Russian dancer Vatslav Nijinsky. This ballet became the pinnacle of Fokine's choreographer's work in the Diaghilev enterprise, marked the beginning of the world recognition of I.F. Stravinsky, the role of Petrushka became one of best roles V. Nijinsky. His perfected technique, phenomenal jumps and flights entered the history of choreography. However, this brilliant artist was attracted not only by his technique, but above all by his amazing ability to convey inner world their heroes. Nijinsky-Petrushka in the memoirs of contemporaries appears either rushing about in impotent anger, or a helpless doll, frozen on her fingertips with stiff hands pressed to her chest in rough mittens ...

Diaghilev's artistic policy changed, his entreprise no longer had the goal of promoting Russian art abroad, but became an enterprise that was largely oriented towards the interests of the public, commercial goals.

With the beginning of the 1st World War, the performances of the Russian Ballet were temporarily interrupted

Season from 1915-16. The troupe has toured Spain, Switzerland and the United States.

The troupe then staged the ballets The Rite of Spring, The Wedding, Apollo Musagete, Steel Skok, Prodigal son”,“ Daphnis and Chloe ”,“ Cat ”, etc.

After the death of S.P. Diaghilev's troupe broke up. In 1932 on the basis of the ballet troupes of the Monte-Carlo Opera and the Russian Opera in Paris, created after the death of S.P. Diaghilev, organized by de Basil "Valle rus de Monte Carlo".

Russian ballets became an integral part of the cultural life of Europe in 1900 - 1920, had a significant impact on all areas of art; perhaps never before Russian art did not have such a large-scale and profound impact on European culture, as in the years of the "Russian seasons".

The works of Russian composers, the talent and skill of Russian performers, the scenery and costumes created by Russian artists - all this aroused the admiration of the foreign public, the musical and artistic community. In connection with the enormous success of the Russian season in Paris in 1909, A. Benois pointed out that the triumph in Paris was the whole of Russian culture, the whole feature of Russian art, its conviction, freshness and immediacy.

Conclusion

The activities of the troupe "Russian Ballet" S.P. Diaghilev made an epoch in history ballet theater, which unfolded against the backdrop of a general decline in choreographic art.

"Russian Ballet", in fact, remained almost the only carrier of high performing culture and guardian of the heritage of the past.

For two decades, being in the spotlight artistic life West, "Russian Ballet" served as an incentive for the revival of this art form.

The reformatory activity of the choreographers and artists of the Diaghilev troupe influenced further development world ballet. J. Balanchine in 1933 moved to America and became a classic of American ballet, Serge Lifar led the ballet troupe of the Paris Opera.

Turning millions and having the support of such creditors as Emperor Nicholas 1, entrepreneurs Eliseevs, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, and others, the owner of the famous "Pushkin collection", he lived on credit and "died alone, in hotel room, poor as he always was.

He is buried in the St. Michel cemetery, next to Stravinsky's grave, at the expense of French philanthropists.

Bibliography

I. S. Zilberstein /S. Diaghilev and Russian art

Morua A. / Literary portraits. Moscow 1971

Nestiev I. V. / Diaghilev and Musical Theatre XX century. - M., 1994;

Pozharskaya M. N. / Russian seasons in Paris. − M., 1988;

Rapatskaya L. A. / Art of the “Silver Age”. - M.: Enlightenment: “Vlados”, 1996;

Fedorovsky V. / Sergei Diaghilev or Backstage History of Russian Ballet. − M.: Zksmo, 2003.

"Russian Seasons" - annual theatrical performances of Russian opera and ballet at the beginning of the 20th century in Paris (since 1906), London (since 1912) and other cities of Europe and the USA. The "Seasons" were organized by Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev (1872-1929).

S.P. Diaghilev - Russian theatrical figure, entrepreneur. In 1896 he graduated from the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, at the same time he studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the class of Rimsky-Korsakov. Diaghilev knew painting, theater and the history of artistic styles very well. In 1898, he became one of the organizers of the "World of Art" group, as well as the editor of the magazine of the same name, which, as in other areas of culture, fought against the "academic routine" for new means of expression new modern art. In 1906-1907, Diaghilev organized exhibitions of Russian artists in Berlin, Paris, Monte Carlo, Venice, as well as performances by Russian artists.

In 1906, the first Russian season of Diaghilev took place in Western Europe, in Paris. He began working at the Salon d'Automne to organize a Russian exhibition, which was supposed to present Russian painting and sculpture over two centuries. In addition, Diaghilev added to it a collection of icons. Particular attention at this exhibition was given to a group of artists from the "World of Art" (Benoit, Borisov-Musatov, Vrubel, Bakst, Grabar, Dobuzhinsky, Korovin, Larionov, Malyutin, Roerich, Somov, Serov, Sudeikin) and others. The exhibition opened under the chairmanship of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the exhibition committee was headed by Count I. Tolstoy. Diaghilev released for greater accessibility a catalog of Russian art exhibition in Paris with an introductory article by Alexandre Benois on Russian art. The exhibition at the Autumn Salon was an unheard-of success - that's when Diaghilev begins to think about other Russian seasons in Paris. For example, about the season of Russian music. He arranges a trial concert, and its success set the plans for the next 1907. Returning to St. Petersburg in triumph, Diaghilev began to prepare the second Russian season. His famous Historical Concerts. For this, a committee was created chaired by A.S. Taneyev - chamberlain of the highest court and notorious composer. The best musical forces were involved in these concerts: Arthur Nikish (an incomparable interpreter of Tchaikovsky), Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Glazunov and others conducted. These concerts started world fame F. Chaliapin. "Historical Russian Concertos" were compiled from the works of Russian composers and performed by Russian artists and choir Bolshoi Theater. The program was carefully designed and composed of masterpieces of Russian music: "Seasons" presented in Paris the Russian opera "Boris Godunov" with the participation of Chaliapin. The opera was staged in the editorial office of Rimsky-Korsakov and in luxurious scenery by the artists Golovin, Benois, Bilibin. The program included the overture and first act of Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila, symphonic paintings from Rimsky-Korsakov's The Night Before Christmas and The Snow Maiden, as well as parts from Sadko and Tsar Saltan. Of course, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Mussorgsky, Taneyev, Scriabin, Balakirev, Cui were represented. After the stunning success of Mussorgsky and Chaliapin, Diaghilev next year brings to Paris "Boris Godunov" with the participation of Chaliapin. The Parisians discovered a new Russian miracle- Chaliapin's Boris Godunov. Diaghilev said that this performance was simply impossible to describe. Paris was shocked. Public Grand Opera, always prim, this time screaming, knocking, crying.

And again Diaghilev returns to St. Petersburg to begin work on the preparation of a new "Season". This time he was to show Russian ballet to Paris. At first everything went smoothly and brilliantly. Diaghilev received a large subsidy, he enjoyed the highest patronage, he received the Hermitage Theater for rehearsals. Almost every evening an informal committee met at Diaghilev's own apartment to work out the program for the Paris season. From the Petersburg dancers, a young, "revolutionary" group was outlined - M. Fokin, an excellent dancer, who at that time was starting his career as a choreographer, Anna Pavlova and Tamara Karsavina and, of course, the brilliant Kshesinskaya, Bolm, Monakhov and a very young, but declared himself as about the "eighth wonder of the world" Nijinsky. The prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Koralli was invited from Moscow. Everything seemed to work out so well. But ... Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich died, and besides, Diaghilev offended Kshesinskaya, to whom he was primarily obliged to receive a subsidy. He offended her by wanting to resume Giselle for Anna Pavlova, and he offered the magnificent Kshesinskaya a small role in the ballet The Pavilion of Armida. There was a stormy explanation, "during which the "interlocutors" threw things at each other ...". Diaghilev lost his subsidies and patronage. But that was not all - the Hermitage, scenery and costumes were taken away from him. Mariinsky Theater. Court intrigues began. (Only two years later he would reconcile with the ballerina Kshesinskaya and kept for life with her a good relationship.) Everyone already believed that there would be no Russian season in 1909. But it was necessary to have the indestructible energy of Diaghilev in order to rise again from the ashes. Help (almost salvation) came from Paris, from a secular lady and friend of Diaghilev Sert - she arranged a subscription in Paris with her friends and collected the necessary funds so that the Châtelet theater could be rented. Work began again, and the Repertoire was finally approved. These were Tcherepnin's "Pavilion of Armida", "Polovtsian Dances" from "Prince Igor" by Borodin, "Feast" to the music of Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Glinka and Glazunov, "Cleopatra" by Arensky, the first act of "Ruslan and Lyudmila" in the scenery ARTISTS of the "World of Art" group. Fokine, Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova and T. Karsavina were the main figures in Diaghilev's "Russian ballet" project. Here is what Karsavina said about Diaghilev:

"As a young man, he already possessed that sense of perfection, which is undoubtedly the property of a genius. He knew how to distinguish transient truth from eternal truth in art. For all the time that I knew him, he was never mistaken in his judgments, and the artists had absolute faith in his opinion. Nijinsky was the pride of Diaghilev - he only graduated from college in 1908 and entered the Mariinsky Theater, and they immediately started talking about him as a miracle. They talked about his extraordinary jumps and flights, calling him a bird-man. “Nijinsky,” recalls the artist and friend of Diaghilev S. Lifar, “given himself completely to Diaghilev, to his careful and loving hands into his will - whether because he instinctively felt that in no one's hands he would be so safe and no one was able to shape his dancing genius like Diaghilev, or because, infinitely soft and completely devoid of will, he was unable to resist someone else's will. His fate turned out to be entirely and exclusively in the hands of Diaghilev, especially after the story with the Mariinsky Theater in early 1911, when he was forced to retire because of Diaghilev. "Nijinsky was a rare dancer, and only a dancer. Diaghilev believed that he could be a choreographer. However, in this role, Nijinsky was unbearable - ballet dancers perceived and remembered rehearsals with him as terrible torments, because Nijinsky could not clearly express what he wanted. In 1913, Diaghilev released Nijinsky into the world, on an American trip. And there, indeed, poor Nijinsky almost died, completely submitting again to someone else's will.But it was already a woman, Romola Pulska, who married Nijinsky to herself, moreover, dragged him into the Tolstoy sect. All this accelerated the process mental illness dancer. But it will still be. In the meantime, until the end of April 1909, the Russian "barbarians" finally arrive in Paris and frantic work begins before the next "Russian Season". The problems that Diaghilev had to overcome were darkness. Firstly, the high society of Paris, having seen Russian ballet dancers at a dinner in their honor, was greatly disappointed by their outward grayness and provincialism, which caused doubt in their art as well. Secondly, the "Chatelet" theater itself - state-owned, gray and boring, was completely unsuitable as a "frame" for beautiful Russian performances. Diaghilev even rebuilt the stage, removed five rows of stalls and replaced it with boxes, covered with columnar velvet. And in the midst of all this incredible construction noise, Fokin held rehearsals, raising his voice to shout over all the noise. And Diaghilev was literally torn between artists and musicians, ballet dancers and workers, between visitors and critics-interviewers, who increasingly published materials about Russian ballet and Diaghilev himself.

On May 19, 1909, the first ballet performance took place. It was a holiday. It was a miracle. One French grand dame recalled that it was "sacred fire and sacred delirium that engulfed the whole auditorium". Before the public there was really something never seen before, unlike anything, incomparable. A completely special beautiful world, which none of the Parisian spectators even suspected. This "nonsense", this passion lasted for six weeks. Ballet performances alternated with operas. Diaghilev spoke of this time: "We all live as if bewitched in the gardens of Armida. The very air surrounding Russian ballets is full of dope." The famous Frenchman Jean Cocteau wrote: "The red curtain rises over the holidays that turned France upside down and which carried the crowd into ecstasy after the chariot of Dionysus." Russian ballet was accepted by Paris immediately. Accepted as a great artistic revelation that created an entire era in art. Real hymns were sung to Karsavina, Pavlova and Nijinsky. They instantly became favorites of Paris. Karsavina, the critic said, "looks like dancing flame in the light and shadows of which languid bliss dwells. "But the Russian ballet charmed everyone by the fact that it was an ensemble, by the fact that the corps de ballet played a great role in it. In addition, both the painting of the scenery and the costumes - everything was significant, everything created artistic ensemble. Less was said about the choreography of the Russian ballet - it was just difficult to understand it right away. But all the holidays come to an end. The Parisian one also ended. It was, of course, a worldwide success, since Russian artists received invitations to different countries peace. Karsavina and Pavlova were invited to London and America, Fokine - to Italy and America. Diaghilev, having returned to St. Petersburg, began preparations for the new season, in which it was imperative to consolidate success. And Diaghilev, who has a fantastic sense of talent, knew that Igor Stravinsky, with his ballets, in particular The Firebird, would be the new Russian miracle next season. "The predestined man entered his life." And from now on, the fate of the Russian Ballet will be inseparable from this name - from Stravinsky. In the spring of 1910, Paris was again shocked by the Diaghilev ballet and opera. The program was just amazing. Diaghilev brought five new works, including Stravinsky's ballet. These were luxurious ballets, this was a new attitude to dance, to music, to the painting of the performance. The French realized they needed to learn from the Russians. But the triumph of this season also dealt a blow to the Diaghilev troupe - some artists signed foreign contracts, and Anna Pavlova left Diaghilev back in 1909. Diaghilev decided in 1911 to organize a permanent ballet troupe, which was formed in 1913 and received the name "Russian Ballet of Sergei Diaghilev". Over the twenty years of the existence of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes, he has staged eight ballets by Stravinsky. In 1909, Anna Pavlova left the ballet troupe, and others followed her. The permanent ballet troupe begins to replenish with foreign dancers, which, of course, loses its national character.

The ballet repertoire of the "Seasons" included "Pavilion of Armida" by Tcherepnin, "Scheherazade" by Rimsky-Korsakov, "Giselle" by Tchaikovsky, "Petrushka", "Fire Bird", "The Rite of Spring" by Stravinsky, "Cleopatra" ("Egyptian Nights") by Arensky , "Vision of the Rose" by Weber, "The Legend of Joseph" by R. Strauss, " afternoon rest Faun" Debussy and others. For this touring troupe, Diaghilev invited M. Fokine and a group of leading ballet soloists of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theaters, as well as artists from private opera S.I. Zimin - A. Pavlov, V. Nizhinsky, T. Karsavin, E. Geltser, M. Mordkin, V. Koralli and others. In addition to Paris, the Diaghilev ballet troupe toured in London, Rome, Berlin, Monte Carlo, and in the cities of America. These performances have always been a triumph of Russian ballet art. They contributed to the revival of ballet in a number of European countries and had a huge impact on many artists.

Tours were held, as a rule, immediately after the end of the winter theatrical season. In Paris, performances were held at the Grand Opera (1908, 1910, 1914), Châtelet (1909, 1911, 1912), and the Théâtre des Champs Elysées (1913).

No less prestigious theaters hosted the troupe in London as well. These were the Covent Garden Theater (1912), Drury Lane (1913, 1914).

After the outbreak of the First World War, Diaghilev transferred his entreprise to the United States. Until 1917, his ballet troupe performed in New York. In 1917 the troupe disbanded. Most of the dancers stayed in the USA. Diaghilev returns to Europe and, together with E. Cecchetti, creates a new troupe, in which, along with Russian emigrant actors, foreign dancers perform under fictitious Russian names. The troupe existed until 1929. Diaghilev, with his delicate taste, brilliant erudition, huge plans, most interesting projects, all his life he was the soul of his offspring "Russian Ballet", all his life he was in an artistic search, an eternally seething creator. But in 1927, in addition to ballet, he had a new business that passionately fascinated him - book. It grew rapidly, acquiring Diaghilev proportions. He intended to create a huge Russian book depository in Europe. He made grandiose plans, but death stopped him. Diaghilev died on August 19, 1929. He and his "Russian Seasons" have remained a unique and brightest page in the history of world and Russian culture.

The Russian seasons of Sergei Diaghilev, and especially his ballet entreprise, not only glorified Russian art abroad, but also big influence to world culture. "Culture.RF" recalls the life and career of an outstanding entrepreneur.

The cult of pure art

Valentin Serov. Portrait of Sergei Diaghilev (detail). 1904. State Russian Museum

The reviews of art criticism turned out to be more than favorable, and for the majority of Parisians, Russian painting became a real discovery. The author of the biography of the impresario, writer Natalia Chernyshova-Melnik, in her book Diaghilev quotes the reviews of the Paris press: “But could we suspect the existence of a majestic poet - the unfortunate Vrubel? .. Here are Korovin, Petrovichev, Roerich, Yuon - landscape painters seeking thrills and expressing them with rare harmony Serov and Kustodiev - deep and significant portrait painters; here is Anisfeld and Rylov - landscape painters are very valuable ... "

Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Diaghilev, Leon Bakst and Coco Chanel. Switzerland. 1915. Photo: persons-info.com

"Russian Seasons" in Seville. 1916. Photo: diletant.media

Backstage at the Russian Ballets. 1916. Photo: diletant.media

The first European success of Diaghilev only provoked him, and he took up music. In 1907, he organized a series of five Historical Russian Concerts, which took place on the stage of the Paris Grand Opera. Diaghilev carefully approached the selection of the repertoire: works by Mikhail Glinka, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, Alexander Scriabin sounded from the stage. As in the case of the 1906 exhibition, Diaghilev approached the accompanying materials responsibly: the printed programs of the concerts told short biographies of Russian composers. The concerts were as successful as the first Russian exhibition, and it was the performance with the part of Prince Igor in the "Historical Russian Concerts" that glorified Fyodor Chaliapin. Of the composers, the Parisian public especially warmly received Mussorgsky, who since that time has become a big fashion in France.

Convinced that Russian music arouses the keenest interest among Europeans, for the third Russian season of 1908, Diaghilev chose the opera Boris Godunov by Mussorgsky. In preparation for the production, the impresario personally studied the author's clavier, noting that in the production of the opera edited by Rimsky-Korsakov, two scenes were deleted, which he considered important for general dramaturgy. In Paris, Diaghilev presented the opera in a new version, which has since been used by many contemporary directors. Diaghilev did not hesitate at all to adapt the source material, adapting to the audience, whose viewing habits he knew very well. Therefore, for example, in his "Godunov" the final scene was the death of Boris - to enhance the dramatic effect. The same applied to the timing of performances: Diaghilev believed that they should not last longer than three and a half hours, and he calculated the change of scenery and the order of mise-en-scenes down to seconds. The success of the Paris version of Boris Godunov only confirmed Diaghilev's authority as a director as well.

Russian Ballet Diaghilev

Pablo Picasso is working on the design of Sergei Diaghilev's ballet "Parade". 1917. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Workshop Covent Garden. Sergei Diaghilev, Vladimir Polunin and Pablo Picasso, the author of the sketches for the ballet The Three-Cornered Hat. London. 1919. Photo: stil-gizni.com

At the plane Ludmila Shollar, Alicia Nikitina, Serge Lifar, Walter Nouvel, Sergei Grigoriev, Lyubov Chernysheva, Olga Khokhlova, Alexandrina Trusevich, Paulo and Pablo Picasso. 1920s Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The idea to bring the ballet abroad came to the impresario in 1907. Then at the Mariinsky Theater he saw Mikhail Fokine's production of The Pavilion of Armida, a ballet to music by Nikolai Tcherepnin with scenery by Alexandre Benois. At that time, among young dancers and choreographers, there was a certain opposition to classical traditions, which, as Diaghilev said, "jealously guarded" by Marius Petipa. “Then I thought about new short ballets, - Diaghilev wrote later in his memoirs, - Which would be self-contained phenomena of art and in which the three factors of ballet - music, drawing and choreography - would be merged much more closely than has been observed so far.. With these thoughts, he began to prepare the fourth Russian season, the tour of which was scheduled for 1909.

At the end of 1908, the impresario signed contracts with leading ballet dancers from St. Petersburg and Moscow: Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Mikhail Fokine, Vaslav Nijinsky, Ida Rubinstein, Vera Karalli and others. In addition to ballet, opera performances appeared in the program of the fourth Russian season: Diaghilev invited Fyodor Chaliapin, Lydia Lipkovskaya, Elizaveta Petrenko and Dmitry Smirnov to perform. With the financial support of his girlfriend, the famous society lady Misi Sert, Diaghilev rented the old Paris theater "Chatelet". The interior of the theater was redesigned especially for the premiere of Russian performances in order to increase the area of ​​the stage.

The Diaghilev troupe arrived in Paris at the end of April 1909. The repertoire of the new Season included the ballets Pavilion of Armida, Cleopatra and Sylphides, as well as Polovtsian Dances from the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin. The rehearsals were held in a tense atmosphere: to the sound of hammers and squealing, they drank during the reconstruction of the Chatelet. Mikhail Fokin, the chief choreographer of the productions, has made scandals about this more than once. The fourth Russian season premiered on May 19, 1909. Most spectators and critics did not appreciate the innovative choreography of the ballets, but everyone was delighted with the scenery and costumes of Lev Bakst, Alexander Benois and Nicholas Roerich, as well as the dancers, especially Anna Pavlova and Tamara Karsavina.

After that, Diaghilev focused entirely on ballet entreprise and significantly updated the repertoire, including Scheherazade to the music of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and a ballet based on Russians in the program of the Seasons. folk tales"Firebird". The entrepreneur asked Anatoly Lyadov to write the music for the last one, but he did not manage to do it - and the order went to young composer Igor Stravinsky. From that moment began his many years of fruitful cooperation with Diaghilev.

Russian ballet in Cologne during Sergei Diaghilev's European tour. 1924. Photo: diletant.media

Jean Cocteau and Sergei Diaghilev in Paris at the premiere of The Blue Express. 1924. Photo: diletant.media

The past success of the ballets allowed the impresario to present the performances of the new season already at the Grand Opera; the premiere of the fifth Russian seasons took place in May 1910. Lev Bakst, who traditionally participated in the creation of costumes and scenery, recalled: “The crazy success of Scheherazade (all Paris dressed up in Oriental clothes!)”.

The Firebird premiered on June 25. In the crowded hall of the Grand Opera, the artistic elite of Paris gathered, including Marcel Proust (Russian seasons are mentioned more than once on the pages of his seven-volume epic In Search of Lost Time). The originality of Diaghilev's vision manifested itself in the famous episode with live horses, which were supposed to appear on stage during the performance. Igor Stravinsky recalled this incident: “... The poor animals came out, as expected, in turn, but began to neigh and dance, and one of them proved to be more of a critic than an actor, leaving a foul-smelling business card... But this episode was later forgotten in the heat of general applause at the address of the new ballet ". Mikhail Fokin combined pantomime, grotesque and classical dance. All this harmoniously combined with the scenery of Alexander Golovin and the music of Stravinsky. The Firebird, as noted by the Parisian critic Henri Géon, was "a miracle of the most delightful balance between movements, sounds and forms ..."

In 1911 Sergei Diaghilev established permanent place holding his Ballets Russes ("Russian Ballet") - in Monte Carlo. In April of that year, the new Russian Seasons opened at the Monte-Carlo Theater with the premiere of the ballet The Phantom of the Rose directed by Mikhail Fokin. In it, the audience was struck by the jumps of Vaslav Nijinsky. Later in Paris, Diaghilev presented "Petrushka" to the music of Stravinsky, which became the main hit of that season.

The next Russian seasons, in 1912-1917, including because of the war in Europe, were not very successful for Diaghilev. Among the most offensive failures was the premiere of the innovative ballet to the music of Igor Stravinsky The Rite of Spring, which the public did not accept. The audience did not appreciate the "barbarian dances" to the unusual pagan stormy music. At the same time, Diaghilev parted ways with Nijinsky and Fokine and invited the young dancer and choreographer Leonid Myasin to join the troupe.

Pablo Picasso. Later, the artists Juan Miro and Max Ernst made the scenery for the ballet "Romeo and Juliet".

The years 1918-1919 were marked by successful tours in London - the troupe spent a whole year there. In the early 1920s, Diaghilev had new dancers invited by Bronislava Nijinska, Serge Lifar and George Balanchine. Subsequently, after the death of Diaghilev, they both became the founders of national ballet schools: Balanchine - American, and Lifar - French.

Beginning in 1927, work in ballet less and less satisfied Diaghilev, besides, he became interested in books and became an avid collector. The last resounding success of the Diaghilev troupe was Leonid Myasin's 1928 production of "Apollo Musagete" with music by Igor Stravinsky and costumes by Coco Chanel.

The Russian Ballet worked successfully until the death of Diaghilev in 1929. In his memoirs, Igor Stravinsky, speaking about new trends in the ballet of the 20th century, noted: “...would these trends have arisen without Diaghilev? Don't think".

"Russian Seasons in Paris" or as they are also called "Diaghilev Seasons", which took place in Europe from 1907 to 1929, were a triumph of Russian, and then world art. Thanks to Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev, the world became aware of the names of outstanding Russian artists, musicians, choreographers and ballet performers. "Russian Seasons" gave impetus to the revival of ballet art, which had died out in Europe at that time, and to its appearance in the USA.

Initially, the idea to show the world the works of Russian masters of art belonged to the members of the "World of Art" circle, and in 1906 Diaghilev organized an exhibition of modern painting and sculpture in the Paris Autumn Salon, in which the works of artists Bakst, Benois, Vrubel, Roerich, Serov and others were presented. The exhibition was a resounding success! Russian historical concerts with the participation of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Glazunov and others. Arias from operas by Russian composers were presented to the European public. Further, in 108, opera seasons took place, during which the French were captivated by the performance of Fyodor Chaliapin in MP Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov.

In the 1909 season were included in addition to operas and ballets. Diaghilev's fascination with this view performing arts was so great that it forever pushed the opera into the background in the Russian Seasons. From the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg and the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Pavlova, Karsavia, Nijinsky, Kshesinskaya were invited. For the first time, the name of the then novice choreographer M. Fokin, who became an innovator in his art and expanded the scope of the traditional understanding of ballet dance, was mentioned. The young composer I. Stravinsky begins his career.

At the first stages of its existence, "Russian Seasons" demonstrated to the foreign audience the achievements of Russian art, using productions that were already going on on the domestic stage. However, the reproaches of some critics against the Diaghilev entreprise that it works "with everything ready" were not fair. Best productions Imperial theaters were included in the tour program in a transformed and transformed form. Much was modified, refined, created anew to perform scenery and costumes in a number of performances, new artists were involved.

Over time, Diaghilev recruited a permanent troupe, since many artists during the first period of the existence of the entreprise went to European theaters. The main rehearsal base was in Monte Carlo.

Success accompanied the Russian troupe until 1912. This season has been a failure. Diaghilev began to move towards innovative experiments in ballet art. Turned to foreign composers. Three of the four new productions of the season, in the choreography of Fokine, were received by the Parisian audience coolly and without interest, and the fourth in the choreography of Nijinsky (this was his first stop) - "Afternoon of a Faun" - was received extremely ambiguously. The Parisian newspaper "Figaro" wrote: this is not an elegant eclogue and not a deep work. We had an unsuitable faun with disgusting movements of erotic bestiality and with gestures of grievous shamelessness. That's all. And the fair scrolls met with too expressive pantomime of this body of a badly built animal, disgusting de face and even more disgusting in profile"

However, Parisian artistic circles perceived the ballet in a completely different light. The newspaper Le Matin published an article by Auguste Rodin praising Nijinsky's talent: "There are no more dances, no jumps, nothing but the positions and gestures of a semi-conscious animality: he spreads himself, leans on his back, walks crouched, straightens up, moves forward, retreats with slow movements then sharp, nervous, angular, his gaze follows, his arms tense up, his hand opens wide, his fingers clench one against the other, his head turns, with lust for a measured clumsiness that can be considered the only one.The coordination between facial expressions and plasticity is perfect, the whole body expresses what reason requires: he has the beauty of a fresco and an antique statue; he is an ideal model with which one wants to draw and sculpt.

(To be continued).