"Russian Seasons" by Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev

“And what are you, dear, doing here? - King Alfonso of Spain once asked Sergei Diaghilev during a meeting with the famous entrepreneur of the Russian Seasons. – You do not conduct an orchestra and do not play musical instrument, do not draw scenery and do not dance. So what are you doing?" To which he replied: “We are similar to you, Your Majesty! I don't work. I do nothing. But you can't do without me."

The "Russian Seasons" organized by Diaghilev were not just propaganda of Russian art in Europe, they became an integral part of European culture beginning of the twentieth century. and invaluable contribution to the development of ballet art.

history "Russian Seasons" Diaghilev and many interesting facts read on our page.

Prehistory of "Russian Seasons"

The combination of legal education and interest in music developed in Sergei Diaghilev brilliant organizational skills and the ability to discern talent even in a novice performer, supplemented by saying modern language, veined manager.

Diaghilev's close acquaintance with the theater began with the editing of the Yearbook of the Imperial Theaters in 1899, when he served at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Thanks to the assistance of the artists of the World of Art group, to which the official for special assignments S. Diaghilev, he turned the publication from a stingy statistical code into a real art magazine.

When, after a year of work as the editor of the Yearbook, Diaghilev was instructed to organize L. Delibes' ballet "Sylvia, or the Nymph of Diana", there was a scandal because of the modernist scenery, which did not fit into the conservative atmosphere of the theater of that time. Diaghilev was fired and he returned to painting, organizing exhibitions of paintings by European artists and "World of Art" in Russia. The logical continuation of this activity was in 1906 a landmark art exhibition at the Paris Autumn Salon. From this event, the history of the Seasons began ...

Ups and downs…

Inspired by the success of the Salon d'Automne, Diaghilev did not want to stop and, having decided to establish tours of Russian artists in Paris, he first gave preference to music. So, in 1907, Sergei Pavlovich organized the "Historical Russian Concerts", the program of which included 5 symphonic concerts of Russian classics, held at the Paris Grand Opera, reserved for the "Seasons". Chaliapin's high bass, choir Bolshoi Theater, Nikisch's conducting skills and Hoffmann's delightful piano playing captivated the Parisian public. In addition, a carefully selected repertoire, which includes excerpts from "Ruslan and Lyudmila" Glinka, "Christmas Nights" "Sadko" And "Snow Maiden" Rimsky-Korsakov, Enchantress » Tchaikovsky, « Khovanshchina "And" Boris Godunov "by Mussorgsky, made a splash.

In the spring of 1908, Diaghilev again goes to win the hearts of the Parisians: this time with an opera. However "Boris Godunov" gathered far from a full hall and the proceeds barely covered the expenses of the troupe. Something needed to be done urgently.

Knowing what the public of that time liked, Diaghilev compromised his own principles. He despised ballet, considering it to be primitive entertainment for the same primitive minds, but in 1909, the entrepreneur, sensitive to the mood of the public, brought 5 ballets: Armida's Pavilion, Cleopatra, Polovtsian Dances, sylph ” and “Pir”. The amazing success of the productions performed by the promising choreographer M. Fokin confirmed the correctness of Diaghilev's choice. The best ballet dancers from Moscow and St. Petersburg - V. Nizhinsky, A. Pavlova, I. Rubinstein, M. Kshesinskaya, T. Karsavina and others - formed the core of the ballet troupe. Although a year later Pavlova leaves the troupe due to disagreements with the impresario, "Russian Seasons" will become in her life that springboard, after which the ballerina's fame will only grow. The poster by V. Serov, made for the tour in 1909 and containing the image of Pavlova, frozen in a graceful pose, became a prophecy of glory for the artist.

It was the ballet that brought the “Russian Seasons” great fame, and it was the Diaghilev troupe that influenced the history of the development of this art form in all countries where they had to perform on tour. Since 1911, the "Russian Seasons" contained exclusively ballet numbers, the troupe began to perform in a relatively stable composition and was called the "Russian Ballet of Diaghilev". Now they perform not only at the Paris Seasons, but also go on tour to Monaco (Monte Carlo), England (London), USA, Austria (Vienna), Germany (Berlin, Budapest), Italy (Venice, Rome).

In Diaghilev's ballets, from the very beginning, there was a desire for a synthesis of music, singing, dance and visual arts into one whole, subordinated to the general concept. It was this feature that was revolutionary for that time, and it was precisely thanks to this feature that the performances of the Russian Ballet of Diaghilev caused either storms of applause or flurries of criticism. Being in search of new forms, experimenting with plasticity, scenery, musical arrangement, Diaghilev's enterprise was significantly ahead of its time.

As proof of this, we can cite the fact that the premiere held in Paris (Theater on the Champs-Elysées) in 1913 "The Rite of Spring" - a ballet based on Russian pagan rites , - was drowned out by the whistles and screams of an indignant audience, and in 1929 in London (The Covent Garden Theatre) her production was crowned with enthusiastic exclamations and furious applause.

The incessant experimentation has given rise to such idiosyncratic performances as The Games (fantasy on the theme of tennis), The Blue God (fantasy on the theme of Indian motifs), the 8-minute ballet The Afternoon of a Faun, called by the public the most obscene phenomenon in the theater due to frankly erotic plasticity of the luminary, the "choreographic symphony" "Daphnis and Chloe" to the music of M. Ravel and others.

Diaghilev - reformer and modernist of ballet art

When the Diaghilev troupe entered the ballet, there was a complete rigidity in academic conservatism. The great impresario had to destroy the existing canons, and this, of course, was much easier to do on the European stage than in Russia. Diaghilev did not directly participate in productions, but he was the organizing force, thanks to which his troupe achieved world recognition.

Diaghilev intuitively understood that the main thing in ballet is a talented choreographer. He knew how to see an organizational gift even in a novice choreographer, as was the case with M. Fokin, and he knew how to bring up the qualities necessary to work with his troupe, as happened with 19-year-old V. Myasin. He also invited Serge Lifar to his team, first as a performer, and later made him a new star in the galaxy of ballet masters of the Russian Ballet troupe.

The productions of "Russian Seasons" were under the powerful influence of the work of modernist artists. Sets and costumes were created by A. Benois, N. Roerich, B. Anisfeld, L. Bakst, S. Sudeikin, M. Dobuzhinsky, avant-gardists N. Goncharova, M. Larionov, Spanish muralist H.-M. Sert, Italian futurist D. Balla, cubists P. Picasso, H. Gris and J. Braque, French impressionist A. Matisse, neoclassicist L. Survage. Such famous personalities as C. Chanel, A. Laurent and others were also involved as decorators and costume designers in Diaghilev's productions. As you know, the form always affects the content, which was observed by the audience of the Russian Seasons. Not only the scenery, costumes and curtain struck with their artistic expressiveness, outrageous, play of lines: the entire production of this or that ballet was permeated with modernist trends, plastic gradually displaced the plot from the viewer's attention.

Diaghilev used the most diverse music for the productions of the Russian Ballet: from world classics F. Chopin , R. Schuman, K. Weber , D. Scarlatti, R. Strauss and Russian classics N. Rimsky-Korsakov , A. Glazunov, M. Mussorgsky, P. Tchaikovsky , M. Glinka to the Impressionists C. Debussy and M. Ravel, as well as contemporary Russian composers I. Stravinsky and N. Cherepnin.

European ballet, which experienced a crisis of its development at the beginning of the 20th century, was endowed with the young talents of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, refreshed by its new performance techniques, new plastique, an unsurpassed synthesis of various types of art, from which something completely different from the usual classical ballet was born.

Interesting Facts

• Although the "Historical Russian Concerts" are considered among the "Russian Seasons", only the poster of 1908 contained this name for the first time. There were 20 more such seasons ahead, but the 1908 tour was the last attempt by the entrepreneur to do without ballet.
• To stage "Afternoon of a Faun" lasting only 8 minutes, Nijinsky needed 90 rehearsals.
• An avid collector, Diaghilev dreamed of getting hold of A. Pushkin's unpublished letters to Natalya Goncharova. When they were finally handed over to him in June 1929, the entrepreneur was late for the train - a tour in Venice was coming. Diaghilev put the letters in the safe to read them after arriving home ... but he was no longer destined to return from Venice. The land of Italy received the great impresario forever.
• During the performance of the solo part in the ballet "Orientalia" in 1910, V. Nijinsky made his famous jump, which glorified him as a "flying dancer".
• Before each performance of the ballet The Phantom of the Rose, the costume designer re-sewed rose petals to Nijinsky's costume, because after the next performance he tore them off and gave them away to the dancer's numerous admirers.

Films about S. Diaghilev and his activities

• In the film The Red Shoes (1948), Diaghilev's personality received an artistic rethinking in the character under the name Lermontov. In the role of Diaghilev - A. Walbrook.
• In the feature films "Nijinsky" (1980) and "Anna Pavlova" (1983), Diaghilev's personality is also given attention. In his role - A. Bates and V. Larionov, respectively.

• Documentary film by A. Vasiliev “The fate of the ascetic. Sergei Diaghilev” (2002) tells about the founder of the magazine “World of Arts” and the entrepreneur of “Russian Seasons”.
• A very interesting and exciting film “Geniuses and villains of the outgoing era. Sergei Diaghilev” (2007) talks about little-known facts related to Diaghilev and his production activities.
• In 2008, the series "Ballet and Power" was devoted to the films of Vaslav Nijinsky and Sergei Diaghilev, however, their ambiguous relationship and the talent of the young dancer became the object of attention of many films that deserve a separate review.
• The film "Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky" (2009) touches upon the relationship between the entrepreneur and the composer who wrote the music for many of his performances.
• The documentary "Paris of Sergei Diaghilev" (2010) is the most fundamental film work about the life and work of a talented entrepreneur.
• The first of the films in the "Historical Journeys of Ivan Tolstoy" series is dedicated to Sergei Diaghilev - "A Precious Bunch of Letters" (2011).
• Sergei Diaghilev is also dedicated to one program from the cycle “The Chosen Ones. Russia. Century XX" (2012).
• The documentary film "Ballet in the USSR" (2013) (Series of programs "Made in the USSR") partially touches on the theme of "Russian Seasons".
• The TV release “Absolute Rumor” dated February 13, 2013 tells about Diaghilev and the art of the 20th century, and from January 14, 2015 - about the first productions of the ballet “Afternoon of a Faun”.
• Two films were released as part of the Terpsichore Mysteries program series - Sergei Diaghilev - a man of art (2014) and Sergei Diaghilev - from painting to ballet (2015).

It can rightfully be considered the ancestor of the domestic show business. He managed to play on the outrageous performances of his troupe and purposefully saturate performances with various modernist techniques at all levels of composition: scenery, costumes, music, plasticity - everything bore the imprint of the most fashionable trends of the era. In Russian ballet of the beginning of the 20th century, as in other areas of art of that time, the dynamics from active searches was clearly visible. Silver Age new means of expression to hysterical intonations and broken lines of avant-garde art. " Russian seasons” raised European art to a qualitatively new level of development and to this day they do not cease to inspire creative bohemians in search of new ideas.

Video: Watch a film about Diaghilev's Russian Seasons

The first quarter of the 20th century was a time of innovation. At the same time in Europe were held with an unprecedented full house "Russian Seasons" arranged Sergei Diaghilev. The impresario was passionate about expanding the boundaries of traditional ballet, so he gathered talented dancers, composers and artists around him, who together created a ballet that was ahead of its time. Europe applauded the Russian Seasons for 20 years.

Sergei Diaghilev spent his childhood and youth in Perm (Northern Urals). After the future impresario graduated from law school, he realized that he wanted to devote himself to culture.

The turning point in the life of Sergei Diaghilev came when he moved from Russia to Paris in 1906. He organized there an exhibition of paintings by Russian artists, a number of concerts dedicated to the work of Russian composers. But most of all, he was remembered by posterity as the organizer of the "Russian Seasons" - innovative ballet performances.

Back in 1899, as an official for special assignments under the director of the Imperial Theatres, Diaghilev saw the performance of Isadora Duncan and Mikhail Fokine. Dance innovations led Diaghilev to complete delight. He decided that traditional choreography would no longer surprise the public, so in 1909 he opened the Season of Russian Ballets in Paris.

Anna Pavlova, Mikhail Fokin, Vaslav Nijinsky created something unique. New choreography, music by Stravinsky, Debussy, Prokofiev, Strauss merged together. Alexandre Benois, Pablo Picasso, Coco Chanel, Henri Matisse realized their fantasies in the design of costumes and scenery.

The three earliest ballets, The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913) made a splash. Although it is worth noting that the public did not immediately accept the innovation of Diaghilev and his team. At the premiere of The Rite of Spring, the audience did not understand what was happening on the stage: they screamed so that they drowned out the orchestra. Choreographer Nijinsky had to tap out the beat so that the artists could keep on dancing. Nevertheless, after the “Russian Seasons”, a fashion for everything Russian appeared in Europe: foreign dancers changed their names to Russian manners, and the wife of King George VI walked down the aisle in a dress decorated with elements from Russian folklore.

For 20 years, Europe has applauded the Russian Seasons. Despite the fact that Sergei Diaghilev was a welcome guest in the most famous aristocratic houses of Europe, this man teetered on the brink of ruin all his life. Diaghilev suffered from diabetes for a long time, but did not follow the diet prescribed for him. In 1929, his health deteriorated sharply, while in Venice, he fell into a coma, from which he never came out.
After the collapse of the "Russian Seasons" continued to excite the public for more than a decade.

The dance ensemble "Russian Seasons" was organized in 1991 by a group of enthusiasts with the aim of further developing the deepest traditions of the Russian dance school. Today the dance ensemble "Russian Seasons" is one of the leading groups in Russia.

The artistic director and chief choreographer of the ensemble is one of the best choreographers in the country, Honored Art Worker of Russia, laureate of international competitions Nikolai Nikolaevich Androsov. He comprehended the art of choreography from the age of 6, starting with the Song and Dance Ensemble named after V.S. Loktev, then at the Choreographic School-Studio at the State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble of the USSR under the direction of I.A. Moiseev, after which he became the leading soloist of the GAANT of the USSR under the direction of I.A. Moiseev. In 1990 he graduated with honors from the Russian Academy of Theater Arts (GITIS) as a director - choreographer (course of Professor A.A. Borzov).

"Russian Seasons" brilliantly passed the difficult path of becoming a young team, with which N.N. Androsov has staged more than 400 productions on the best stages of the world (the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Vienna Opera, the Rome Opera, etc.). Among them are one-act and two-act ballets, musical and dramatic performances, musicals, concert programs, etc. In 2000, the ensemble was nominated for the Golden Mask award in the Best Joint Production nomination for the ballet The Rite of Spring by I. Stravinsky staged by the Japanese choreographer Mina Tanaka. Behind the shoulders of the artists of the ensemble are such works as the project "Return of the Firebird" together with Andris Liepa, "The Gospel of the Evil One" together with Vladimir Vasiliev, "Bolero", "Slavic Dances", "Judas", "Arimoya", ballet P. AND. Tchaikovsky "The Nutcracker".

In the first 10 years, the band successfully performed three times on long tours of the United States of America, and since 2002 they have been repeatedly invited to tour the United States. The art of the "Russian Seasons" was enthusiastically accepted by the audience in Spain, Argentina, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Chile, Hong Kong, Finland, Taiwan, Kenya, Japan, France, Germany and other countries.

The creative successes of the Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation, the founder and artistic director Choreographic School at the Moscow State Academic Theater "Russian Seasons" Nikolai Nikolaevich ANDROSOV were awarded the Prize for the best modern choreography International Competition ballet dancers and choreographers "Maya", the award "National Treasure of Russia", the Order of S. Diaghilev, the Order "For Service to Art" ("Silver Star"), a diploma from the Government of Moscow.

All "Theatre for Young Spectators named after. A.A. Bryantseva "Music Hall Theater" St. Petersburg State academic theater Ballet named after Leonid Yakobson Ilya Averbukh Production Company Moscow Synodal Choir "Astrakhan State Song and Dance Ensemble" Grand Symphony Orchestra Sverdlovsk State Academic Philharmonic Theater of the Moscow City Council Vocal Ensemble "INTRADA" Kaluga Regional Philharmonic Kazan State Conservatory named after N.G. Zhiganov Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya.Vaganova All-Russian Museum of A.S. Pushkin All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art "Moscow Musical Theatre"Helikon-Opera" under the direction of Dmitry Bertman" State Museum History of Russian Literature named after V.I. » State Museum-Reserve "Peterhof" State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoye Selo" State Museum and Exhibition Center "ROSIZO" State Research Museum of Architecture named after A.V. Shchusev Yekaterinburg Theater contemporary choreography"Provincial Dances" Regional Autonomous Institution "State Philharmonic of the Altai Territory" Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Moscow Theater "Et Cetera" Museum of the World Ocean Museum of Victory ( Central Museum Great Patriotic War 1941-1945) Novosibirsk State Philharmonic Project of the Russian Orthodox Church St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after I.E. Repin at the Russian Academy of Arts "State Academic Capella of St. Petersburg" "Academic Ballet Theater of Boris Eifman" Theater Named after E.B. Vakhtangov Teatrium on Serpukhovka under the direction of Tereza Durova State Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve "State Museum of the History of Religion" Soyuzmultfilm Pianist Rem Urasin Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Tatarstan Short Meetings Russian Film Festival State state-financed organization culture of the Arkhangelsk region "State Academic Northern Russian Folk Choir" Russian-German Academy of Music Surgut Music and Drama Theater Days of Russian Spiritual Culture Conference "Granin and Germany. A Difficult Path to Reconciliation State Autonomous Cultural Institution Ryazan Regional Philharmonic State Pushkin Theater Center in St. Petersburg Mirt Theater (Integrated Rehabilitation Theater Workshop) State Autonomous Institution of the Komi Republic Komi Republican Philharmonic S. Andriyaka Academy of Watercolors State budgetary institution culture of the city of Moscow "Moscow State Academic Dance Theater "Gzhel" State Autonomous Institution of Culture of the Novosibirsk Region "State Academic Siberian Russian Folk Choir" federal agency for Press and Mass Communications (Rospechat) Federal State Enterprise "Russian State Circus Company" Days of Russian Spiritual Culture International Festival Ballet DANCE OPEN Academic Grand Choir "Masters of Choral Singing" Pskov Academic Drama Theater named after A.S. Pushkin Federal State Circus

theater ballet degilev

Classical Russian ballet has transformed the world ballet art. He was famous for many decades and is still famous today. But at the beginning of the 20th century, the star of the new Russian choreography flared up, laying down its traditions - and these traditions not only live on to this day, but have become the harbinger of a new world art. Russian ballet of the early 20th century is a completely unexpected word in the art of ballet, and ballet culture seems to have been waiting for it for a long time.

Until now, the world ballet is nourished by the discoveries and innovations of the Russian troupe, which performed in Europe in the 1910s and 1920s, develops and transforms the traditions laid down by it. By a strange fate, the new Russian ballet was born and gained world fame outside of Russia, but it was created by Russian artists, Russian choreographers, artists, composers. It was no coincidence that the troupe was called the Russian Ballet of Sergei Diaghilev. Diaghilevs ballet seasons not only introduced the new Russian ballet to the world, but also most fully revealed the talents of many Russian artists, here they came to world fame.

It all started in 1907, when Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev opened a Russian entreprise called "Russian Seasons" in Paris. Europe already knew Diaghilev's name. An unusually energetic entrepreneur, also known in Russia as a serious connoisseur of world culture, author of works on the history of Russian painting, one of the organizers of the art association "World of Art", editor of the magazines "World of Art" and "Yearbook of Imperial Theaters", organizer of art exhibitions, theater figure , a person close both to ballet circles and to the circle of artists, composers, Diaghilev by that time managed to organize in Europe more than one exhibition of works by Russian artists, representatives of that new Russian art, which would later be called the art of the Silver Age, the art of the Art Nouveau era.

Diaghilev began his “Russian Seasons” in Paris with “Historical Concerts”, in which S. V. Rakhmanov, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. K. Glazunov, F. I. Chaliapin, the choir of the Maritime Bolshoi Theater took part. The following year, Diaghilev brought Russian opera to Paris, introducing the European audience to the masterpieces of productions of works by M. P. Mussorsky, A. P. Borodin, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (Fyodor Chaliapin sang the main parts). In the 1909 season, ballet appeared in Diaghilev's entreprise. Ballet performances were interspersed with opera performances. He brought to Europe the color of Russian theatrical culture - dancers V.F. Nizhinsky, A.P. Pavlova, T.P. Karsavina, choreographer M.M. Fokin, invites artists A.N. Benois, L.S. Bakst, N.K. Roerich, A. Ya. Golovin.

The success of the ballet productions was so resounding that the following year Diaghilev abandoned the opera and brought only ballet to Paris. It can be said that since 1910 he has become exclusively a "ballet entrepreneur". Diaghilev devotes the rest of his life to ballet.

Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev has long had a passion for ballet theatre. In 1899-1901. he directed the production on stage Mariinsky Theater"Sylvia" L. Delibes. Diaghilev tried to update the scenography of the ballet, but met resistance from the theater management and was fired "for undermining academic traditions." As we can see, Diaghilev's desire to find new ways in ballet appeared long before his Parisian "seasons".

In 1910, Diaghilev brought to Paris Fokine's ballets, staged by this choreographer at the Mariinsky Theater - Scheherazade by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Cleopard by A. S. Arensky, Pavilion of Armida by N. N. Cherepnin, "Giselle" A. Adam. Polovtsian dances from the opera "Prince Igor" by A. P. Borodin were also presented. Preparation of the season began in St. Petersburg. Here, the outstanding talent of Diaghilev the entrepreneur appeared in full measure. First of all, the St. Petersburg productions were edited in the direction of complicating the choreography. With the help of M. F. Kshesinskaya, a member of the troupe close to the court, Diaghilev managed to get a solid subsidy for this season (the emperor Nicholas 2 was among the “sponsors”). Diaghilev managed to find patrons among French patrons as well.

He gathered an entrepreneurial troupe from young people, primarily from supporters of Fokine's choreography - these were Pavlova, Karsavina, Bolm, Nijinsky. From Moscow he invited Koralli, Geltser, Mordkin. The French were shocked by the Russian ballet - both by the originality of the choreography, and the performing brilliance, and the painting of the scenery, and spectacular costumes. Each performance was a spectacle of amazing beauty and perfection. Nijinsky, Pavlova, Karsavina became a discovery for Europe.

Diaghilev's seasons were called "Russian Seasons Abroad" and were held annually until 1913. The 1910 season was the first season, and in 1911 Diaghilev decided to create a separate ballet troupe, called the Diaghilev Russian Ballet. Fokin became the chief choreographer in it. Here the legendary performances "Vision of the Rose" to the music of K. M. Weber, "Narcissus" by N. N. Cherepnin, "Daphnis and Chloe" by M. Ravel, "Tamara" to the music of M. A. Balakirev were staged.

The main event of the first seasons was the ballet "Petrushka" staged in 1911 by Fokine to the music of I. F. Stravinsky (the artist was A. N. Benois), where in leading role Nijinsky spoke. This party has become one of the pinnacles in the artist's work.

Since 1912, the Diaghilev troupe began touring the world - London, Rome, Berlin, the cities of America. These tours contributed not only to strengthening the glory of the new Russian ballet, but also to the revival of ballet in a number of European countries, and subsequently to the emergence of ballet theaters in countries that did not yet have their own ballet, for example, in the same United States, in some countries of Latin America.

The Diaghilev troupe was destined to open one of the most remarkable pages in the history of the ballet theater, and thanks to his work in it, Diaghilev was rightfully called later "the creator of a new artistic culture"(The words belong to the dancer and choreographer Sergei Lifar). The troupe existed until 1929, that is, until the death of its founder. Fame always accompanied her, the productions of the Diaghilev troupe were striking in their high artistic level, outstanding talents shone in them, which Diaghilev knew how to find and nurtured.

The activity of the troupe is divided into two periods - from 1911 to 1917. and from 1917 to 1929. The first period is associated with the activities of Fokine, the dancers Nijinsky, Karsavina, Pavlova, as well as with the work of the artists of the "World of Art" - Benois, Dobuzhinsky, Bekst, Sudeikin, Golovin, with Russian classical composers N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. K Lyadov, M. A. Balakirev, P. I. Tchaikovsky to the people with modern Russian composers N. N. Cherepnin, I. F. Stravinsky, K. Debusset.

The second period is associated with the names of choreographers L. F. Myasin, J. Balanchine, dancers Sergei Lifar, Alicia Markova, Anton Dolin, European artists P. Picasso, A. Beauchamp, M. Utrillo, A. Matisse and Russian avant-garde artists - M F. Larionov, N. S. Goncharova, G. B. Yakulov, contemporary Russian and foreign composers - Stravinsky, Prokofiev, F. Poulenc, E. Satie.

In 1917, Diaghilev invited the famous Ernesto Cecchetti, an admirer and connoisseur of Russian classical ballet, as a teacher-repetiteur: Diaghilev never declared a break with the great traditions of Russian ballet, even in his most “modernist” productions, he still remained within their framework

Rarely has any entreprise troupe been kept at the peak of success for three or three seasons in a row. The Diaghilev troupe held the level of world fame for 20 years. The director of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, S. L. Grigoriev, wrote: “It is difficult to conquer Paris. Maintaining influence for 20 seasons is a feat." Over the years of the troupe's existence, more than 20 ballets have been staged in it.

It is impossible not to take into account that after 1917 the European ballet theater entered a state of crisis. The classical school chewed itself up, new ideas and names appeared few. It was at such a moment of crisis that Diaghilev's brilliant team gave the world samples of high art, endowed world ballet with new ideas, and suggested new ways of its development.