Product Description
In May 1909, Sergei Diaghilev astonished the world of dance with his first ballet presentations in Paris that demonstrated an unprecedented combination of vitality and grace, originality, and technical sophistication. This catalogue of over three hundred artworks related to the Saisons Russes between 1909 and 1929 is the official companion to an exhibition in Monte Carlo. The legendary productions are brought to life through stage designs, costumes, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and programs. The artwork comes from a wide variety of public and private collections, including the Fokine collection in the St. Petersburg Theatre Museum. Diaghilev’s scenic achievements are complemented by a number of contextual paintings, drawings, and other artifacts, which help to define Russia’s cultural renaissance of the first decades of the twentieth century. The documentary section of the catalog contains rich archival material, including letters, photographs, choreographic notes, and memoirs, many published here for the first time.
A Feast of Wonders: Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes
Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes lasted from 1909 to 1929; its ground-breaking activities revolutionised the world of ballet. Rooted in the ballet world of St Petersburg, it involved artists, musicians, choreographers, and designers whose influence remain to this day. Illustrious names like Picasso, Bakst, Folkine, Larionov, Benois and Goncharova were associated with the company.
This book is a catalogue of a centenary exhibition held in Monte Carlo in 2009, then moving to Moscow. Monte Carlo was the venue for many of the Ballets Russes’s great triumphs. The introductory essays, by authorities in their respective fields, discuss the history of the company, its association with Monte Carlo, Diaghilev’s world and the activities of set designers such as Bakst, Benois, Larionov and Goncharova.
This section is followed by illustrations related to various Ballets Russes ballet and opera productions. Included in the illustrations are costumes, photographs of dancers, productions, related art works and set designs. These are of great interest and beauty. Ballet, history and art enthusiasts would find this book exceptionally appealing.
There are two other volumes covering this subject that are worth mentioning; “The Art of Ballet Russes” (the collection of Serge Lifar) and “Set and Costume Designs” (Thyssen Bornemisza catalogue). The printing standards of these books are slightly superior the very good standard of A Feast of Wonders. The former issues are expensive and difficult to obtain. The Feast of Wonders gives the best general coverage and illustrations of the three. At the present price it is a steal and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Rating: 5 / 5