“Russian Seasons” - tour performances of Russian ballet and opera artists (1908-29), organized by a famous cultural figure and entrepreneur abroad (since 1908 in Paris, since 1912 in London, since 1915 in other countries). The main activity of the enterprise was ballet. Operas were staged rarely and mostly before 1914.
The “Russian Seasons” began in 1906, when Diaghilev brought an exhibition of Russian artists to Paris. In 1907, a series of concerts of Russian music (“Historical Russian Concerts”) took place at the Grand Opera. Actually, the “Russian Seasons” began in 1908 in Paris, when the opera “Boris Godunov” was performed here (director Sanin, conductor Blumenfeld; set design by A. Golovin, A. Benois, K. Yuon, E. Lanceray; costumes by I. Bilibin; soloists Chaliapin, Kastorsky, Smirnov, Ermolenko-Yuzhina, etc.).
In 1909, the Parisians were presented with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Woman of Pskov,” which was performed under the title “Ivan the Terrible” (among the soloists were Chaliapin, Lipkovskaya, and Kastorsky). In 1913, Khovanshchina was staged (directed by Sanin, conducted by Cooper, Chaliapin performed the role of Dosifei). In 1914, the world premiere of Stravinsky's opera The Nightingale (director Sanin, conductor Monteux) took place at the Grand Opera. In 1922, Stravinsky’s “The Mavra” was staged there.
In 1924, three operas by Gounod (The Dove, The Reluctant Doctor, Philemon and Baucis) were staged at the theater in Monte Carlo. Note also world premiere(concert performance) of Stravinsky’s opera-oratorio “Oedipus the King” (1927, Paris).
“Russian Seasons” played a huge role in the promotion of Russian art abroad and in the development of the world artistic process in 20th century.
E. Tsodokov
“Russian Seasons” abroad, opera and ballet performances organized by S. P. Diaghilev. They were supported by circles of the Russian artistic intelligentsia (“World of Art”, Belyaevsky musical circle, etc.). The “Russian Seasons” began in Paris in 1907 with historical concerts with the participation of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, S. V. Rachmaninov, A. K. Glazunov, F. I. Chaliapin. In 1908-09 the operas “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgsky, “The Woman of Pskov” by Rimsky-Korsakov, “Prince Igor” by Borodin and others were performed.
In 1909, for the first time, along with opera performances, ballets by M. M. Fokin (previously staged by him in St. Petersburg) were shown: “Pavilion of Armida” (art. A. N. Benois), “Polovtsian Dances” (art. N. K. Roerich ); “La Sylphides” (“Chopiniana”) to the music of Chopin, “Cleopatra” (“Egyptian Nights”) by Arensky (artist L. S. Bakst) and the divertimento “Feast” to the music of Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, Mussorgsky.
The ballet troupe consisted of artists from the St. Petersburg Mariinsky and Moscow Bolshoi theaters. Soloists - A. P. Pavlova, V. F. Nijinsky, T. P. Karsavina, E. V. Geltser, S. F. Fedorova, M. M. Mordkin, V. A. Karalli, M. P. Froman and etc. Choreographer - Fokine.
Since 1910, “Russian Seasons” took place without the participation of opera. In the 2nd season (Paris, Berlin, Brussels) new productions by Fokine were shown - “Carnival” (artist Bakst), “Scheherazade” to the music of Rimsky-Korsakov (same artist, curtain based on sketches by V. A. Serov), “ The Firebird" (artists A. Ya. Golovin and Bakst), as well as "Giselle" (edited by M. I. Petipa, artist Benois) and "Orientalia" (choreographic miniatures, including fragments from "Cleopatra", "Polovtsian Dances" ", numbers to the music of Arensky, Glazunov and others, "Siamese Dance" to the music of Sinding and "Kobold" to the music of Grieg, staged by Fokin for Nijinsky).
In 1911, Diaghilev decided to create a permanent troupe, which was finally formed by 1913 and received the name "".
“Russian Seasons” by Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev
“And what are you, dear, doing here? – King Alfonso of Spain once asked Sergei Diaghilev during a meeting with the famous entrepreneur of “Russian Seasons”. – You don’t conduct an orchestra and don’t play the piano. musical instrument, you don’t paint scenery or dance. So what are you doing? To which he replied: “You and I are alike, Your Majesty! I don't work. I do nothing. But you can’t do it without me.”
The “Russian Seasons” organized by Diaghilev were not just propaganda of Russian art in Europe, they became an integral part European culture beginning of the twentieth century and an invaluable contribution to the development of ballet art.
History "Russian Seasons" by Diaghilev and many interesting facts read on our page.
Background of “Russian Seasons”
Combination legal education and interest in music developed in Sergei Diaghilev brilliant organizational skills and the ability to discern talent even in a novice performer, complemented by, speaking modern language, a manager's streak.
Diaghilev’s close acquaintance with the theater began with the editing of the “Yearbook of the Imperial Theaters” in 1899, when he served at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Thanks to the assistance of the artists of the World of Art group, to which the official on special assignments S. Diaghilev belonged, he transformed the publication from a meager statistical compendium into a real art magazine.
When, after a year of working as the editor of the Yearbook, Diaghilev was commissioned to organize L. Delibes’ ballet “Sylvia, or the Nymph of Diana,” a scandal arose over the modernist scenery, which did not fit into the conservative atmosphere of the theater of that time. Diaghilev was fired and he returned to painting, organizing exhibitions of paintings by European artists and “World of Art” artists in Russia. The logical continuation of this activity was in 1906 the landmark art exhibition at the Paris Autumn Salon. From this event the history of the Seasons began...
Ups and downs…
Inspired by the success of the Autumn Salon, Diaghilev did not want to stop and, having decided to establish a tour of Russian artists in Paris, he first gave preference to music. So, in 1907, Sergei Pavlovich organized “Historical Russian Concerts”, the program of which included 5 symphony concerts Russian classics, held at the Paris Grand Opera, reserved for the Seasons. Chaliapin's high bass, the Bolshoi Theater choir, Nikisch's conducting skills and Hoffmann's delightful piano playing captivated the Parisian audience. In addition, a carefully selected repertoire, which includes excerpts from "Ruslana and Lyudmila" Glinka, "Christmas Nights" "Sadko" And "Snow Maidens" Rimsky-Korsakov, " Enchantresses " Tchaikovsky, " Khovanshchiny " and "Boris Godunov" by Mussorgsky, created a real sensation.
In the spring of 1908, Diaghilev again went to win the hearts of Parisians: this time with opera. However "Boris Godunov" The theater was far from full and the proceeds barely covered the troupe's expenses. Something urgently needed to be decided.
Knowing what the public of that time liked, Diaghilev compromised with his own principles. He despised ballet, considering it primitive entertainment for equally primitive minds, but in 1909, an entrepreneur sensitive to the mood of the public brought 5 ballets: “Pavilion of Armida”, “Cleopatra”, “Polovtsian Dances”, “ Sylphide " and "Feast". The amazing success of the productions performed by the promising choreographer M. Fokin confirmed the correctness of Diaghilev’s choice. The best ballet dancers from Moscow and St. Petersburg - V. Nijinsky, A. Pavlova, I. Rubinstein, M. Kshesinskaya, T. Karsavina and others - formed the core ballet troupe. Although after a year Pavlova leaves the troupe due to disagreements with the impresario, “Russian Seasons” will become the springboard in her life, after which the ballerina’s fame will only grow. The poster by V. Serov, made for the 1909 tour and containing an image of Pavlova frozen in a graceful pose, became a prophecy of fame for the artist.
It was ballet that brought “Russian Seasons” great fame, and it was Diaghilev’s troupe that influenced the history of the development of this art form in all the countries where they had to tour. Since 1911, the “Russian Seasons” contained exclusively ballet numbers, the troupe began to perform in a relatively stable composition and received the name “Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet”. Now they perform not only at the Paris Seasons, but also go on tour to Monaco (Monte Carlo), England (London), USA, Austria (Vienna), Germany (Berlin, Budapest), Italy (Venice, Rome).
In Diaghilev's ballets, from the very beginning, there was a desire to synthesize music, singing, dance and visual arts into one whole, subordinated to a common concept. It was this feature that was revolutionary for that time, and it was precisely thanks to this feature that the performances of Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet caused either storms of applause or storms of criticism. In search of new forms, experimenting with plastic arts, decorations, and musical design, Diaghilev’s enterprise was significantly ahead of its time.
As proof of this, one can cite the fact that the event held in Paris (Theater on Champs Elysees) premiered in 1913 “The Rite of Spring” – a ballet based on Russian pagan rituals , - was drowned out by whistles and screams from the indignant audience, and in 1929 in London (Covent Garden Theatre) its production was crowned with enthusiastic exclamations and frantic applause.
Continuous experiments gave rise to such unique performances as “Games” (a fantasy on the theme of tennis), “The Blue God” (a fantasy on the theme of Indian motifs), the 8-minute ballet “The Afternoon of a Faun”, called by the public the most obscene phenomenon in the theater because the frankly erotic plasticity of the luminary, the “choreographic symphony” “Daphnis and Chloe” to the music of M. Ravel and others.
Diaghilev - reformer and modernist of ballet art
When Diaghilev's troupe came to the ballet, there was complete rigidity in academic conservatism. The great impresario had to destroy the existing canons, and on the European stage this, of course, was much easier to do than in Russia. Diaghilev did not take a direct part in the productions, but he was the organizing force thanks to which his troupe achieved world recognition.
Diaghilev intuitively understood that the main thing in ballet is a talented choreographer. He knew how to see the organizational gift even in a novice choreographer, as was the case with M. Fokin, and knew how to cultivate the qualities necessary to work with his troupe, as happened with 19-year-old V. Myasin. He also invited Serge Lifar to his team, first as a performer, and later made him new star in the galaxy of choreographers of the Russian Ballet troupe.
The productions of “Russian Seasons” were powerfully influenced by the work of modernist artists. Artists from the association “World of Arts” who gravitated toward symbolism worked on the sets and costumes: A. Benois, N. Roerich, B. Anisfeld, L. Bakst, S. Sudeikin, M. Dobuzhinsky, as well as avant-garde artists N. Goncharova, M. Larionov, Spanish monumentalist H.-M. Sert, Italian futurist D. Balla, cubists P. Picasso, H. Gris and J. Braque, French impressionist A. Matisse, neoclassicist L. Survage. The following were also involved as decorators and costume designers in Diaghilev’s productions: famous personalities, like K. Chanel, A. Laurent and others. As you know, form always influences content, as the audience of “Russian Seasons” observed. Not only the scenery, costumes and curtain were amazing artistic expression, shockingness, play of lines: the entire production of this or that ballet was permeated with modernist trends, plasticity gradually displaced the plot from the center of attention of the viewer.
Diaghilev used a wide variety of music for the productions of the Russian Ballet: from world classics F. Chopin , R. Schumann, K. Weber , D. Scarlatti, R. Strauss and Russian classics N. Rimsky-Korsakov , A. Glazunov, M. Mussorgsky, P. Tchaikovsky , M. Glinka to the Impressionists C. Debussy and M. Ravel, as well as contemporary Russian composers I. Stravinsky and N. Tcherepnina.
European ballet, which was experiencing a crisis of its development at the beginning of the twentieth century, was gifted with the young talents of Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet, refreshed by its new performance techniques, new plasticity, unsurpassed synthesis various types arts, from which something completely different from the usual classical ballet was born.
Interesting Facts
- Although “Historical Russian Concerts” are considered to be part of the “Russian Seasons”, only the 1908 poster contained this name for the first time. There were 20 more such seasons ahead, but the 1908 tour was the last attempt of the entrepreneur to do without ballet.
- To stage “The Afternoon of a Faun,” which lasted only 8 minutes, Nijinsky needed 90 rehearsals.
- An avid collector, Diaghilev dreamed of getting A. Pushkin’s unpublished letters to Natalya Goncharova. When they were finally handed over to him in June 1929, the entrepreneur was late for the train - he had a tour to Venice coming up. Diaghilev put the letters in the safe to read them after arriving home... but he was never destined to return from Venice. The land of Italy accepted the great impresario forever.
- While performing the solo part in the ballet “Orientalia” in 1910, V. Nijinsky made his famous jump, which made him famous as a “flying dancer”.
- Before each performance of the ballet “The Phantom of the Rose,” the costume designer re-sewed rose petals to Nijinsky’s costume, because after each performance he tore them off and gave them away to the dancer’s many fans.
Films about S. Diaghilev and his activities
- In the film “The Red Shoes” (1948), Diaghilev’s personality received an artistic reinterpretation in a character named Lermontov. In the role of Diaghilev - A. Walbrook.
- IN feature films“Nijinsky” (1980) and “Anna Pavlova” (1983) also paid attention to Diaghilev’s personality. His roles are played by A. Bates and V. Larionov, respectively.
- Documentary film by A. Vasiliev “The Fate of an Ascetic. Sergei Diaghilev" (2002) tells the story of the founder of the World of Arts magazine and the entrepreneur of Russian Seasons.
- A very interesting and exciting film “Geniuses and villains of a bygone era. Sergei Diaghilev" (2007) talks about little known facts related to Diaghilev and his production activities.
- In 2008, the “Ballet and Power” cycle dedicated films to Vaslav Nijinsky and Sergei Diaghilev, however, their controversial relationship and the talent of the young dancer became the focus of many films that deserve a separate review.
- The film “Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky” (2009) touches on the relationship between the entrepreneur and the composer who wrote the music for many of his performances.
- The documentary film “Paris of Sergei Diaghilev” (2010) is the most fundamental film work about the life and work of a talented entrepreneur.
- The first of the films in the series Historical travels Ivan Tolstoy" dedicated to Sergei Diaghilev - "Precious Bunch of Letters" (2011).
- One program from the series “The Chosen Ones” is also dedicated to Sergei Diaghilev. Russia. Century XX" (2012).
- The documentary film “Ballet in the USSR” (2013) (Series of programs “Made in the USSR”) partially touches on the theme of “Russian Seasons”.
- TV issue " Absolute pitch"from 02/13/2013 tells about Diaghilev and the art of the 20th century, and from 01/14/2015 - about the first performances of the ballet “The Afternoon of a Faun.”
- As part of the series of programs “Riddles of Terpsichore”, two films were released - “Sergei Diaghilev - a man of art” (2014) and “Sergei Diaghilev - from painting to ballet” (2015).
He can rightfully be considered the founder of domestic show business. He managed to play on the shocking nature of his troupe's performances and purposefully imbued the performances with various modernist techniques at all levels of composition: scenery, costumes, music, plastics - everything bore the imprint of the most fashionable trends of the era. In Russian ballet of the early twentieth century, as in other areas of art of that time, the dynamics from active searches Silver Age new means of expression to hysterical intonations and broken lines avant-garde art. " Russian seasons» raised european art on a high quality basis new level developments to this day never cease to inspire creative bohemians to search for new ideas.
Video: Watch a film about Diaghilev’s “Russian Seasons”
Which domestic artists have become international stars thanks to “Russian Seasons”.
Hereditary nobleman Sergei Diaghilev graduated from the Faculty of Law, but connected his life with art and in a few years made the whole world learn what Russian ballet, opera and painting were, and his “Russian Seasons” “blowed up” the whole of Paris.
The first tours of domestic musicians, which he organized abroad, brought a loss, but this only provoked Diaghilev - the next year he bet on ballet - and he was right.
The impresario always attracted only the best of the best to his work: the music for his ballets was written by Igor Stravinsky, the choreography was staged by Mikhail Fokine, Fyodor Chaliapin sang in his performances, Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky danced, and the scenery was designed by Natalia Goncharova and Pablo Picasso - sketches the last Diaghilev threw him on the floor and stomped on him if they didn’t suit him.
AiF.ru talks about some Russian artists who became world famous thanks to a brilliant entrepreneur.
Anna Pavlova
IN Russian Empire ballerina Anna Pavlova was a real star even before she met Diaghilev, but her participation in his “Russian Seasons” in 1909 brought her world fame - after which the dancer toured the whole world.
By the way, the emblem of Diaghilev’s “Seasons” was a poster by Valentin Serov with a silhouette of a dancing Pavlova.
Alexander Benois
The Diaghilev family: Sergei Diaghilev (right), Elena Valerianovna Panaeva - his father’s second wife, who replaced Sergei’s mother, brother Yuri (center), father Pavel Pavlovich and Valentin Diaghilev, 1885. Photo – RIA Novosti WITH an outstanding artist Sergei Diaghilev knew each other even before he organized the first event abroad: together they founded artistic association“World of Art” and published a magazine of the same name in their homeland.
Their collaboration continued abroad: Benoit’s works were exhibited at exhibitions of Russian painters, which Diaghilev organized in Paris, Venice, Berlin and Monte Carlo. The artist also designed the performances of the Russian Seasons and amazed the French with his scenery and costumes.
Fyodor Chaliapin
Before participating in “Russian Seasons” legendary singer He had already been abroad - he performed at the La Scala theater in Milan in 1901 and was a triumph. But after Chaliapin sang in Diaghilev’s first concert in Paris, the whole world started talking about the artist, and a year later the opera performance “Boris Godunov,” in which the bass sang the title role, further strengthened his success (the opera was also shown during “ Russian seasons").
At the same time, Chaliapin's tour began in New York, Berlin, and Buenos Aires.
Igor Stravinsky
A talented composer Diaghilev “found” his suite “Faun and Shepherdess” at the premiere and after some time offered him cooperation.
The union of the musician and the entrepreneur lasted several years - during this time Stravinsky wrote 3 ballets for the Russian Seasons, which made him famous throughout the world: The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring.
Leon Bakst
Russian artist Lev Rosenberg (aka Leon Bakst), who revolutionized stage design with his “fairy-tale” and luxurious sets and costumes, became the leading designer of the Russian Seasons: he worked with such ballets as Cleopatra, Scheherazade, Carnival", "Narcissus" and "Daphnis and Chloe".
But wide fame came to the artist even earlier: when he joined Diaghilev’s “World of Art”, his works began to “travel” to foreign exhibitions organized by the famous entrepreneur, and were published in the “World of Art” magazine.
Mikhail Fokin
The young choreographer was introduced to Diaghilev by his friend Alexandre Benois. Having assessed the dancer’s potential, the entrepreneur invited him to go to Paris and work on productions of the Russian Ballet.
He agreed and showed the French performances that he had already “tested” with the St. Petersburg public: the success was stunning.
All the ballet dancers involved in Fokine’s productions became international stars (Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Tamara Karsavina), and the “inspired” choreographer began new performances.
Vaslav Nijinsky
The Russian dancer of Polish origin also made a high-profile career, thanks to Sergei Diaghilev: at first he was one of the leading artists in the ballet troupe, and then the entrepreneur began to “promote” Nijinsky to the position of choreographer - he wanted to replace Fokine with him.
After the marriage of the newly minted choreographer, his collaboration with Diaghilev ceased; he tried to continue his career as a director, but he could never repeat the success he had in “Russian Seasons.”
A fabulous anniversary of global significance: today in Bolshoi Theater for the 500th time they dance “The Nutcracker” staged by Yuri Grigorovich.
In Russia and Europe, The Nutcracker is the main holiday ballet at Christmas and New Year. From classic to avant-garde - the author's experiments with style. One of the most striking is the performance, which premiered in Monte Carlo.
You only see this in a dream. A large-scale extravaganza on the stage of a toy theater. In a whirlpool of whimsical dances - animated dolls and young Marie, passionately dreaming of becoming a ballerina. With every new dress - new role. Marie tries on the parts of the best classical ballets created by the Monte Carlo troupe. A whole garland of images: Cinderella, princess, Sleeping beauty.
“Through the dreams of this girl, our choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot tells his story and the story of our ballet troupe. He talks about the most important thing that happened during the entire 20 years of its existence: from tedious classes in classes at the barre to the brilliance of the ballets he brought to life on stage.” , says prima ballerina of the Monte Carlo Ballet Bernice Coppieters.
Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot brings the action of "The Nutcracker" to the circus. And all the characters are involved in a bright holiday show with complex acrobatic performances.
"For me, the circus is an ideal theater in which you can experience the whole spectrum of emotions. There is danger in it, and virtuoso technique, and the ease with which all this is done. All the feelings are very bright and real. And for me there is some kind of mystery and the feeling of childhood,” said choreographer and director of the Monte Carlo Ballet Jean-Christophe Maillot.
ABOUT classical ballet Only Tchaikovsky's music and a few characters are reminiscent. The Nutcracker, Marie, whom he teaches to dance, and Kind fairy making their dream come true. An eccentric Nutcracker without a camisole and a wig. This hero is not like everyone else. He amazes bored ballerinas with his sparkling unusual dance.
"For me, in the image of the Nutcracker there is special philosophy. He fights with himself, with his own imperfections, and ultimately turns into a beautiful creature,” says Monte Carlo Ballet soloist Jeroen Verbruggen.
Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot gives this magical ballet to Princess Caroline of Monaco on New Year's Day. To look at the royal gift, connoisseurs of ballet art from all over the world come to sparkling New Year's Monaco.
“It was Princess Caroline who invited me to head the Monte Carlo Ballet 20 years ago. She fulfilled my dream of assembling an international troupe of brilliant dancers. So the good fairy, who in the story gives the world of dance to little Marie, is also my fairy,” says the choreographer, director of the Monte Carlo Ballet troupe Jean-Christophe Maillot.
Carolina decided to create a ballet troupe in memory of her mother, the tragically deceased Hollywood film star Grace Kelly. She dreamed of glorifying the Monaco ballet and reviving the traditions of Diaghilev’s Russian Seasons. One of the ballet halls here still bears his name. And in the Garnier Theater, built for him by the Prince of Monaco, performances are staged, restored by Jean-Christophe Maillot. Therefore, he has the right to consider himself the heir to the traditions of Russian ballet.
"My main source of inspiration is people with their feelings and experiences. So this is rather a fairy tale for adults. It talks about the decisive moments of our lives, when we have to make a choice on which our entire fate depends. At such moments it is especially important to believe that any dream can be realized,” says choreographer and director of the Monte-Carlo Ballet Jean-Christophe Maillot.
As the morning approaches fabulous theater dissolves. And even though the magical adventure turned out to be just a dream, everyone has a feeling of miracle for a long time.