A unique program featuring soloists from leading European ballet theaters.
Diagilev's Masterpieces
(fr. Saisons Russes)
Уникальная гала-программа с участием солистов ведущих балетных театров России. И ещё одно предложение, где коротко сказано, что всё супер.
The Russian Seasons, organized by Sergei Diaghilev over 100 years ago, became a sensational event in ballet history and played a major role in the development of world art. The artistic images created by Diaghilev's company continue to influence not only choreographic art but also music, painting, and fashion.
We present a two-act program that brings together the finest productions from the ballet repertoire of the 'Russian Seasons':
Act 1
Duration: 35 minutes
A complete performance of Les Sylphides.
Duration: 45 minutes
Act 2
Divertissement featuring excerpts from ballets: Scheherazade, Le Spectre de la Rose, The Swan, The Firebird.
Les Sylphides
The performers of the main roles, Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky, made a huge impression on the audience. Alexander Benois wrote: "Their airy dance duet with high, noiseless flights, full of gentle, somewhat painful grace, conveyed the impression of a strange otherworldly romance,otherworldly romance, of hopeless love between ethereal beings who know neither fiery embraces nor sweet kisses."
We present this exciting production with a full cast of 4 soloists and 14 corps de ballet dancers.
(fr. Les Sylphides)
Premeire
June 2, 1909, Paris
Music
Frederic Chopin
Choreography
Mikhail Fokin
Design
Alexander Benois
Act I : full production of
Scheherazade
After its premiere, the impact of this ballet was profound. What began as a simple enterprise, the Russian Seasons, transformed into the leading European ballet troupe. Parisian fashionistas, emulating the characters of "Scheherazade," immediately donned harem pants, turbans, and long beads — the ballet defined the fashion of the 1910s, and Bakst himself later designed for Vogue magazine. But most importantly, it was "Scheherazade" that, in the collective consciousness of Europeans, equated "Russian" with "ballet": the best ballet, the true ballet, henceforth was seen by all as distinctly Russian.
(fr. Schéhérazade)
Premiere
June 4, 1910, Paris
Music
Choreography
Mikhail Fokin
Design
Leon Bakst
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Act II: Duet from the ballet
The Spirit of the Rose
Le Spectre de la Rose is a poetic miniature choreographed by Michel Fokine to music by Carl Maria von Weber. It premiered in 1911 with the Ballets Russes and became one of the most iconic works of the Diaghilev era. The ballet tells the story of a young girl dreaming of the spirit of a rose she brought home from her first ball. Vaslav Nijinsky’s legendary leap through the window stunned audiences and became a symbol of his artistry. The delicate costume by Léon Bakst and the dreamlike choreography made this short piece a timeless masterpiece.
(fr. Le Spectre de la rose )
Premiere
April 19, 1911, Monte Carlo
Music
Carl Maria von Webe
Choreography
Mikhail Fokin
Design
Leon Bakst
Act II: Pas-de-deux
The Swan
For the creation of the dance, which would be performed by many leading ballerinas around the world in years to come, choreographer Mikhail Fokin required just a few minutes. Practically everything from beginning to end was improvised. Mikhail danced in front of Anna Pavlova, she immediately behind him. Then Pavlova began to try performing the solo, while Fokin coached her on how to hold her arms correctly. As a result, they managed to instill perfect technique and expressiveness into those two and a half minutes, creating a legendary image.
(фр. Le Cygne)
Premiere
December 22, 1907 Saint Petersburg
Music
Camille Saint-Saëns
Chorography
Mikhail Fokin
Act II: Choreographic miniature
The Firebird
Many were involved in the development of the "Firebird" characters, but Mikhail Fokin took on the specific task of selecting material and structuring the plot. The choice of composer took some time but ended with rare success. Sergey Diaghilev is rightly called a discoverer of talents. The first such discovery was the young composer Igor Stravinsky.
(фр. L'oiseau de feu )
Premiere
June 25, 1910, Paris
Music
Igor Stravinsky
Choreography
Mikhail Fokin
Design
Alexander Golovin, Leon Bakst
The Russian choreographic fairy tale was a sensational success. Critics noted that the ballet "represents a marvel of delightful balance between movements, sounds, and forms..."
Act II: Scene from the ballet
Photos and videos from successful performances of the 'Diagilev's Masterpieces' program.
Gallery
We use authentic costumes created according to original sketches, as well as multimedia content for projecting scenery.
The program features soloists from leading European ballet theaters, laureates of international competitions and prestigious awards.
Information
Running time:
Act I: 35 minutes
Act II: 45 minutes
Act II: 45 minutes
We take care of the entire artistic process:
- Casting of dancers
- Ballet master's work
- Professional ballet costumes
- Media content for projector
Upon request, the program can be expanded or shortened.