Diaghilev and the theater
Sergei Diaghilev grew up with a love for music, especially the works of Pyotr Tchaikovsky. In 1890 he studied at St. Petersburg University and, alongside his academic work, took lessons from the composer Rimsky-Korsakov. He often described the university atmosphere as luxurious and refined, a mood he embraced even as a student.
After graduating, Diaghilev moved back to St. Petersburg and began organizing exhibitions featuring both European and Russian artists such as Levitan and Serov. He found his path into theater through editorial work, first with Mir Iskusstva, a modernist review, and later with the Imperial Theater Yearbook, which connected him to a circle of artists. At the Imperial Theatre, the early production of the ballet Sylvia was offered but faced controversy. Diaghilev invited familiar artists from the art world to participate, a decision that irritated local authorities. He severed ties with theater management in protest.
From 1906 he sent exhibitions abroad and, two years later, presented the first Russian Season in Paris, opening a new chapter for Russian art abroad.
The thorny path of the Russian Seasons
The inaugural season was shaped by World of Art painters Alexander Benois, Lev Bakst, and Nicholas Roerich, alongside leading Imperial Theatre figures such as Vaslav Nijinsky, Tamara Karsavina, and the famed Ida Rubinstein. With a fresh, modern approach to music, choreography, and visual design, the productions captivated Paris. Audiences first encountered ballets like Armida Pavilion, Polovtsian Dances, and Boris Godunov, marking a turning point in crosscultural reception.
Rinat Dulmaganov, who served as General Producer of the National Opera Center in St. Petersburg, notes that Diaghilev’s innovation lay in blending different art forms into a single, cohesive production. He explains that music, visual art, and dance converged to form a unified artistic statement. The Seasons included music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky, a combination that showcased a new artistic language .
Faina Dmitrieva, head of the Diaghilev House Cultural Foundation, highlights how the impresario brought national culture to an international stage. Some works, such as The Rite of Spring, challenged Western audiences at first. Contemporary memoirs recount how people whistled, criticized the artists and composer, and laughed at the bold ideas being presented. Yet these reactions are part of the story of discovery and debate surrounding modernism .
As Dmitrieva notes, the modernist impulse drew on deeply rooted Russian folklore, presenting stories unfamiliar to Europe. Diaghilev himself predicted that his era would arrive in time, and history would prove him right.
The premiere of The Rite of Spring, choreographed by Nijinsky, occurred in Paris in May 1913. The concept came from Stravinsky, with Roerich contributing the visual design. The ballet centers on a pagan spring ceremony and the dramatic rituals of ancient rites.
Yet Diaghilev did not simply follow the crowd. In an interview with the Times, he articulated a long-term aim: to create a new theater movement, even as his performances seemed unconventional. The early triumphs included the Polovtsian Dances, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring, Parade, and others, according to Dulmaganov .
Diaghilev and philanthropy
Diaghilev also earned distinction as a generous patron who nurtured a remarkable cohort of ballet talents. He lured the impressionist choreographer Leonid Myasin from Moscow into his circle, eventually becoming the leader of the Russian Seasons from 1915 to 1921. He referred to his role as that of a philanthropist, a description that rings true in how he expanded cultural horizons, funded museum visits, and supported artists with knowledge, vision, and foresight .
In 1917 Myasin staged Picasso’s Parade, with music by Erik Satie. The director’s interest in cinema surfaced as he experimented with movement and narrative on stage. He described the bold specifics of Parade in his memoirs, recounting how a sequence of kinetic performances and stylistic parodies echoed cinema while maintaining a distinctly stage-bound language. The choreography of Parade showcased a bold, hybrid aesthetic that pushed boundaries.
When Parade premiered in Paris, controversy erupted. A chorus of critics and spectators protested, reacting to the experiment with shock. A tribal roar of “Death to the Russians!” and “Picasso is nonsense!” filled the hall as actors faced the crowd. Even contemporaries recount this moment as a turning point that underscored the audacity and risk of the work. The episode is often cited as a landmark in the history of theater and ballet, influencing later French and Russian composers and choreographers .
Historically, Parade’s impact resonated beyond scandal. It catalyzed the formation of new French and Russian circles in music and choreography, influencing the development of modernist connections between composers like Stravinsky and imagery from contemporary artists. In 1924 Georges Balanchivadze, who would later become Balanchine, joined the Russian Seasons and contributed nine major performances, including the opera-ballet Child and Magic with music by Maurice Ravel.
After Diaghilev’s death, Balanchine left for the United States and helped shape a new era of neoclassical ballet on Broadway. Critics like Vadim Gaevsky observed that Fokin’s enthusiasm waned after a few years, while Nijinsky’s mental health deteriorated after the challenges of the era. The overall arc of these artists’ trajectories underscores the lasting influence of Diaghilev’s ensemble on modern dance and theater .
Diaghilev’s productions left a lasting mark by introducing music that was unconventional for the time, transforming stage aesthetics, and shaping future ballet language. He insisted on a holistic approach, orchestrating design and choreography to achieve a definitive historical effect. The ultimate observation by critics like Rinat Dulmaganov emphasizes how his work bridged onstage spectacle with lasting cultural impact. The final curtain fell on the Russian Seasons in Vichy on August 4, 1929, shortly followed by Diaghilev’s death due to blood poisoning, with the cost of his funeral covered by pianist Misia Sert and fashion designer Coco Chanel.