Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev: biography, photos, personal life, interesting facts. Great ballet producer (Diaghilev S.P.) Diaghilev ballet biography

11.12.2020

Sergei Diaghilev is a man who managed to go beyond the academic conservatism of performing arts, writing the history of dance from scratch. Thanks to the innovations of the talented impresario, people to this day can not only see, but also feel ballet.

The future innovator of the art world was born in the Novgorod province on March 19, 1872, old style. Later, he and his family moved to St. Petersburg and then to Perm, where his father served.

The head of the family, Pavel Pavlovich Diaghilev, was an officer in a cavalry regiment. Sergei did not know his own mother, since she died several months after giving birth. The boy was raised by his father’s new wife, Elena. The stepmother doted on her stepson and gave him all of herself.

Sergei Diaghilev at the gymnasium

After graduating from the Perm gymnasium in 1890, Diaghilev entered the law faculty of St. Petersburg University. At the same time, the young man studied music at the conservatory with. Having graduated from the University of Law in 1896, the future eminent choreographer preferred the field of fine arts.

Ballet and patronage

In the late 1890s, Diaghilev and his friends created the artistic association “World of Art,” which rejected academicism in all its manifestations. The guys persuaded famous philanthropists S.I. Mamontov and Princess M.K. Tenishev to finance their magazine.

Portrait of Sergei Diaghilev. Artist Valentin Serov

Thanks to his rare organizational talent and ability to penetrate into the essence of the creative process, Sergei organized “World of Art” exhibitions. In 1905, at the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg, he organized a presentation of Russian portraiture, where he collected paintings from the capital and provinces.

Ballet performances were powerfully influenced by the work of modernist artists. Figures from the “World of Art” association, which tends to symbolism, worked on the sets and costumes: avant-garde artist N. A. Goncharov, Spanish monumentalist H. Sert, Italian futurist D. Balla, cubist, French impressionist A. Matisse, neoclassicist L. Survage and many others.

Portrait of Sergei Diaghilev. Artist Lev Bakst

Personalities such as A. Laurent were involved as decorators and costume designers in Diaghilev’s productions. As you know, form always influences content, as the audience observed in “Russian Seasons”.

The scenery, costumes and curtain amazed with their artistic expressiveness: the multi-story play of lines delighted the audience of the performance. The music used in the productions was diverse: from world classics and R. Strauss to Russian composers N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A.K. Glazunov.

European performing arts, which was experiencing a crisis at the beginning of the 19th century, were refreshed by an unsurpassed synthesis of various art forms, from which modern ballet was subsequently born.

"Russian Seasons"

The history of the “Russian Seasons” began after the 1906 exhibition at the “Autumn Salon”. The event, which was a resounding success, inspired Diaghilev. The man did not want to stop and continued to introduce Russian art to the Parisian public.

Troupe "Russian Seasons" by Sergei Diaghilev

In 1907, Sergei Pavlovich organized “Historical Russian Concerts”, the program of which included 5 symphonic performances. The unique bass, the Bolshoi Theater choir, the conducting skills of Arthur Nikisch and the delightful piano playing of Hoffmann instantly captivated the audience hungry for talent.

In the spring of 1908, Diaghilev introduced opera to Paris. However, "" gathered an incomplete hall, and the money raised barely covered the costs of organizing the event.

In 1909, an entrepreneur sensitive to the mood of the public brought 5 ballets to the future capital of fashion: “Pavilion of Armida”, “Cleopatra”, “Polovtsian Dances”, “La Sylphide” and “The Feast”. The core of the ballet troupe was made up of dancers from Moscow and St. Petersburg - V.F. Nizhinsky, A.P. Pavlova, I.L. Rubinstein, .

Over the 20 years of work of the “Russian Seasons”, the traditional attitude of society towards dance has changed radically, and Russian art has become extremely popular in Europe.

Personal life

People rightly noticed Diaghilev’s departure from the “general style.” A different kind of blood was seething in him, different from many others. Even during his lifetime, legends were made about the love affairs of the philanthropist.

It is reliably known that Sergei Diaghilev had an unconventional sexual orientation, and since the personal life of such a prominent person cannot remain in the shadows, everyone knew his lovers by sight.

Sergei Diaghilev's first amorous relationship was with his cousin Dmitry Filosofov. The versatile educated young man was always visible in the circle of students at St. Petersburg University. Passionate about art, the 18-year-old brothers became close during a joint trip to Italy, where they went in 1890.

The romance between Diaghilev and Filosofov lasted 10 years, until the “white devil” stood in their way. The woman was not afraid of society’s condemnation and boldly went against established moral norms - she wore men’s clothes, preached free love (despite her marriage, she had a couple of affairs with men and women). Dmitry Filosofov also became a victim of the witchcraft spells of the Russian poetess.

The “struggle” between Gippius and Diaghilev continued for a couple of years. The final break between the brother-lovers came after a scandal in a fashionable St. Petersburg restaurant: Diaghilev found his friend in the company of Zinaida Gippius and attacked him with his fists.

After this incident, Filosofov finally broke up with Diaghilev and moved in with Gippius and her husband. The strange triple alliance lasted 15 years.

In 1908, Sergei met a man who not only became the cultural figure’s greatest love, but also forever connected Diaghilev with the world of ballet.

The promising Russian dancer of Finnish origin Vaslav Nijinsky was at that time in the pay of Prince Pavel Lvov. For the aristocrat, the charming young man was a toy: he paid his bills, updated his wardrobe and “loaned” the guy to friends.

And if Nijinsky loved the high-ranking “tormentor,” then Lvov was openly burdened by the feelings of the annoying “puppet.” It is unknown how long the prose writer would have been looking for a reason to get rid of his bored lover if Diaghilev had not “turned up.”

Vaclav and Sergei were together for 5 years. During this time, Diaghilev gained fame as a world-famous entrepreneur, and Nijinsky became the “face” of the “Russian Ballet Seasons”.

In 1913, the dancer unexpectedly proposed to the Hungarian ballerina Romola Pulski, who had long been in love with him and joined the troupe solely to be closer to the object of her adoration. Having learned about his lover's wedding, the offended artist immediately fired Nijinsky.

A meeting with 17-year-old ballet school student Leonid Myasin helped the choreographer forget his would-be gentleman. The prudent young man put up with the status of a “comfort boy” exactly until he became famous.

After seven years of close friendship in 1920, Massine, like Vaclav, connected his life with a woman. The dancer's wife was ballerina Vera Clark (pseudonym Savina). Having learned about the protégé’s decision, Diaghilev breaks off all ties with him.

The creative collaboration of the former lovers resumed three years before Sergei’s death, in 1925. After the death of the eminent choreographer, his student headed the Russian Ballet of Monte Carlo.

Death

In the last stages of his life, the 19th century impresario “found himself” in collecting.

For a long time, Sergei Pavlovich, without a permanent shelter, wandered around the cities and countries of Europe. The obstinate spirit of the famous master of culture has found peace in Monaco. Here Sergei began collecting the most valuable works of art in his home: paintings, rare autographs, books and manuscripts.

In 1921, Sergei learned that he had diabetes. However, the no longer young man followed the doctor’s strict instructions and diet. This provoked the development of furunculosis. The result was infection and a sharp rise in temperature. Antibiotics had not yet been invented at that time, so the disease was extremely dangerous.

On August 7, 1929, the favorite of the male audience suffered from blood poisoning. The following days he did not get out of bed.

Sergei Diaghilev, whose biography is inextricably linked with the history of Russian ballet, died on August 19. At night his temperature rose to forty-one degrees, he lost consciousness and, without regaining consciousness, died at dawn.

The cemetery island of San Michele became the last refuge of the famous choreographer. Many great figures of art, science and sports are buried there: poet and Nobel laureate, composer, psychiatrist Franco Basaglia, football player Helenio Herrera, writer and journalist Peter Weil. The cemetery is still open to the public to this day.

The life of Sergei Diaghilev, like many prominent figures, is filled with interesting facts:

Diaghilev had a nose for talent, was a brilliant leader and a wonderful organizer, but he himself did not perform on stage.
Olga Khokhlova, wife of Pablo Picasso, was a dancer in Sergei Diaghilev's Russian Ballet.

In 1897, Diaghilev took the artist Alexandre Benois and his wife to the Grand Opera. There, Sergei’s friend’s tailcoat pants burst. The man sat motionless all evening and covered the hole that had formed in the most reprehensible place with a folding cylinder, and Diaghilev, as soon as he turned his gaze from the stage to Alexander, began to laugh at the top of his voice. Then his loud, sonorous laughter almost disrupted the concert.
Sergei Pavlovich more than once jokingly said that he was a distant descendant (through the Rumyantsevs), and if there was no confirmation of this information, then family ties were not questioned. The great Russian composer was the uncle of the philanthropist.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - uncle of Sergei Diaghilev

The exhibition of Russian-Finnish artists, organized by Diaghilev, took place in an atmosphere of scandalous misunderstanding. Then the works of Mikhail Nesterov and Philip Malyavin were presented to the public for the first time. In the eyes of sophisticated aesthetes, the conceptually new painting looked extremely unsightly, and therefore, visitors demanded that the cashier return the money they paid for admission.
In the spring of 2011, the ship called “Novikov-Priboy” was renamed “Sergei Diaghilev”.

Motor ship "Sergei Diaghilev"

If you compare the girl depicted on the 1909 Russian Seasons poster with a photograph of Anna Pavlova, it becomes clear that she was the prototype from which the ballerina was drawn.
Diaghilev did not hide his homosexual preferences. However, it is reliably known that in his life there was sexual contact with a woman. The choreographer's 18-year-old cousin gave the man a venereal disease as a keepsake of their relationship.

17 October 2013, 17:49

I thought about making a post about "Russian seasons" Diaghilev, but decided that it would be more correct to first introduce readers to the name of the outstanding Russian theatrical and artistic figure S.P. Diaghilev. I suspect that he is, of course, familiar to many gossips, but I still hope that some unknown facts will be interesting to read))

portrait of Diaghilev, painted by the hand of the great opera singer Fyodor Chaliapin in 1910

So, the first part is about Diaghilev.

(1872-1929) - Russian theatrical and artistic figure, the first ballet impresario of the twentieth century, who glorified Russian art at home and abroad. Together with Alexander Nikolaevich Benois created the artistic association “World of Art”, co-editor of the magazine of the same name. Organizer of exhibitions of Russian art, historical Russian concerts, “Russian Seasons” abroad. Created the troupe "Russian Ballets of Diaghilev" (1911-1929)

Portrait of Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev with his nanny (artist: Leon Bakst), 1905

Sergei Diaghilev was born on March 19 (31), 1872 in Selishchi, Novgorod province, in the family of a career military man, hereditary nobleman, cavalry guard Pavel Pavlovich Diaghilev. His mother died a few months after Sergei was born, and he was raised by his stepmother Elena, the daughter of a Russian railway engineer, one of the founders of the national engineering and technical school V. A. Panaev, an educated and intelligent woman. As a child, Sergei lived in St. Petersburg, then in Perm, where his father served. My father's brother, Ivan Pavlovich Diaghilev, was a philanthropist and founder of a music circle. It is not surprising that, growing up in such a family, Sergei himself sang well, played the piano, and drew, although he was simply an amateur in various fields of art.

Diaghilev family: Pavel Pavlovich, Elena Valerianovna, their sons Valery, Yuri and Sergei (1880s)

For three decades, the house in Perm belonged to the large and friendly Diaghilev family. In addition to Sergei, the family raised 2 more sons - Sergei's brothers - Yuri and Valery. In the house, called by contemporaries “Perm Athens,” the city’s intelligentsia gathered on Thursdays. Here they played music, sang, and performed home plays. After graduating from the Perm gymnasium in 1890 (the gymnasium has been named after him since 1992), Diaghilev returned to St. Petersburg and entered the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, while simultaneously studying music with N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. These classes become a turning point - thanks to Rimsky-Korsakov, Diaghilev meets the young composer Igor Stravinsky, and this acquaintance becomes the most important in the lives of all three. Diaghilev's friendship with Stravinsky lasted for many years. “Working with this man was always scary, and at the same time calm, his strength was so irresistible,”- Stravinsky recalled in his book “Chronicle of My Life”.

Sergei in student uniform (1980s)

In 1896, Diaghilev graduated from the university, but instead of practicing law, he began a career as an artist. He served as an official of special assignments under the director of the Imperial Theaters and in 1899 - 1900. - editor of the Yearbook of the Imperial Theatres.

Sergei Diaghilev and Igor Stravinsky

A few years after receiving a diploma in law, he created the World of Art association together with A. N. Benois. While still traveling around Western Europe, Diaghilev became interested in new trends in art and decided to create a magazine dedicated to them in his homeland. On his initiative, a magazine of the same name began to be published in the fall of 1898. Diaghilev himself was the editor of the magazine and wrote art criticism articles. Editing the magazine "World of Art" for six years, Diaghilev united in it all the most significant writers and artists of the new direction: his employees were D. Merezhkovsky, K. Balmont, V. Bryusov, I. Levitan, V. Serov, M. Vrubel , A. Benoit and many others. The magazine introduced the Russian public to the latest foreign writers and artists, gave reports on new exhibitions, new trends in theater and music, and architecture. In parallel with the magazine, Diaghilev published separate books on the history of Russian art.

cover of the magazine "World of Art", 1901

In addition to working on the magazine and books during that period, Diaghilev organized exhibitions that caused a wide resonance:

1897 - Exhibition of English and German watercolorists, then Exhibition of Scandinavian artists.

1898 - Exhibition of Russian and Finnish artists. Diaghilev managed to attract to participation in the exhibition, in addition to the main group of the initial friendly circle from which the World of Art association arose, other major representatives of young art - Vrubel, Serov, Levitan and others.

1905-1906 - Historical and artistic exhibition of Russian portraits in St. Petersburg; Exhibition of Russian art at the Autumn Salon in Paris with the participation of works by Benois, Grabar, Kuznetsov, Malyavin, Repin, Serov, Yavlensky and others.

participants of the "Russian Historical Concerts in Paris" visiting the composer C. Saint-Saens. Paris, 1907

In the spring of 1907, Diaghilev organized a series of concerts in Paris dedicated to Russian music, starting from Glinka and ending with Scriabin. In the following years, Diaghilev put in Grand Opera and then in the theater Chatelet, a number of Russian operas: « Boris Godunov » And « Khovanshchina» Mussorgsky, « Pskovite» etc., and a number of ballets: « Scheherazade» Rimsky-Korsakov, « Cleopatra» Arensky, « Parsley» Stravinsky, « Pavilion Armidym» Cherepkina and others. For these performances, the scenery was painted by the best contemporary artists, and the performers were outstanding artists. These annual foreign performances by Russian artists are called "Russian Seasons". They will be discussed in the next post.

Tamara Karsavina and Vaslav Nijinsky in the ballet "Giselle"

Sergzh Lifar

“Russian Seasons” were a means of promoting Russian ballet and fine arts and contributed to the flourishing of ballet in countries where this genre was not developed. In addition to Paris, the troupe toured in London, Rome, Berlin, and also in the USA.

In 1911, Diaghilev organized a ballet troupe "Russian Ballet of Diaghilev". The troupe began performing in 1913 and existed until the death of its organizer in 1929. Unfortunately, Sergei Pavlovich left his homeland with the outbreak of the First World War and never returned. According to the recollection of Sergei Leonidovich Grigoriev, the permanent director of the troupe, their last performance was in Vichy on August 4, 1929.

Diaghilev and ballet dancer Serge Lifar

Despite the enormous success of the Russian Ballet, Diaghilev often experienced financial difficulties and always resorted to the help of wealthy patrons. He also spent his personal funds on new productions. In the 1920s, Diaghilev became interested in collecting rare books - his collection consisted of unique publications in Russian, autographs of A. S. Pushkin. Being an extremely superstitious person, he was afraid of sea travel.

Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Diaghilev, Leon Bakst and an unknown woman.Switzerland, 1915

In 1921, Diaghilev was diagnosed with diabetes, but he hardly followed the diet prescribed to him. The development of the disease was facilitated by lifestyle, as well as constant sudden changes in weight. Beginning in 1927, he developed furunculosis, leading to the development of extensive infections and a sharp increase in temperature, which was deadly in those days. Despite the doctor's orders, Diaghilev continued to tour with the troupe throughout Europe. On August 7, 1929, he went to Venice, where he died on August 19 - on the water, as a gypsy woman predicted to him in his youth. Even while ill, Diaghilev continued to make plans and hum from Wagner and Tchaikovsky. The day before his death, he was visited by Misia Sert and Coco Chanel, who subsequently paid for the funeral, since Diaghilev did not have any funds with him. Diaghilev was buried on the island of San Michele in the Orthodox part of the cemetery.

On the marble tombstone is engraved the name of Diaghilev in Russian and French and the epitaph: “Venice is a constant inspiration for our tranquility”- a phrase written by him shortly before his death. There are almost always ballet shoes on the pedestal next to the impresario’s photograph. They say that choreographers and dancers have a tradition of placing their shoes on a marble pedestal when visiting the grave of Sergei Diaghilev. This supposedly brings good luck in your career...

"...Sometimes, especially at night, Diaghilev remembered his youth, said that it was the happiest time of his life. And he cried, remembering the beautiful Volga and Levitan's landscapes,
he yearned for Russia, which he would never see. Yes, he created world fame for Russia, for Russian art... Proust, Rodin and Apollinaire admired him... Debussy wrote that “barbaric, but such attractive Russian art helped the West
get to know and understand yourself better..."(From the memoirs of Sergei Lifar)

After his death "Russian Ballet of Diaghilev" collapsed, and the repertoire was preserved only thanks to the efforts of the dancers and choreographers of his troupe.

Sergei Diaghilev had a huge influence on the formation of the entire ballet art of the twentieth century. Novels are written about him, films and theatrical performances are created. He proved that being an impresario is a great art. Currently, work is underway to create a monument to Sergei Diaghilev on the square in front of the Grand Opera in Paris under the patronage of Pierre Cardin.

Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev(March 31, Selishchi, Novgorod province - August 19, Venice) - Russian theater and artistic figure, one of the founders of the World of Art group, organizer of the Russian Seasons in Paris and the Diaghilev Russian Ballet troupe, entrepreneur.

Biography

For three decades, the house belonged to the large and friendly Diaghilev family. In the house, called by contemporaries “Perm Athens,” the city’s intelligentsia gathered on Thursdays. Here they played music, sang, and performed home plays.

After graduating from the Perm gymnasium in 1890, he returned to St. Petersburg and entered the law faculty of the university, while simultaneously studying music with N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In his youth, Diaghilev tried in vain to find his field. An important moment in his life was a meeting with the writer Leo Tolstoy, after which he decided to devote himself to collecting autographs of famous contemporaries. In 1896, he graduated from the university, but instead of going into law, he began working in the field of fine arts.

Conventionally, the activities of S. P. Diaghilev can be divided into two periods:

1898-1906 - Diaghilev’s life in Russia, when his interests were concentrated mainly in the field of fine arts;
1906-1929 - Diaghilev’s activities as an impresario abroad. Beginning with the organization of an exhibition in 1906, he soon concentrated on the field of musical theatre, primarily ballet.

Activities in St. Petersburg

In 1898, together with the artist A. N. Benois, he initiated the creation of the magazine “World of Art”, published by S. I. Mamontov and Princess M. K. Tenisheva; was its editor (since 1903 - together with Benoit), since 1902 he directed the publication. In 1898-1904 he also wrote art criticism articles; is the author of a monograph about the artist D. G. Levitsky (1902).

During this period, he organized exhibitions that caused wide resonance in St. Petersburg:

1897 - an exhibition of British and German watercolorists, introducing the Russian public to a number of major masters of these countries and modern trends in fine art;
Exhibition of Scandinavian artists in the halls of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts;
1898 - an exhibition of Russian and Finnish artists at the Stieglitz Museum, which the World of Art students themselves considered their first performance (in addition to the main group of the initial friendly circle from which the World of Art association arose, Diaghilev managed to attract other major representatives of young art to participate in the exhibition - Vrubel , Serov, Levitan);
1905 - historical and artistic exhibition of Russian portraits of the 17th-18th centuries in the Tauride Palace;
1906 - exhibition of Russian art at the Autumn Salon in Paris with the participation of works by Benois, Grabar, Kuznetsov, Malyavin, Repin, Serov, Jawlensky, Roerich and others.

Together with Diaghilev, many modern artists came to the Imperial Theaters (Ap. M. Vasnetsov, A. N. Benois, L. S. Bakst, V. A. Serov, K. A. Korovin, E. E. Lanceray).

In the 1900-1901 season, Volkonsky entrusted Diaghilev with the production of Delibes' ballet Sylvia. Diaghilev attracted artists from the “World of Art” group to the production, but the project fell through due to the protest of management officials. Diaghilev did not obey the orders of director Volkonsky, pointedly refused to edit the Yearbook, and the matter ended with his dismissal.

Historical Russian concerts. Russian seasons. Diaghilev's Russian Ballet

Sergei Diaghilev, 1910.

Diaghilev constantly collaborated with the composer I. F. Stravinsky, “discovered” by him. Stephen Walsh noted that “Diaghilev and Stravinsky were like Russian cartoon characters: they hugged and drank together in the evening, and during the day they fought desperately over money and contracts.”

Outstanding artists who were part of the “World of Art” participated in the design of the ballets, in particular A. N. Benois, L. S. Bakst, A. Ya. Golovin, N. K. Roerich, B. I. Anisfeld. "Seasons" were a means of promoting Russian ballet and fine arts. Over the twenty years of their existence, they completely changed traditional ideas about theater and dance, and also contributed to the flourishing of ballet in countries where this genre was not developed.

During the war, starting in the mid-1910s, he radically changed the style of performances, leaving exoticism, court pomp and Orientalism and turning to the avant-garde. The first performance of the new musical form and choreography was the ballet Parade by Erik Satie, whose scandalous premiere took place in Paris that year. Moving away from the style of the “World of Art”, Diaghilev began to collaborate mainly with European artists; also his permanent employees were the spouses N. S. Goncharova and M. F. Larionov.

Diaghilev's troupe gave seasons in Paris and London, and also toured in Italy, Germany, and the USA. Beginning in the winter of 1923, she rehearsed in Monte Carlo, where the first performances of many premieres took place. Before the First World War, Diaghilev was obsessed with the idea of presenting his productions in Russia; performing in St. Petersburg was his dream - however, despite his efforts and numerous attempts, for various reasons he did not succeed. In the early 1920s, with the help of Mayakovsky, whom he welcomed in Berlin and Paris in every possible way, Diaghilev again tried to organize a tour of the troupe or at least his own trip to the USSR, but then abandoned this idea.

Many contemporaries, artists and poets, used bright symbols and metaphors to convey the perception of S. P. Diaghilev’s personality: “radiant sun” (V. A. Serov), “Hercules”, “Peter the Great” (A. N. Benois), “An eagle strangling little birds” (V.F. Nijinsky), “The Yellow Devil in the arenas of European countries” (A.L. Volynsky), “Nero in a black tuxedo over burning Rome” (A. Bely), “Monster” ( S. Yu. Sudeikin did not call him anything else).

Personal life

Relations with Myasin

In 1916, during an American tour, Diaghilev announced to the troupe that under no circumstances would he tolerate Massine’s affairs with female artists. However, in 1920, during the preparation of a new version of The Rite of Spring, Massine began a relationship with the English ballerina Vera Savina, who had recently appeared in the troupe. In Rome, Diaghilev hired private detectives to follow the couple and report to him about their meetings in hotels. In the end, Diaghilev got Savina drunk in his room and then dragged her undressed into the next room to the sleeping Massine. Throwing it on his bed, he exclaimed: “Look, here is your ideal.” After this, Massine immediately left the hotel and ended all relations with Diaghilev. He was fired from the troupe, while Savina was transferred from a promising soloist to the corps de ballet. Diaghilev was very upset about the break with his favorite and for several days he did not allow anyone near him except Nouvel and his servants Beppo and Vasily. According to the artist Mikhail Semyonov, “Diaghilev seemed to have gone crazy”; “his friends, fearing for his health and even his mind, did not let him out of sight day and night,” he wrote Arnold Haskell.

Beginning in 1924, Massine, who by that time had married Savina, again collaborated with Diaghilev, who, apparently, had completely lost interest in him. According to the testimony of the composer Dukelsky, while working on the ballet “Zephyr and Flora” he told him that “Leonid has no soul, no heart, no taste, and the only thing that interests him is money.”

Illness and death

In 1921, Diaghilev was diagnosed with diabetes, but he hardly followed the prescribed diet:520. The development of the disease was facilitated by lifestyle, as well as constant sudden changes in body weight. Beginning in 1927, he developed furunculosis, which could lead to the development of sepsis, which was deadly in those days when antibiotics were not yet known. In the summer of 1929 in Paris, a doctor ordered Diaghilev to follow a diet and get plenty of rest, warning that failure to comply with the recommendations would have dangerous consequences for his health:534.

Diaghilev ignored the order, going with the troupe to Berlin, then to Cologne and through Paris to London, where he again visited the doctor, who advised him to hire a nurse, which was also not done: Kokhno looked after him every day, doing the necessary procedures and dressings. Having sent the troupe on vacation and returned to Paris, he again visited his attending physician, who insisted on a course of treatment with thermal waters in Vichy. Instead, Diaghilev, together with his protégé Igor Markevich, undertook a "musical" journey along the Rhine, visiting Baden-Baden (where he discussed the new ballet with Hindemith and saw Nabokov, who later wrote: “Despite his appearance, he seemed to be in a good mood. He cheerfully talked about his plans for the rest of the summer and for the new fall season."), Munich (for operas by Mozart and Wagner) and Salzburg. From there, Diaghilev sent Koribut-Kubitovich a letter with an insistent request to come to him in Venice. After parting with Markevich in Vevey, on August 7, Diaghilev went to Venice. The next day he entered " Grand Hotel de Bans de Mer", where Lifar arrived in the evening.

By that time, he had already developed blood poisoning due to abscesses:538. Since August 12, he no longer got out of bed; Lifar looked after him. Even while ill, Diaghilev continued to make plans and hum from Wagner and Tchaikovsky. On August 16, Kokhno came to see him, and on the 18th, Misia Sert and Chanel visited him. Having received a telegram from Koribut-Kubitovich, who was in no hurry to come at his call, Diaghilev remarked: “Well, of course, Pavka will be late and will arrive after my death.”. In the evening a priest came to him. At night, Diaghilev’s temperature rose to 41°, he no longer regained consciousness and died at dawn on August 19, 1929.

Since Diaghilev had no funds with him, the funeral was paid for by M. Sert and G. Chanel. After a short funeral service in accordance with the rites of the Orthodox Church, the body was transferred to the island of San Michele and buried in the Orthodox part of the cemetery.

The name of Diaghilev is engraved on the marble tombstone in Russian and French ( Serge de Diaghilew) and the epitaph: “Venice is the constant inspirer of our tranquility” - a phrase written by him shortly before his death in a dedicatory inscription to Serge Lifar. On the pedestal next to the photograph of the impresario there are almost always ballet shoes (to prevent them from being blown away by the wind, they are filled with sand) and other theatrical paraphernalia. In the same cemetery next to Diaghilev's grave is the grave of the composer Igor Stravinsky, as well as the poet Joseph Brodsky, who called Diaghilev "Citizen of Perm".

Diaghilev's official heir turned out to be his father's sister, Yulia Parensova-Diaghileva, who lived in Sofia (she refused the inheritance in favor of Nouvel and Lifar). On August 27, Nouvel organized a memorial service for the deceased in Paris, in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

Video on the topic

Essays

Complex questions, “World of Art”, 1899, No. 1-2, No. 3-4 (co-authored with D. V. Filosofov);
Russian painting in the 18th century, vol. 1 - D. G. Levitsky, St. Petersburg, 1902.

Addresses

In St. Petersburg

1899 - autumn 1900 - apartment building on Liteiny Prospekt, 45;
autumn 1900-1913 - apartment house of N. I. Khmelnitsky, embankment of the Fontanka River, 11.

In Venice

Lido, Grand Hotel des Bains

The fate of the Diaghilevs in the USSR

The fates of Sergei Diaghilev's two brothers - Yuri and Valentin - are tragic. Valentin was shot on Solovki in 1929 on a fabricated criminal case; Yuri was sent into exile (according to other sources, he was subjected to administrative deportation), died in Tashkent (according to other sources, in the city of Chirchik, Tashkent region) in 1957.
The eldest nephew Sergei Valentinovich Diaghilev was a symphony conductor. Like his father, Valentin Pavlovich, was repressed in 1937 on the basis of a fabricated political article. Spent 10 years in camps and 5 years in exile. After rehabilitation, he returned to Leningrad, where he continued his creative activities. Died on August 13, 1967.
The younger nephew Vasily Valentinovich Diaghilev, a neurologist, was forced to hide his relationship with his famous uncle.
Great-grandnephew Sergei Alexandrovich Diaghilev is a composer and conductor. Lives in St. Petersburg.

Memory

In Paris

In Russia

In Perm

In other cities

The Lyceum of Arts in Yekaterinburg and the School of Arts in Zelenograd, as well as the motor ship Sergei Diaghilev, are named after Diaghilev.
In the spring of 2006, the Diaghilev nightclub (also known as the Diaghilev project) opened in the building of the Shchukin Stage on the territory of the Moscow Hermitage Garden. Its logo was a black and white drawing depicting a mustachioed man in a tailcoat, top hat and bow tie with a clear hint of the image of S.P. Diaghilev.

Image in art

art

Portrait by Valentin Serov (1904).
Portrait of Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev with his nanny by Lev Bakst (1905).
In bonistics: Diaghilev is depicted on the front side of the 500 Ural francs banknote issued in 1991.
In philately:

In cinema

S. P. Diaghilev became the prototype of the impresario Lermontov in the film “The Red Shoes” (1948, the role was played by Austrian actor Anton Walbrook).
In film " Nijinsky"(1980, USA) the role of Diaghilev was played by Alan Bates.
In the film “Anna Pavlova” (Mosfilm, 1983, director Emil Loteanu), the role of Diaghilev was played by Vsevolod Larionov.
"Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky" (2009) - the film, in particular, shows Diaghilev's relationship with the composer Stravinsky.
“The Paris of Sergei Diaghilev” - a documentary film directed by Nikita Tikhonov, scriptwriters Violetta Mainietse and Yulia Tikhonova (39 min.; 2010, Russia).
“A merchant for all times. Virtual Museum of Sergei Diaghilev" - a documentary film-interview with Edward Radzinsky, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Alexander Vasiliev directed by Svetlana Astretsova (2017, Russia).
In the television series “Mata Hari” (2017), the role of Diaghilev was played by Andrei Tartakov.

In the theatre

The image of Diaghilev is shown in Maurice Bejart's ballet “Nijinsky - God's Clown” (1972, La Monnaie Theater) and in several performances by John Neumeier dedicated to the fate of the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky.

In the drama theater, the roles of Diaghilev were performed by:

Documentaries

2001 - The Chosen Ones. Russia century XX, issue 28: Sergei Diaghilev (dir. Stanislav Razdorsky, Nikita Voronov, Anatoly Vasiliev)
2002 - The fate of an ascetic. Sergei Diaghilev (dir. Viktor Spiridonov, Alexander Vasiliev)
2010 - “Paris of Sergei Diaghilev” - documentary film by the director

I talked endlessly with them about the production and now I am writing to you, with their consent and approval, my thoughts on your idea for the production. The most important thing is that I absolutely cannot come to Switzerland for the same reasons as you, and I would be glad, by the way, to see my sister and her family, whom I have not seen for more than three years. It is physically impossible for us to meet in order to talk and come to an agreement about the production, and the only way out is to establish a mutual agreement by correspondence: there is no other outcome, and we must either agree with this or refuse. It’s a pity that you didn’t come to terms with Jew, but he is a very lively person, and with authority. But there is nothing to be done.

Your idea - a modernist interpretation of the production of "Antony and Cleopatra" - was unanimously rejected by us and for these mature reasons.

The most important thing is the “correlation” - the impression on the audience, on the hall, of the “modern” scenery, modern costumes with the text and characters of Roman and Egyptian history. The result is continuous Homeric laughter from the audience. Even if I personally believed that this was a good interpretation of the possibility of presenting Shakespeare's tragedy, I would not defend it - your point of view - because I am morally responsible for the performance to take place. The following is also important in it: the opportunity to hear Rubinstein’s rare dramatic talent - but with this production I will definitely interfere with her with my scenery and costumes - for her, for Gide, for Shakespeare. Nous beneficierons seulement tous les deux - toi et moi Fr. - “Only the two of us will benefit – you and me.”- but I cannot agree to this.

Think carefully. If there are two brightly opposed worlds - Egyptian and Roman in this brilliant tragedy (maybe this is a starting point for you, like me?), then imagine Mark in the uniform of a modern Italian general - the most picturesque costume (with orders?) ; in contrast to him, Cleopatra - how is she dressed? If you are a modernist, hold on (and this is necessary) couleur locale Fr. - “local color”., then she must be dressed like the wife of an Egyptian soldier, and her court is half English, half Turkish. What is her palace? Egyptian Art Nouveau, you say. So it's a mixture faux-mauresque Fr. - “pseudo-Moorish”. and furniture from Marle et C°; Is this the modern decoration of the palace? Will Cleopatra's retinue resemble the dancers from Cairo? Think about it? And Gide correctly noted that the entire text of Shakespeare in the mouths of Italian soldiers and modern Egyptian “maidens” would sound terribly theatrical and rhetorical. At best, it will resemble a running rehearsal of a play when the actors did not manage to stock up on costumes.

But the most important thing, the most terrible thing for me, is that I will work contre coeur Fr. - “against my will.”, without any innuendo or enthusiasm, because I do not and will not believe in the production, and the result will be a cold and boring execution of the order!

You are in the best position, because it is easy for you to write modernist music, and since you decided and made it a condition that you are not obligated to come to either rehearsals or performances, - tu auras le plus beauty Fr. - “you will get the best.”, because your music (and, I’m convinced, excellent) will remain even after the performance, it will be played forever. What if the play fails after a noisy scandal? Well, to hell with it? I cannot take this upon myself, because first of all and first of all I madly love this tragedy and will do everything to make it a huge success, and I also find that the tragedy should show Rubinstein’s exceptional dramatic talent, so new and fresh, delighting all the advanced writers, artists - up to and including the cubists - must find a wonderful frame, which is why I myself insisted and insist on your precious cooperation.

So, I will tell you from the bottom of my heart: if you are only selfish about the performance, then it is probably better for us to separate than to accept a production that benefits only one or two of us all. After all, the audience of Paris is not the audience of Shakespeare’s time, when it was enough to put a “forest” mat on a chair for the audience to imagine a forest. After all, all this public of Paris and Moscow are rotten aesthetes and your idea will not be accepted as a simple production, but as an extremely spicy dish, not without Roquefort and other stench; three quarters of the public will laugh, scandalize and demand: “Money back.” I won’t ruin the performance [!] No way [!]

But if you accept my point of view, which lies not in historical, poetic and instrumental whim, but in expressing your understanding of this tragedy of Shakespeare, then the question will be resolved very simply, for each of us has to identify ourselves regarding this thing. It will always be, first of all, alive (the greatest ideal for me), and authentic, and individual.

My point of view is this: two worlds - Egyptian and Roman. One is cunning and voluptuous, spicy and arrogant; the other is a soldier's, primarily Rome - uber alles German - "above all"., and the rise and fall of Antony is the rise and fall of the Roman. For him, Egypt is everything, this is his love, and he says, leaving: “Farewell, Egypt!” - In this sense! But at the moment of death of both, Love turned out to be human, stronger than Rome and Egypt, and only mystical lovers remained. Here's my outline. That I use historical material critically is known to anyone who does not look myopically at my interpretations. Archeology is least important to me, and I play with it, often deliberately mixing all styles, but for the main thing, for a genuine impression, a sincere embodiment, and I would not have thought of a scene of modern poisoning, so that the relatives of a dying person would stand with a gastric lavage apparatus or an enema; it would be both scary and creepy. But now I felt what crazy laughter there would be if something like that appeared in the scene of Cleopatra’s death.

Remember when I, foaming at the mouth, asked and demanded from Seryozha Entrepreneur, organizer of Russian Seasons, editor of the World of Art magazine, so that aero would fly both in the music and on stage in the “Games”! Seryozha and Debussy, the composer, snorted and were indignant, but this idea was stolen by Cocteau Writer, poet, playwright for "Parade". But the Games were modernist.

I could write for hours on this topic, proving scene by scene, act by act, how this wonderful thing can be ruined by interpreting it modernistically, and I simply ask you to take this, my point of view, and imagine vividly what is happening modernistically stage - read scene by scene! Of course, you will come to my conclusion, because you simply did not imagine this reincarnation of the tragedy in sculpture!

But if you abandon this point of view, then the issue can be easily resolved in three or four letters. Madame Rubinstein reserves the right to the entire composition of the music and its distribution. She (and I) think it would be nice to have an overture for each act, then music marking the appearance of the Roman camps under the walls and in tents, then the “death of Cleopatra.” All this is in the orchestra, not on stage - I already wrote to you about the reasons for muffling sonorities and so on. You decide how much music you plan to write, what, in how many minutes (this is important for me) and approximately - what you plan in terms of an orchestra, the number of instruments. Then, when you decide all this, answer me immediately and inform me urgently and in the most detailed manner of your fee, how you will own the music, for how long, etc. It would be better if you sent the draft contract itself, and Madame Rubinstein would sign it, with or without changes, through her representative. But if you get down to it, everything can be prepared in three to four weeks, that is, you can sign a contract and, thus, you will have the opportunity to get to work now. During it, you can tell me your thoughts, since they should come into contact with my production, and I will take note of everything. There's a lot of time. Gide's translation will not be ready earlier than in five or six months. That's all I can tell you now, sincerely and fervently wishing for our cooperation to take place!

Biography

Life in art

Russian seasons

Addresses in St. Petersburg

The fate of the Diaghilevs in the USSR

Diaghilev as a symbol in culture

In bonistics

Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev(1872-1929) - Russian theatrical and artistic figure, entrepreneur, one of the founders of the World of Art group, organizer of the Russian Seasons in Paris and the Diaghilev Russian Ballet troupe.

Biography

Sergei Diaghilev was born on March 19 (31), 1872 in Selishchi, Novgorod province, in the family of a career military man, a hereditary nobleman, and a cavalry guard. His father, P. P. Diaghilev, was widowed early, and Sergei was raised by his stepmother Elena, daughter of V. A. Panaev. As a child, Sergei lived in St. Petersburg, then in Perm, where his father served. My father's brother, Ivan Pavlovich Diaghilev, was a philanthropist and founder of a music circle.

In Perm, on the corner of Sibirskaya and Pushkin streets (formerly Bolshaya Yamskaya), the ancestral home of Sergei Diaghilev has been preserved, where the gymnasium named after him is now located. The mansion in the style of late Russian classicism was built in the 50s of the 19th century according to the design of the architect R. O. Karvovsky.

Life in art

In 1896, Diaghilev graduated from the university, but instead of practicing law, he began a career as an artist. A few years after receiving his diploma, he created the World of Art association together with A. N. Benois, edited the magazine of the same name (from 1898 to 1904) and wrote art criticism articles himself. He organized exhibitions that caused a wide resonance: in 1897 - an Exhibition of English and German watercolorists, which introduced the Russian public to a number of major masters of these countries and modern trends in the fine arts, then an Exhibition of Scandinavian artists in the halls of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, an Exhibition of Russian and Finnish artists in the Stieglitz Museum (1898) was considered by the World of Art students themselves to be their first performance (Diaghilev managed to attract to participation in the exhibition, in addition to the main group of the initial friendly circle from which the World of Art association arose, other major representatives of young art - Vrubel, Serov, Levitan, etc.), Historical and artistic exhibition of Russian portraits in St. Petersburg (1905); Exhibition of Russian art at the Autumn Salon in Paris with the participation of works by Benois, Grabar, Kuznetsov, Malyavin, Repin, Serov, Yavlensky (1906) and others.

"Yearbook of the Imperial Theaters"

In 1899, Prince Sergei Volkonsky, who became the director of the Imperial Theatres, appointed Diaghilev an official on special assignments and gave him the editorship of the Yearbook of the Imperial Theatres. Together with Diaghilev, many artists came to the Imperial Theaters (Ap. M. Vasnetsov, A. N. Benois, L. S. Bakst, V. A. Serov, K. A. Korovin, A. E. Lanceray).

In the 1900-1901 season, Volkonsky entrusted Diaghilev with the production of Delibes' ballet Sylvia. Diaghilev attracted artists from the World of Art group to the production, but the project fell through due to a protest from management officials. Diaghilev did not obey the order of director Volkonsky, pointedly refused to edit the Yearbook, and the matter ended with Diaghilev’s dismissal.

Russian seasons

In 1907, Diaghilev organized annual foreign performances of Russian artists, called “Russian Seasons”. In 1907, as part of the “seasons”, introductions of musicians were held - “Historical Russian Concerts”. N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, S.V. Rachmaninov, A.K. Glazunov, F.I. Chaliapin and others took part in them. In 1908, seasons of Russian opera took place. Despite the success, the season brought losses to Diaghilev, so the next year, knowing the tastes of the public, he decided to bring ballet to Paris. At the same time, at that moment Diaghilev treated ballet with disdain:

The ballet seasons then continued until 1913. Diaghilev invited a number of famous artists to tour the ballet, including M. M. Fokine, A. P. Pavlova, V. F. Nijinsky, T. P. Karsavina, E. V. Geltser.

With this troupe he toured in London, Rome, and also in the USA. Outstanding artists who were members of the “World of Art” participated in the design of the ballets, in particular A. N. Benois, L. Bakst, A. Ya. Golovin, N. K. Roerich, N. S. Goncharova. “Seasons” were a means of promoting Russian ballet and fine arts and contributed to the flourishing of ballet in countries where this genre was not developed.

Troupe

In 1911, Diaghilev organized the ballet troupe "Diaghilev's Russian Ballet". The troupe began performing in 1913 and existed until 1929, that is, until the death of its organizer.

Death

Diaghilev died on August 19, 1929 in Venice, rumored to be from furunculosis. He was buried on the nearby island of San Michele.

The meaning of the name Diaghilev at present

The gymnasium in Perm, where Diaghilev studied, has been named after him since 1992. In this gymnasium No. 11 a museum named after S. P. Diaghilev was opened.
In 2007, a monument to Diaghilev by sculptor Ernst Neizvestny was erected in the concert hall of the Diaghilev House.
Perm still hosts annual international cultural festivals named after S. Diaghilev - “Diaghilev Seasons: Perm-Petersburg-Paris”. The initiator of the first Diaghilev festival in Russia was the Perm Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after. P.I. Tchaikovsky, whose building was constructed thanks to the significant financial support of the Diaghilevs and, in the opinion of many Perm residents, is the most beautiful in the city.
In the year of the centenary of the Russian Seasons, interest in the personality of S. P. Diaghilev increased again. In 2008, Sotheby's organized the exhibition "Dancing Toward Glory: The Golden Age of the Ballets Russes" in honor of the 100th anniversary of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, which was held in Paris. On it one could see about 150 paintings, sketches, costumes, scenery, drawings, sculptures, photographs, manuscripts and programs. The organizers of the exhibition reflected the key moments in the development of the Russian Ballets, which over the twenty years of its existence completely changed traditional ideas about theater and dance. Among the exhibits were costumes, sketches for which were made by French artists Andre Derain (The Magic Shop, 1919) and Henri Matisse (The Song of the Nightingale, 1920). Separately, it is worth mentioning the costumes designed by Lev Bakst. Bakst is the first set designer to become a worldwide celebrity. When creating sketches of ballet costumes, he was inspired by oriental and ancient Greek outfits. The models he developed not only delighted audiences in the theater, but also influenced fashion trends. Among contemporary artists inspired by Diaghilev's legacy, a paper installation by the famous Belgian sculptor Isabelle de Borchgrave occupied an important place.
In May 2009, two postage stamps “Centenary of Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet”, created by Russian artist Georgy Shishkin, were issued in Monaco.
In 2009, a discussion began in Perm about creating a number of monuments to S.P. Diaghilev in the city, showing him in different years of his life.
In 2009, preparations for a project for a monument to Diaghilev began in Paris. The model by sculptor Viktor Mitroshin won an international competition. His Diaghilev stands at full height in a top hat, tails and with a cane in his hand, on a high pedestal on which Petrushka opens the curtain. It is likely that the monument will be erected with the support of patrons, donations, and the efforts of the Russian diaspora. At the time of the competition, the project was supported by President Jacques Chirac, and his wife Bernadette expressed a desire to supervise the work on the project. The former mayor of Paris, Jean Tiberi, was against it, but construction of the monument could only begin after he was replaced by Bertrand Delanoë. At the moment, work is being carried out under the patronage of Pierre Cardin. A monument to Diaghilev will be erected on the square in front of the Grand Opera in Paris.

Addresses in St. Petersburg

1899 - autumn 1900 - apartment building - Liteiny Avenue, 45;
autumn 1900-1913 - apartment building of N. I. Khmelnitsky - embankment of the Fontanka River, 11.

The fate of the Diaghilevs in the USSR

The fates of Sergei Diaghilev's two brothers, Yuri and Valentin, are tragic. Yuri Pavlovich was repressed, and Valentin was shot on Solovki in 1929 on a fabricated criminal case.
Diaghilev's eldest nephew, Sergei Valentinovich, was a symphony conductor. He was repressed in 1937, like his father Valentin Pavlovich, on a fabricated political article. He served 10 years in camps and 5 years in exile. After rehabilitation, he returned to Leningrad, where he continued his creative activities. Died on August 13, 1967.
His grandson Diaghilev Sergei Alexandrovich (Sergei Diaghilev Jr.) is a composer and conductor. Lives in St. Petersburg.
The younger nephew Vasily Valentinovich Diaghilev was forced to hide his relationship with his famous uncle in the USSR.

Diaghilev as a symbol in culture

In the spring of 2006, the most famous club in Russia, with a capacity of 1,500 people, “Dyagilev” (also known as “Dyagilev project”) opened in the building of the Shchukin stage on the territory of the famous Moscow Hermitage garden. The club’s logo was a black and white drawing depicting a mustachioed man in a tailcoat, top hat and bow tie with a clear hint of the image of Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev.

There is a tradition among choreographers and dancers - when visiting the grave of Sergei Diaghilev in Venice, they place their shoes on a marble pedestal. Almost always, someone left pointe shoes and various theatrical paraphernalia on his grave. In the same Greek cemetery of the island of San Michele, next to Diaghilev’s grave, there is the grave of another great figure of the Russian stage - Igor Stravinsky, as well as the poet Joseph Brodsky, who called Diaghilev “Citizen of Perm”. For “theatrical” visitors, a special sign “Diaghilew Strawinski” has been installed at the cemetery.

On the grave itself there is an epitaph: “Venice is the constant inspirer of our peace.” This phrase, written by Diaghilev shortly before his death in a dedicatory inscription to Serge Lifar, became popular among cultural figures.

In bonistics

Diaghilev is depicted on the front side of the 500 Ural francs banknote issued in 1991.