DIAGHILEV & THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE BALLETS RUSSES, 1909-1929

'There's no interest in achieving the possible, but it's exceedingly interesting to perform the impossible'

Serge Pavlovich Diaghilev (1872-1929) believed his dream and purpose in life was to work in the field of art and I believe he over achieved his goal. He was a unique and elusive man that absorbed art and music like no other and is best known for revolutionising ballet and early 20th century arts with his dance company - the Ballets Russes. As a man who embraced the modern and exploited the avant-garde, he was however conservative and lived his life on the road making his dance company his dear friends and family. He successfully transformed dance with exotic, dramatic performances, reawakening interest in ballet across Europe and the United States. His exhibition at the V&A showcases a wide variety of original memorabilia from set designs and backdrops, fashion and costume, to personal belongings and memories of the glory days. The objects on display tell the story of a company that began in the social and political upheaval of pre-Revolutionary Russia and created sensational performances that had never been seen before.

Described by the critic Joan Acocella as the man who not only 'jump-started Western ballet' but 'staffed it', Diaghilev showcases ballet as the most magical art form, a place where sculpture and space, music and movement, painting, design, love and passion comes together to create a rhythmic and energetic performance. 


The First Seasons


It all started in Paris, when on 19 May 1909 Diaghilev launched his first season of the Russian ballet. His audience received dazzling dances choreographed by Mikhail Fokine, striking designs, avant-garde costumes and breathtaking music by Igor Stravinsky. The path had been paved for success and with the help of exotic Art Nouveau designs by Leon Bakst whose garments read like works of art, bejewelled, decadent, erotic, vibrant and spectacular, Russian ballet was soon to become the fore-front of the art world. Over the next few seasons he continued to triumph thus in 1911 he began to take the Ballets Russes on a tour of the world, allowing international connections and leaving a trail of magic wherever he went. 


Nijinsky: A force of Nature

Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950) was a man known by a jump, a jump that defied gravity in the costumes that he wore and such that all those who saw him never forgot him. Trained in the Russian Imperial Ballet, Nijinsky was a charismatic man who transformed himself for every role he performed. He had no equal, a superhuman, who was the epitome of youth and manliness thus when he debuted in the Ballets Russes first season in 1909 he was a roaring success. He was a phenomenal dancer and choreographer who created radical styles of movement that differed from the norm. He also became Diaghilev's lover in 1908, yet it didn't last long as Nijinsky married and was thus dismissed in 1913 by Diaghilev.

Creating ballet

Ballet and dance are art forms that use the human body as a way to express story and emotion. Diaghilev drew upon this concept and gathered together a wide range of composers, choreographers designers and performers to create the greatest stories ever told. He superbly integrated story, music, dance and design resulting in never before seen ballets that had a profound impact on their audiences. He brought together the highest calibre of dancers from Karsavine to Nijinsky, commissioned the greatest choreographers, Fokine, Massine, Nijinsky and Balanchine and worked alongside painters like Picasso, Matisse, designers like Coco Chanel and composer such as Stravinsky, Debussy and Poulenc. His performances were world class, never before had a collaboration included so many remarkable innovators and been so concise and conceptualised.  
    The costumes themselves were also works of art. The colour schemes that ran throughout his stage sets and interior decor echoed through the garments, each rich with clashing colours and encrusted with jewels and embellishments. The colours were bold and dominant erasing the Edwardian grey, cream and white fluffy tutus of tradition. It is intriguing to think how the dancers managed to walk, never mind bend themselves into fantastical positions due to the rigid and outrageous weights of the costumes they wore. The Ballet Russes were thus extremely influential; and with these colour schemes, sensual and brilliant performances, Diaghilev established the physicality of the Ballets Russes into a scandalous, yet glamourous ballet.

 Costumes for brigands in Fokin'es Daphnis and Chloe. Designed by Leon Bakst. 1912

Group of costumes for The Sleeping Princess. Designed by Leon Bakst. 1921

 

 Costumes for Polovtsian Warriors in Prince Igor. Designed by Nicholas Roerich. 1909

The exhibition on display at the V&A incorporates his whole legacy in music, dance, painting, literature and fashion and I have selected a few items on display that I feel provided the vision for dance, art and music to become what they are today. The exhibition opens with a few personal objects from the man himself; a top hat, opera glasses through which he watched his triumphant pieces and a travelling clock. It then takes us on a journey throughout the company's history, highlighting certain themes like cubism and surrealism and pinpointing certain individuals. There is a whole section dedicated to the wonder that is Nijinsky and costumes made by Picasso, Matisse, Chanel etc. The exhibition acts like a stage with moodily lit rooms and striking wall hangings. There are hundreds of representatives from legendary productions such as 'The Rite of Spring', 'Scheherazade' 'The Firebird', 'Le Coq D'or' aswell as the magnificent drop curtain designed for 'Le Train Bleu' by Picasso.

 

 Le Train Bleu - Picasso

This massive curtain painted for 'Le Train Bleu' (above) depicts two women, hand in hand bounding along a beach without a care in the world, hair flying behind them. The front cloth measuring 10.4m by 11.7m stands at the front of the exhibition reminding the audience of the moment they sit in their seats, waiting in anticipation for the curtain to come up. The piece was typical of Picasso's early 1920s work because of its monumentality and neoclassicism. Up close it features the wears and tears suggesting the joy and pleasure it gave to audiences and the hundreds of times it was used. 

Not only did Diaghilev succeed in getting a renowned artist to paint his front cloth for 'Le Train Bleu' but he had French designer Coco Chanel on hand to create the costumes. She produced knitted sports clothes from her atelier collection in order to portray the reality of adventure in Diaghilev's story.  Many of the costumes on display also have noticeable rips, however I feel it adds to the charm, showing they were lived and breathed in thus adding to the revival of Diaghilev's beautiful productions. Diaghilev spotted talent like no other and superbly organised each individual allowing them to contribute to the success of each show. 
Costumes designed by Coco Chanel for Le Train Bleu
1924 (all images sourced from www.vam.ac.uk)

The Picasso is also hung alongside Russian artist Natalia Goncharova's spectacular back cloth which was designed for the final scene of the 1926 performance of 'Firebird'. 'Firebird' displays a scene of densely populated buildings that symbolise Holy Russia in pre-Revolutionary time. The colours are sumptuous and rich only adding to the great repertoire of Diaghilev's work. On further inspection you can see the creases and holes in the hanging which is testament to the hard-working life of the his troupe.

'Firebird'

Along with all the monumental pieces of art within the exhibition there are other, smaller items, the behind the scenes items such as scribbled manuscripts, stained and broken satin ballet shoes, that remind us of the labour that went into creating the Ballets Russes. I particularly loved the 1920 fashion illustrations; the Bakst designs for oriental costumes and the Art Nouveau posters announcing the dates of all his shows. I feel each piece contributed to the fabulous artistry of  Diaghilev and wonderfully unites all of the arts. There is still evidence of his work in cultural activity today; the music he commissioned is still being played in numerous concert halls, choreographers still rely on repertoires of the Ballets Russes and the designs and colours used have led the way in creating a new aesthetic for fashion and interiors. The Ballets Russes showed a company with tremendous exuberance, everyone involved worked with vigour and passion and in sync with each other showing that Diaghilev really was a man of magic.