Serge
Pavlovich Diaghilev
(1872 -1929)
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Diaghilev was born in the province of Novgorod 19th
March 1872. The son of an army officer his mother died soon after his birth but he was to
benefit from a close relationship with his stepmother once his father remarried a number
of years later. As a member of a noble family whose wealth originated in distilleries , he
grew up in an artistic environment. In 1890 he travelled to St.Petersburg to study law at
the university but he turned towards the arts , particularly music which led him to take
lessons at the conservatoire while still studying law.
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Initially he had aspirations to become a composer but was apparently
discouraged by Rimsky-Korsakov whom he met through his cousin. In fact it was through his
cousin , with whom he stayed in St.Petersburg , that Diaghilev made friends with a group
of men who were keenly interested in the arts and who were full of creative ambition ,
this group included the artists Alexander Benois and Leon Bakst and the group was
fundamental in formulating artistic ideas.
In 1895 Diaghilev made a lone trip to Western Europe and started to
accumulate a collection of pictures acquired through inheritence money, it was during this
time that he made some very useful connections .By all accounts Diaghilev wasn't a
particularly pleasant character, apparently a snob, bighead, ruthless and stubborn while
also being extremely charming, this took him far in illustrious circles. According to
Benois once Diaghilev had published some art criticism articles and realised his potential
to influence the masses , the notion to become an impresario entered his head as a
vocation.
Diaghilev himself was well aware of his own abilities , writing to his
stepmother he said "I am first a great charlatan , though with brio ; secondly a
great charmer ; thirdly, I have any amount of cheek ; fourthly , I am a man with a great
quantity of logic , but with very few principles ; fifthly, I think I have no real gifts .
All the same, I think i have just found my true vocation - being a Maecenas. I have
all that is necessary , save the money - mais ca viendra."
1897 saw Diaghilev's first attempt at organisation of an exhibition
consisting of a modest number of German and English watercolours but distinctive in its
imaginative display arrangement. This was to be the beginning of Diaghilev's organisation
of major and originally displayed art exhibitions, such as the large 1905 exhibition of
Russian portraits.
In 1898, along with his friends, Diaghilev founded "The World of
Art" magazine which he was to edit.Magazine, which he was
to edit. The basis of the publication led by the World of Art groups commitment to the art
of modern movements, all art was seriously discussed and reviewed; painting, the applied
arts, theatre, music and literature. They wanted to encourage the art of modern movements
and emphasise particularly the current art of their own country. The magazine was to be a
beautiful entity in itself, with attention paid to typeface, quality of paper and print
blocks for illustrations. The World of Art group with its members Bakst , Benois , Korovin
etc was very influential in this period with its appreciation of the beautiful aesthetics
of all contemporary arts while maintaining its national qualities.
In 1899 Diaghilev’s ruthlessness, charisma and foresight was recognised when the
Imperial Theatres employed him for "special missions". Throughout his career as
an impresario/promoter Diaghilev’s job title was vague, being arrogant, stubborn and
enthusiastic for the arts as a whole, he had his fingers in many pies and it was this
imposing personality which enabled so many artistic success. He even claimed at one point
that his role in the Ballets Russes - his ballet company was as the "lighting
man". But it evolved that Diaghilev the organiser was a force to be reckoned with,
responsible for a countless artistic triumphs regardless of the prescence of established
stars, it was Diaghilev himself who was the asset.
In 1894 the World of Art magazine closed down after the loss of financial backing due
to circumstances in which Diaghilev was sacked from the Imperial Theatre. A combination of
disobedience and an "indiscreet" personal life led the Tsar to prohibit
Diaghilev to work for him again. Thus Diaghilev looked elsewhere for creative challenges.
1906 brought a great triumph with his large exhibition of Russian art in Paris with a
distinctly imaginative arrangement including icons hung on brocaded walls and halls
decorated in the taste of the period. This was the first sign of success, which he was to
have in "exporting" Russian culture to Western Europe. This success led to the
suggestion that he organise a concert in Paris at the Palais des Champs – Elysees and
a concert at the Paris Opera. Diaghilev’s clear ability to organise successfully
groups of artists led to the staging of a complete Russian opera in 1908 of
Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov. With its dramatic effects and the unusual inclusion of a
monologue from Pushkin’s poem it was a resounding success, which led to Benois to
propose the staging of a ballet the following season.
At the time ballet was held in very low esteem in Paris, yet the value of the art
had never died in Russia, always being held in high regard and with the rising star of a
new choreography in Michel Fokine, Diaghilev revelled in the challenge to break Paris in
the season of 1909. The repertoire consisted of Le Pavillon d’Armide , Les Sylphides
and Cleopatra. It threw Paris into a frenzy and in 1911 Les Ballets Russes Diaghilev was
established on a continuing basis. Engagements in Paris, London, Monte Carlo were all a
great triumph, but his company and their works were never to be seen in his native land.
| Diaghilev had the ability to recognise outstanding talents
in all areas useful to him; Vaslav Nijinsky, Tamara Karsavina, A.Benois , L.Bakst , Michel
Fokine , Leonide Massine and composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov and Stravinsky. |
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All those listed are clearly outstanding in their own right, but the success of the
Ballets Russes relied on this formidable man. The stars were able to come and go; when
Nijinsky was sacked the company didn’t lose its appeal, when Fokine left the company
was able to cope and when numerous integral people abandoned the company Diaghilev’s
success continued. The Ballets Russes is revered for its outstanding foresight and
modernist outlook yet this was all rooted in the beliefs of Diaghilev and his work with
the World of Art group.
Diaghilev’s passion for novelty was legendary , this unique, bold outlook forming
the basis of the company, Diaghilev’s productions were nearly always innovative in
some way, be it in design, choreography, music or choice of production." Diaghilev
died in Venice in 1929 and although the company was taken over by Colonel de Basil it
eventually crumbled without him.