In 1908, Sergey Pavlovich Dyagilev, a Russian artist, rented the big Opera building in Paris to organize a Russian Season with the participation of Fedor Shalyapin in the opera piece “Boris Godunov”. Petersburg newspapers then wrote: “Exciting persistence of feelings, picturesqueness, unity of the tragic and the comic”. The real triumph!
“Russian seasons” was so great that it gave access into the art world to many artists. For example, Anna Pavlova only participated in a first season, and then organized her own group.
And on a following year, Dyagilev brought to France a ballet piece and opened for himself a Russian art company. Music, ballet and art: Dyagilev connected all into one piece. We can say that Russian Seasons appeared from synthesis of art and the ballet was accepted in Paris as one of the greatest openings and a new era in art.
Because of Dyagilev, there was a revolution in dance, theatre, scenic arts and fashion. For project support, Dyagilev attracted patrons of art, bringing in Savva Morozov, countess Shevini, Princess Polignac and the bank of Gangsburg. “Pavilion of Armida” opened the first season.
Anna Pavlova and Vaclav Nizhinskiy danced the main parts. The costumes and decorations were created according to the pictures of Russian artist and art historian Aleksandra Benua,
Also, the dance “Poloveckie plyazki” from opera of “Knyaz Igor” was performed, and it was especially this kind of dance which gave the audience special delight. The critics announced the dance “ Plyazki” the best ballet in the world. In this type of dance you can feel all the unruliness of Russian life and soul that delighted the French audience.
“Russian seasons” was so great that it gave access into the art world to many artists. For example, Anna Pavlova only participated in a first season, and then organized her own group.
And other artists who were famous because of Dyagilev’s seasons used to leave once they received a more beneficial offer. After such a brilliant start, and having become known to the public, it was be easier for artists to build a future career.
It was hard to see a future start in a young man whose name was Serge Lifar. Famous later as Serge Lifar who beside becoming a ballet dancer, choreographer
And ballet master establish the Paris University of choreographer and dances.
Vaclav Nizhiniskiy become famous of being a great jumper, sometimes it looked like he hangs in the air. His name is immortal in art as well as the others. However, there was a bad period in his life too when everything seemed over. He was fired Imperator Theater because of the personal order from Empress who saw a young college graduate, dancing on the stage in one thin tights, that made her shocked. Diaghilev took advantage.
The choreograph of Dagiliev was Michael Fokin, he is famous of unusual plastic dance. For example, “Zhar-Ptica” it is miracle of equilibrium between movements, sounds and forms-this is how critics described it.
In 1910, the ballet “Shakherzada” by music Rimsogo-Korsajogo becomes famous. Colorful costumes by paintings of Lev Bakst gave start to fashion on the east. Exotics and Orientalism became inalienable part of fashion Parisian life, reflected in the clothes, hairstyles and furnishings of homes and shops.
The Ballet “Petrushka” by music of Igor Stravinskiy, is one of the masterpiece of Fokin. It was the favorite role of Nizhinskiy, in which he was acting as a dancer and a great drama actor.
The artist Valentin Serov who lived then in Paris wrote in Pitersburgs newspaper: “Russian ballet-the only thing to watch with enjoyment in Paris”.
And French compositor and musician critic Cold Debussy spoke about the beneficial effects of the Russian art to French: “The Russian gives us new impulses for relief from stiffness ridiculous.”
Sergey Dyagilev is a born leader. He always could see a talent, impeccable taste connoisseur of the arts, and attention to every detail. When Markov danced the “Blue Bird”, Diaghilev saw on her head feathers, ordered to remove them – “because feathers are vulgar,” and told them to replace the feathers of birds of paradise.
Benua called him Hercules and compared him to Great Petr. Dyagilev’s group was on the tour a lot in such countries as UK, U.S, Germany, Italy, Spain, South America, but was not accepted by public all the time. The premier play “Vesni scyashennoi” was whistled and wife of Nizniinskiy remembered that the complaints of audience was until paroxysm even though this performance was one of the favorites for Dyagilev.
There were many foreigners participating in work of Dyagilev’s productions: Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Coco Chanel (costumes for the ballet “Apollo”), Richard Strauss (ballet “Legend of Joseph”), Debussy, Ravel.
The influence of the “Russian Seasons” is not expressed in a single article, or even in a book. From that famous dancers took Russian pseudonyms, before the bride of King George VI of Great Britain married in a dress with Russian folk traditions.
Dagilev’s contribution as well as Russian into the world of culture is impossible to measure or exactly retell. He is everywhere – as in the last century and today.
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