La Belle au bois dormant, then called The Sleeping Princess (1921) Bronislava Nijinska

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.