Ballets Russes

the fokine years, 1909 to 1914

"May the 19th, 1909, was a great day in the history of the Russian Ballet of Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev; for it was on that day that it gave its first public performance. Thus began an enterprise that was destined to last twenty years: to create an enormous repertoire; to bring up several generations of wonderful dancers; to raise the art of ballet to great heights; and to diffuse it all over the world."

Grigoriev's diary

As régisseur (rehearsal director) to the Diaghilev Ballet, Sergei Grigoriev was the most loyal of Diaghilev's colleagues, and he was the only one to remain with the company throughout the twenty years of its existence. He is probably the only man who could describe the history of the Diaghilev troupe from its first performance to its last. It is fortunate, therefore, that he recorded his memoires (The Diaghilev Ballet, 1909-1929), reconstructed from some old notebooks in which he had carefully summarized information relating to all the seasons ever given by the Diaghilev ballet. The diary below is a year by year synopsis of the events recorded by Grigoriev in his book.

1909

Grigoriev was appointed régisseur, Mikhail Fokine choreographer and premier danseur; Alexandre Benois (who had shared with Diaghilev the editorship of The World of Art) and Léon Bakst became responsible for design and of décor. The spring season repertoire in Paris featured Les Sylphides, Le Pavillon d'Armide, Cléopâtre and Le Festin with Anna Pavlova and Vaclav Nijinsky. The first night undoubtedly marked a resurrection of the ballet in the world outside Russia. "The first season of the Diaghilev Ballet must be commemorated in letters of gold in the annals of Russian Ballet. To say that it was successful is to say nothing. It was a revelation, a major event in the artistic life of Paris".

1910

Diaghilev commissioned The Firebird from Fokine and Stravinsky (right) to go with Schéhérezade, Le Carnaval and Giselle for a season at Paris Opéra commencing 4 June (preceded by sellout performances in Berlin). The principal dancers were Karsavina and Nijinsky (Pavlova was in England). The season was a great success and Stravinsky became attached to the company for many years.

Main picture: Anna Pavlova