The Grand Impresario

🤝 The Nevsky Pickwickians

During his university years, Diaghilev was introduced by his cousin, Dmitry Filosofov, to an influential circle of art enthusiasts known as "The Nevsky Pickwickians." This group included future collaborators like Alexandre Benois, Walter Nouvel, Konstantin Somov, and Léon Bakst. Initially an outsider, Diaghilev rapidly immersed himself in Russian and Western art, traveling abroad to deepen his studies. Within two years, his voracious absorption of knowledge earned him respect as one of the most learned members of the group.

🖼️ Pioneering Exhibitions

In the late 1890s, Diaghilev began organizing art exhibitions to introduce contemporary artists to the Russian public and, subsequently, to European audiences. His 1897 exhibition of British and German watercolorists at the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts was a resounding success. He replicated this triumph in 1898 with an exhibition of Russian and Finnish artists at the Stieglitz Academy, featuring works by Mikhail Vrubel, Valentin Serov, and Isaac Levitan. That same year, he showcased young Russian painters in Germany. Despite lacking personal wealth, Diaghilev skillfully secured the patronage of high nobility, including Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and even Emperor Nicholas II.

📰 Founding "Mir iskusstva"

The 1898 Russian-Finnish exhibition marked the inaugural event of "Mir iskusstva" (World of Art), a society co-founded by Benois and Diaghilev earlier that year. The group, which also included Konstantin Somov, Dmitry Filosofov, Léon Bakst, and Eugene Lansere, soon launched a journal of the same name. Supported by figures like Savva Mamontov and Princess Maria Tenisheva, the magazine aimed to promote modern art. Diaghilev, as art director, shaped its style, designed its layout, contributed critical essays, and published a monograph on Dmitry Levitzky in 1904. However, Benois noted Diaghilev's lesser interest in philosophy and literature, often revealing gaps in his knowledge of classical works.

👑 The Grand Portrait Exhibition

On March 6, 1905, Diaghilev orchestrated a monumental exhibition titled "Russian portraits of the 18th and 19th centuries" at the Tauride Palace. This ambitious undertaking featured over 4,000 paintings sourced from 450 owners. Diaghilev personally traveled to acquire the portraits and meticulously compiled a catalog of 2,300 artworks, complete with details on artists, subjects, and other relevant information. Designed by Benois, the exposition was a groundbreaking example of art synthesis, with paintings grouped thematically and interiors uniquely decorated to enhance their impact. Its immense success solidified Diaghilev's position at the pinnacle of the art and society elite.

🇫🇷 Parisian Acclaim

Driven by a fervent desire to promote Russian art internationally, Diaghilev organized the "Two Centuries of Russian Art and Sculpture" exposition at the Salon d'Automne in Paris in 1906. This extensive exhibition showcased 750 works by 103 artists, ranging from modern pieces to ancient icons. Designed by Léon Bakst, it occupied 12 rooms in the Grand Palais and achieved extraordinary success, paving the way for the future triumphs of the Ballets Russes. France soon embraced a widespread "fashion à la russe." Diaghilev was offered the prestigious Legion of Honour award but declined it, choosing instead to honor Bakst.

🎶 "Concerts historiques russes"

Inspired by the success of his 1906 art exhibition, Diaghilev embarked on a mission to introduce Russian music to the world. In 1907, he organized the "Concerts historiques russes" in Paris, featuring celebrated composers like Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alexander Glazunov, and vocalists Feodor Chaliapin and Félia Litvinne. Supported by royal patrons Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the tour was a sensation. In spring 1908, Diaghilev staged Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov" at the Paris Opéra, with sets by Boris Anisfeld, designed by Bakst and Benois. Ivan Bilibin even traveled to Arkhangelsk Oblast to acquire authentic costumes. Despite overwhelming artistic success, the tour incurred a significant financial loss of 85,000 francs.

🌟 The Birth of an Icon

By 1909, Diaghilev's relationship with Kschessinska had soured, and the Russian state treasury withdrew its financial support for future tours. He sought assistance from his friend Misia Sert, whose efforts enabled the company to rent the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Initially, Diaghilev held a skeptical view of ballet, once remarking that "anyone with no special wit can enjoy it, there is no sense or subject in ballet." Serge Lifar later recalled that Diaghilev often referred to corps-de-ballet dancers as "a herd of cattle." Nevertheless, the inaugural "Saison Russe" in 1909 was an unprecedented success, astonishing even the artists themselves. This marked the true genesis of the Ballets Russes.

✨ A Synthesis of Arts

The first Ballets Russes season captivated audiences with productions including "Le Pavillon d'Armide," "Polovtsian Dances," "Nuit d’Egypte," "Les Sylphides," and operas such as "Boris Godunov," "The Maid of Pskov," and the first part of "Ruslan and Lyudmila." The ballets were uniquely presented after the second intermission of the operas. Leading dancers like Vaslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Ida Rubinstein, and Mikhail Mordkin instantly became international stars. Diaghilev's revolutionary approach was to synthesize dance, music, and visual arts—through elaborate set decorations and costumes—into a singular, cohesive performance, elevating ballet to a new artistic plane.

🎼 Masterful Collaborations

Diaghilev's tenure saw numerous collaborations with prominent composers. He staged several works by the late Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, including the operas "The Maid of Pskov," "May Night," and "The Golden Cockerel." However, his 1910 balletic adaptation of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral suite "Scheherazade" provoked the ire of the composer's widow, Nadezhda Rimskaya-Korsakova, who publicly protested. Diaghilev also commissioned original ballet music from a diverse array of composers, including Nikolai Tcherepnin ("Narcisse et Echo," 1911), Claude Debussy ("Jeux," 1913), Maurice Ravel ("Daphnis et Chloé," 1912), Erik Satie ("Parade," 1917), Manuel de Falla ("El Sombrero de Tres Picos," 1917), Richard Strauss ("Josephslegende," 1914), Sergei Prokofiev (multiple works including "Chout," "Le pas d'acier," and "The Prodigal Son"), Ottorino Respighi ("La Boutique fantasque," 1919), and Francis Poulenc ("Les biches," 1923). His choreographer Michel Fokine often adapted existing music for ballet, and Diaghilev also worked closely with dancer and ballet master Léonide Massine, playing a decisive role in the career of Sergey Prokofiev.

🎨 Aesthetic Influence

Léon Bakst served as the artistic director for the Ballets Russes, working alongside Diaghilev to develop a more intricate and theatrical form of ballet. Their productions, rich in spectacle and exotic appeal, were designed to captivate a broad public, moving beyond the confines of aristocratic audiences. The distinctive aesthetic of the Ballets Russes profoundly influenced Fauvist painters and played a significant role in the emergence of the Art Deco style. The enduring impact of Diaghilev's vision was perhaps best encapsulated by Coco Chanel, who famously stated, "Diaghilev invented Russia for foreigners."

🎵 Stravinsky's Muse

Among Diaghilev's most significant composer-collaborators was Igor Stravinsky. Impressed by Stravinsky's early orchestral works, "Fireworks" and "Scherzo fantastique," Diaghilev initially commissioned him to arrange Chopin pieces for the Ballets Russes. This partnership blossomed, leading to Stravinsky's first full ballet score, "The Firebird," in 1910. This was swiftly followed by the iconic "Petrushka" (1911) and the revolutionary "The Rite of Spring" (1913). Their collaboration continued with "Les noces" (1923) and "Pulcinella" (1920), the latter featuring set and costume designs by Pablo Picasso, showcasing Diaghilev's unparalleled ability to unite diverse artistic geniuses.

🎭 Entwined Lives

Sergei Diaghilev's personal life was deeply intertwined with the Ballets Russes. His most renowned romantic relationship was with the legendary dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. However, according to Serge Lifar, among all of Diaghilev's lovers, only Léonide Massine, who succeeded Nijinsky, provided him with "so many moments of happiness or anguish." Other notable figures in Diaghilev's romantic life included Anton Dolin, Serge Lifar, and his secretary and librettist, Boris Kochno.

💔 The Nijinsky Rift

Diaghilev abruptly dismissed Nijinsky from the Ballets Russes in 1913 following the dancer's marriage to Romola de Pulszky. Although Nijinsky later rejoined the company, their personal relationship was never fully restored. Furthermore, Nijinsky's extraordinary talent as a dancer began to wane due to the onset of mental illness. Their final encounter occurred after Nijinsky's mental health had significantly deteriorated, and he reportedly did not recognize his former lover.

💪 A Demanding Yet Kind Leader

Diaghilev was widely known as a rigorous, demanding, and even intimidating taskmaster. Ninette de Valois, a strong personality herself, admitted to being too afraid to ever meet his gaze. George Balanchine recalled Diaghilev carrying a cane during rehearsals, which he would angrily strike when displeased. Other dancers spoke of his ability to silence them with a single look or a sharp comment. Yet, he was also capable of immense kindness. During World War I, when his bankrupt company was stranded in Spain, he gave his last funds to Lydia Sokolova for her daughter's medical care. Alicia Markova, who joined the Ballets Russes at a very young age, affectionately called him "Sergypops" and recounted his promise to care for her like a daughter. Dancers like Markova, Tamara Karsavina, Serge Lifar, and Lydia Sokolova remembered him as a stern but ultimately benevolent father figure who prioritized his dancers and company above his own needs. He often lived paycheck to paycheck to finance his productions, and despite amassing a splendid collection of rare books later in life, many observed his impeccably tailored suits often had frayed cuffs and trouser-ends, a testament to his dedication.

🎬 Cinematic Inspiration

The dramatic life of Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes served as a significant inspiration for the acclaimed 1948 film "The Red Shoes." Film expert Scott Salwolke noted that Diaghilev clearly provided the model for the film's impresario character, Lermontov. Elements such as Lermontov's tribute to Pavlova after her death, using a spotlight to symbolize her presence on stage, and his dismissal of a dancer for marrying, directly mirrored events in Diaghilev's life. While filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger acknowledged the similarities, they maintained that Diaghilev was not the sole inspiration.

📜 References