Diaghilev's 'Ballets Russes' 1921–1925 Bronislava Nijinska

1 diaghilev s ballets russes 1921–1925

1.1 initial choreographies company

1.1.1 la belle au bois dormant, called sleeping princess (1921)
1.1.2 aurora s wedding, or le marriage d aurore (1922)
1.1.3 les contes de fées [stories of fairies] (1925)


1.2 ballet creations

1.2.1 le renard [the fox] [baika] (1922)
1.2.2 mavra (1922)
1.2.3 les noces [the wedding] (1923)
1.2.4 les tentations de la bergère [temptations of shepherdess] (1924)
1.2.5 les biches [the does, or hinds] (1924), called house party
1.2.6 les fâcheux [the mad, or bores] (1924)
1.2.7 la nuit sur le mont chauve [night on bald mountain] (1924)
1.2.8 le train bleu [the blue train] (1924)

diaghilev s ballets russes 1921–1925

throughout duration of control of company diaghilev, died in 1929, chiefly worked 5 choreographers: fokine, nijinsky, massine, nijinska, balanchine. 1921 until 1925 nijinska s time @ helm.

initial choreographies company

marius petipa in 1887.

in 1921, nijinska asked diaghilev return ballet russes, time choreographer. following war, diaghilev learned nijinska in kiev in 1919 had staged marius petipa s classic swan lake, music tchaikovsky. in line company s first , female choreographer, principal dancer, , ballet mistress. diaghilev being cautious remained little uncertain of work; decided first assign specific tasks test ability.

as theatrical events had unfolded, ballets russes faced severe financial problem. arose out of lavish london production of celebrated 1890s ballet sleeping princess staged petipa, music tchaikovsky. in consequence nijinska, working directly diaghilev, reworked parts of ballet, turning traditional, unprofitable, three-act version viable one-act affair, entitled aurora s wedding.

in addition, les contes de fées spinoff sleeping princess, , known fairy tales aurora s wedding. premiered in february 1925. in these 3 nijinska has minor choreography credit after marius petipa: sleeping princess (1921 london), , one-act spin off aurora s wedding (1922 paris). [under construction]

la belle au bois dormant, called sleeping princess (1921)

the wicked fairy carabosse léon bakst, created 300 costume designs diaghilev s lavish 1921 london production of sleeping beauty.



pjotr tschaikowski.

this ballet, called sleeping beauty, 1 of great petipa classics old imperial russian repertory, la belle au bois dormant [the beauty in woods asleep]. based on french fairy tale of name charles perrault, music tchaikovsky. in 1921 diaghilev had revived petipa choreography in 3 acts. additional choreography provided bronislava nijinska, e.g., rousing hopak 3 ivans. leon bakst designed sets of surpassing grandeur , magnificence , no expense spared... .

yet nijinska arriving in london russia in revolution . wrote diaghilev s revival of sleeping princess seemed me absurdity, dropping past, , many of ballet russes audience members held same opinion. despite extravagant production value of ballet, attendees missing more “current” aspect of dance had come associate ballet russes, , deemed overall failure.

instead, preferred pre-war diaghilev had been searching creation of new ballet... . hence recalled started first work full of protest against myself.

aurora s wedding, or le marriage d aurore (1922)

a ballet in 1 act nijinska assisted in creating, miniature of longer, three-act ballet sleeping beauty. 1921 london production, after running 3 months, not making profit. rescue investment in costumes , sets diaghilev, collaboration of stravinsky , nijinska, salvaged one-act ballet, called aurora s wedding. yet proved popular. decades shorter ballet remained in repertory.

les contes de fées [stories of fairies] (1925)

les contes de fées ballet drawn fairy tales in aurora s wedding , seen in act iii of la belle au bois dormant. premiered february, 1925, in monte carlo.

her ballet creations

nijinska earned credits sole choreographer 9 works @ ballets russes during 1920s. 8 discussed here in section. romeo , juliet (1926) see below. 1 set modern musical compositions: 3 igor stravinsky (two ballets, renard, noces, , opera, mavra), 1 each francis poulenc (biches), georges auric (fâcheux), modest mussorgsky (nuit, opera), , darius milhaus (train bleu). 1 work employed baroque music (tentations). music shakespeare play constant lambert.

le renard [the fox] [baika] (1922)

igor stravinsky.

nijinska s first ballet in tentative new position choreographer ballets russes le renard, described burlesque ballet song . igor stravinsky composed music, small orchestra , 4 singers. stravinsky wrote libretto, i.e., lyrics. commissioned friend of diaghilev in 1915, not publicly performed until 1922.

the principal dancers were: nijinska (as fox), stanislas idzikowski (as cock), jean jazvinsky , micel federov (as cat, , goat). costumes , sets michel larionov in type of radical, modernist style primitive quality .

the plot comes russian preliterary theater sourced in tradition of itinerant folk entertainers impersonating buffoons , animals. fox (a con-artist) works trick cock (a wealthy peasant) in order literally eat him, cock saved cat , goat. disguised first nun, beggar, fox embodies criticism of both social , clerical orders. baika original russian title of le renard.

nijinska s choreography tended modern. juxtaposed movements of animal grace odd gestures , grotesque postures. ballet narrated singers off stage. larionov s visual design included simple animal masks dancers; name of each character, e.g., goat , written in large letters on dance costume.

in memoirs, nijinska discusses fokine s innovative dance of fauns (1905). there in background many fauns looked animals . young boys danced them once tumbled head on heels not in keeping classical ballet techniques. yet fokine claimed result conformed animal characteristics of dance. nijinska comments:

i, spoke against use of acrobatics in ballet, made use of somersaults in first ballet, stravinsky s le renard (1922). there no contradiction. did not use steps trick achieve artistic aim.

although le renard ill-received , seldom performed, stravinsky s harsh music , childlike costumes suspected. yet ballet had impeccable avant-garde credentials. diaghilev pleased nijinska s work , engaged permanent choreographer company. stravinsky, too, pleased. wrote in 1936 chronicles of life:

still regret production [le renard] gave me greatest satisfaction... has never been revived. nijinska had admirably siezed spirit of mountebank buffoonery. displayed such wealth of ingenuity, many fine points, satirical verve, effect irresistible.

the premiere of burlesque ballet inspired interesting social event. first night supper party le renard , planned sydney schiff kind of modernist summit . invited proust , joyce in literature, stravinsky in music, picasso in painting. garafola comments in these years of diaghilev ballet stand close avant-garde.

mavra (1922)

an opéra bouffe music stravinsky, first performed @ théâtre national de l opéra in paris, june 1922. lyric book boris kochno followed poem pushkin, small house in kolomna . one-act opera did not require dances, diaghilev did ask nijinska stage movement of 4 singers.

les noces [the wedding] (1923)

igor stravinsky in paris,

by picasso, 1920.

nijinska created ballet les noces [ wedding [original title les noces villageoise, in russian svadebka]) music , libretto igor stravinsky, music commissioned ten years earlier diaghilev. 24-minute ballet depicts rural marriage ceremony of russian peasants. dancers first learning steps meet difficulty intense group movements of choreography. when moving individuality evident. light-hearted sense of folk dance abandoned. realism of revolution has seasoned nijinska s sober observations of tradition , society, yet there slumbers vision. collective mood of predestination countered hints @ peasant s wit of survival. after first seeing it, h. g. wells wrote:

the ballet les noces rendering in sound , vision of peasant soul, in gravity, in deliberate , simple-minded intricacy, in subtly varied rhythms, in deep undercurrents of excitement... .

stravinsky s idea score evolved during war, revolution, , exile. libretto conveys ancient , set patterns, yet music uses staccato rhythms , vocal overlay of upheaval. left little expressed wedding reassuring joy. tone of work darker, more anxious, conjuring moving evocation of ceremony. although lyrics taken folk songs of russian weddings, vocals chanted. stravinsky’s composition, while fluid , layered, @ times becomes overtly jarring. in form s cantata chorus, solo voices, , orchestra of percussion, dominated 4 pianos. minimalist visual designs natalia goncharova, color scheme being earthen gold, blue-grey, , black. strains of feminism can seen throughout work, according greskovic, les noces dramatizes obligation of marriage, , bride appears devoid of emotion.

les noces natalia goncharova proposed bright, richly colored decor in old ballets russes manner. nijinska, however, have none of it. after knowing war , revolution, saw in russian peasant wedding: not joyous occasion foreboding social ritual in feelings strictly contained... . ballet must invoke such timeless peasant world. goncharova took cue , responded earthy brown , white costumes cut simple peasant lines, severe in simplicity , lack of color. sets equally stark. stravinsky , diaghilev agreed.

nijinska researched ethnological studies of peasant customs in russia. yet in boldly translating ballet stage, seems follow stravinsky s modern score. directed women dance en pointe, in order elongate silhouettes , resemble russian icons. beating sound of pointe shoes jabbing boards gives power dancing (far wispy, ethereal effect associated dancing en pointe). nijinska s groupings of women move largely in unison. corps faces square audience, departure “epaulement” found in classical works, softens angling shoulders. toward end of scene one, women handle extremely long braids of bride’s hair, exaggerated in thickness, if women sailors taking mooring lines of boat. according critic robert greskovic whole piece, tethered ancient folk tradition, has overwhelming sense of control , conformity.

an iconic pose les noces has heads of women dancers, i.e., bridesmaids, if stacked up. author jennifer homans, in defining ballet s tragedy, comments:

in 1 of ballet s poignant , telling images, women dutifully pile faces bricks on top of 1 another, forming abstract, pyramid structure... . bride sets face on top , rests head despondently in hands. see both individuals (those faces) , submission authority , group...

les noces nijinska s answer sacre, homans understands it, reenactment of russian peasant wedding. not joyous occasion foreboding social ritual in feelings strictly contained , limited ceremonial forms. nijinska, however, escaped brother s nihilism following stravinsky s lead through formal beauty , discipline of orthodox liturgy. nonetheless ballet modern tragedy, complicated , russian drama celebrated authority yet showed brutal effect on lives of individuals.

dance academic , critic lynn garafola, in discussing ballet in 1920s, describes diaghilev s competition. notes ballets suédois (swedish ballet) led rolf de maré had largely succeeded in edging diaghilev sidelines of avant-garde paris. garafola mentions admiration 1922 ballet le renard (see above) created nijinska ballets russes. continues:

[i]t in 1923 diaghilev staged modernist masterpiece transcended best of rival s offerings. les noces, greatest dance work of decade, teamed 3 of closest russian collaborators: stravinsky, first son , composer; natalia goncharova, designer; , bronislava nijinska, choreographer.

bronislava nijinska s les noces [grew] out of boldness of conception without regard precedent or consequences, wrote john martin, dance critic new york times. nijinska herself wrote noces: informed choreographer [by brother s ballets] jeux , le sacre du printemps. unconscious art of ballets inspired initial work.

les tentations de la bergère [temptations of shepherdess] (1924)

this one-act ballet featured baroque music composed michel de montéclair (1667–1737), orchestrated henri casadesus. sets, costumes, , curtain juan gris. alternative title l amour vainqueur [love victorious]. opened in monte carlo.

in mid-1920s significant part of ballet russes repertory turned away modernism , themes of contemporary life. included les tentations de la bergère , ballet les fâcheux, choreographed nijinska. these 2 works produced ballets russes during 1920s focused on themes related eighteenth-century france. these productions rooted in france’s post-world war fascination bygone monarchies , court life.

les biches [the does, or hinds] (1924), called house party

poulenc (early 1920s).

a one-act ballet songs, les biches [original title les demoiselles ] depicts house party, music entertainment francis poulenc. scenery , costumes fashionable cubist painter marie laurencin. poulenc s music, included singing of lyrics, wonderful chameleon of score , mischievous, mysterious, sentimental, jazzy, mozartian... .

its january 1924 opening @ théâtre de monte carlo featured cast of la nijinska herself and, among others, minor role ninette de valois later became director @ sadler s wells ballet. latter several english-speaking ballet companies changed title, e.g., house party or gazelles. french title les biches signifies female deer (the plural of doe), 1920s terminology young women; [it] celebrates ballet women chic young ladies.

although diaghilev poulenc praised nijinska heavens... [he] feared might unresponsive latin charm of poulenc score. first 3 choreographies ballet russe had been composed stravinsky (renard, mavra, noces). yet poulenc , nijinska had taken each other enormously... . during rehearsals, poulenc remarked nijinska genius , choreography s pas de deux beautiful dancers insist on watching it. enchanted. diaghilev concluded:

poulenc enthusiastic bronya s (nijinska s) choreography, , along excellently together. choreography has delighted , astonished me. then, woman, intemperate , antisocial is, belong nijinsky family.

nijinska took role of hostess of house party. ballet s libretto has romantic theme rather specific plot; characters dancers. hostess lady no longer young, wealthy , elegant. guests younger: twelve girls , 3 boys. ballet has 8 parts, each different dance music. young guests flirt, appear take no notice, or play dance games in setting filled social satire , ambiguous sexuality. hostess, dressed in yellow, brandishes cigarette holder if posing advertisement. balanchine comments seems driven remain in motion, hands, desperate dance: unable image herself alone , still. nijinska powerful , strange, dancer intoxicated rhythm, ...racing against breathless prestos of orchestra. in role of yellow-clad hostess, nijinska

flew round stage, performing amazing contortions of body, beating feet, sliding backwards , forwards, screwing face abandoned attitude on sofa. danced mood took , brilliant.

marie laurencin (1912)

dance writer richard shead appraised les biches perfect synthesis of music, dance, , design... . situated in aftermath of radical experimentalism of brother vaslav nijinsky, innovations had challenged classical ballet canons:

great strength of nijinska s choreography inventiveness, fact remained classical. easier see can have been in 1920s future of choreography lay in classicism in classicism capable of being extended, varied, distorted even, without departing in fundamental sense mainstream vocabulary of classical dance. nijinska achieved in les biches; balanchine latter... .

in les biches, writes lynn garafola, nijinska s choreography cracked open gender codes of classical style, transforming piece of twenties chic critique of sexual mores. marie laurencin s decor had same ambiguous blend of innocence , corruption ballet. opens in flood of pink light voluptuously feminine . host of taboos explored: narcissism, voyeurism, female sexual power, castration, sapphism . granola comments diaghilev disapproved of ballet s pessimism, sour @ gender relations. portrayed femininity skin-deep, subterfuge applied make-up, construction elaborated on time men, not innate female property. customary male bravura dance here exposed pretentious. ballet divorces appearance of love reality. les biches, surmises garafola, may interpreted disclosing nijinska s unease traditional representations of femininity.

balanchine, nijinska s successor choreographer @ ballets russes, states les biches popular ballet of diaghilev era . revived several times, meeting critical , popular approval . monte carlo , paris audiences... loved it. les biches liked. strangely perhaps, nijinska never approached such heights again.

les fâcheux [the mad, or bores] (1924)

playwright molière

by mignard (ca. 1658).

fr:les fâcheux three-act ballet comedy, written french playwright, librettist, , actor, known stage name molière (1622–1673). opened in 1661, baroque music pierre beauchamp , jean-baptiste lully. without plot, characters appear, monologue, exit never return. molière s hero Éraste [is] continually hindered well-meaning bores while on way visit lady love. adopted ballets russes, music georges auric, scenery designed georges braque, libretto jean cocteau after molière, choreography nijinska.

nijinska danced male role of lysandre, wearing wig , clothes of seventeenth-century. anton dolin l elégant danced on point approximate baroque era , performance created sensation. choreography incorporates mannerisms , poses period modernized stylization. braque s costumes louis xiv . original music, however, had been lost, auric free evoke past modern composition.

georges auric associated fellow french composers francis poulenc, darius milhaud, , arthur honegger, part of group called les six. french writer jean cocteau courted group representing new approach arts, including poetry , painting. ballets suédois in 1920s commissioned members of les 6 compose music dance productions. ballets russes followed suit. 1920s music critics dismissed les 6 compositions musiquette. current critic lynn garafola sees in ballet revivals les fâcheux employ music gaiety , freshness in unpretentious tunes , depiction of everyday life . garafola appreciates independence of music in relation choreography.

ballets russes dancer lydia lopokova, however, nijinska s ballet les fâcheux , similar works, commented smooth , professional, nothing or no 1 moved her. longed old-fashioned ballets without abstract ideas, simplicity , poetry. massine , nijinska choreography clever have intellect, felt.

la nuit sur le mont chauve [night on bald mountain] (1924)

sokolova 1914

the ballet premiered in april, 1924, in monte carlo, principal dancers lydia sokolova , michel fedorov. nijinska s choreography set music of modest mussorgsky. designs ballet experimented costumes reconstructed body, transforming natural shape. night on bald mountain, nijinska s sketches show elongated, arc-like forms. costumes designed alexandra exter played shape , played gender .

exter depersonalized dancers, clothing them in identical gray costumes. yet architectural poses of nijinska s choreography gave costumes distinctive shape . nijinska emphasized ensemble rather individual dancer, i.e., inventive use of corps de ballet central figure rather soloist norm. total effect allowed movement of dancers blend... became sculpted entity capable of expressing whole ballet action.

for 1867 symphonic poem la nuit sur le mont chauve mussorgsky inspired witches sabbath told nikolai gogol in st. john s eve story. composer, however, repeatedly revised , incorporated music of symphonic poem act iii of unfinished opera, sorochintsy yarmarka [the fair @ sorochintsy]. labored on years prior death in 1881. mussorgsky himself wrote opera s libretto, based on gogol story of same name. ballet scenes contained night on bald mountain . music later orchestrated rimsky-korsakov.

le train bleu [the blue train] (1924)

jean cocteau, portrait

by marie laurencin, 1921

the ballet le train blue has been called danced operetta . darius milhaud composed music, ballet libretto poet , filmmaker jean cocteau. costumes, including bathing costumes of period , coco chanel, scenery henri laurens. cast: handsome kid (anton dolin), bathing belle (lydia sokolova), golfer (leon woizikowski), , tennis player (nijinska).

the cocteau libretto has thin plot. title refers actual train bleu, destination côte d azur, fashionable resort area, monte carlo. blue train used bring beau monde down south paris... . diaghilev remarked, first point le train bleu there no blue train in it. scenario took place on beach, pleasure-seekers disported themselves. inspired in part youth showing off acrobatic stunts , ballet smart piece fashionable plage [beach].

nijinska created special ambiance through language of dance, introduced angular , geometrical movements , organized dancers on stage interactive groups, alluded images of sports activities, such golf, tennis , recreational games on beach.

dolin in 1939 staging

of prodigal son.

popular passion sport caused cocteau first conceive of beach ballet . work provided prize role athletic anton dolin, acrobatics astonished , delighted audience. when left company, however, no 1 capable found role, causing ballet dropped.

probably ballet suffered when collaboration between nijinska , librettist cocteau collapsed. garafola writes contested issues included gender (cocteau said entertain dim view of women versus nijinska s unease traditional femininity), story , gesture approach verses abstract ballet (cocteau favored substituting out dance pantomime, nijinska satisfied plotless ballet), , changing aesthetics of dance (cocteau favoring acrobatics on dance, nijinska constituted delicate series of judgments). last minute changes made. nijinska s choreography managed impart sophistication of view beach ballet. garafola further opines nijinska had technical wherewithal... wrest irony language , traditions of [classical dance].

le train bleu anticipated 1933 ballet beach. massine s choreography, nijinska s, stylization of sport motifs , different dance idioms within structured balletic framework. athletic dance scenes incorporated jazz movements. more nijinska s 1924 choreography revived.