LYFAR AND DIAGILEV

Sergiy Pavlovych Diagilev (1872-1929) -a prominent Russian theater figure, propagandist of Russian Art abroad . He was engaged in painting, theater, history of artistic styles. In 1898 he was among the founders of the association of "World of Arts", in 1899-1904 in cooperation with A.Benoa, the editor of the magazine under the same title. Beginning from 1899 he was the organizer of exhibitions of Russian and foreign painting in Petersburg. In 1906-1907 the editor of "Year-book of Imperial Theaters". In 1906-1907 he organized the exhibitions of Russian painters in Paris, Berlin, Monte-Carlo and Venice, and from 1907 - annual performances of Russian actors and performers "Russian Seasons Abroad", in 1907 - concerts of symphonic music ("Historic Russian Concerts"), N.A.Rimskiy-Korsakov, S.V.Rakhmaninov, F.I.Shaliapin participated in them.; in 1908 - seasons of Russian Opera (in 1908 the opera "Boris Godunov" by Mysorgskiy was performed in Paris and in 1909 "Pskovitianka" by Rimskiy-Korsakov). In 1909 the first opera and ballet season was held, it turned out to be a triumph and greatly effected the further development of the world choreography.

Karsavina, Diagilev, Fokin after the first night of ballet "Petrushka" (Punch). 1929

Beginning from that time the annual ballet Russian seasons started in the leading countries of the Western Europe, they continued till 1913. In 1911 Diagilev created permanent company "Diagilev's Russian Ballet" which began performing in 1913 and existed till 1929. Taking ballet as a carrier of new ideas in art Diagilev understood it as a synthesis of modern music, painting and choreography. Diagilev's initiative called to life the works by I.F Stravinskiy ( ("Fire-Bird", "Petrushka", "Sacred Spring", "Apollo's Musager"), Prokofiev ("Steel galloping" "Prodigal sun") and K.Debussi, M.Ravel, etc. The performances were decored for by many famous artists: A.N.Benoa, L.S.Bakst, N.K.Rerikh. N.S.Goncharova, P.Picasso, A.Deren, Y,S,Brak, etc. Ballets were set by M.Fokin, V.Nizhinskiy, B.Romanov, G.Balanchin, S.Lyfar. A.Pavlova, T.Karsavina, L.Lopukhova, B.Nizhinskiy, S.Lyfar performed in the ballets. Diagilev used to be the inspirer of creation of artistic values and skilled discoverer of talents. Sergiy Lyfar and BorisKokhno were appointed Diagilev's successors after his death. Lyfar recollected: " I decided not to take the leadership of the theater. Being too young at that crucial moment I still understood that the previous epoch was coming to its end and the continuation of the Sergiy Diagilev's Russian Ballet activity would have been cheating: Phoenix would not be born from ashes once more." The troupe had been existing and holding thanks to Diagilev. The troupe existed only thanks to Diagilev. He had controlled the intrigues as a cabman is holding reins. Without him, the intrigues could explode the ballet".
Lyfar always remembered and honored his Teacher, who had helped him to be realized as a dancer and personality. Taking the responsibility for Diagilev's inheritance Lyfar made efforts to preserve his name into the history of the world culture. Lyfar organized exhibitions (Louver, 1939) in memory of Diagilev, collected the books about his creative work, published in different countries. He took an active part in erecting the monument on Diagilev's grave in Venice. The most valuable contribution is the memoirs of S.Lyfar about Diagilev, written in 1933 and reissued repeatedly.

S.Lyfar, S.Diagilev, S,Prokofiev. 1929.

From the Preface to "Diagilev. With Diagilev", (Paris, 1939):
"I began to write this book just after Diagilev's death and under its immediate very vivid and deep impression: knowing how the memory about great people vanishes and how difficult it is to restore it if their friends have not left their memories I decided to write down everything I remembered about my meetings with Diagilev, about my friendship with him and about the last days of his life. Not to miss all the petty details the Diagilev's image could appear dry and lifeless without, I narrated my life of 1923-1929, because in that period it touched Diagilev and his life. But I was encountered with the difficulties from the very beginning and the obstacles were of the certain kind: both my life and the life of Diagilev were interlaced with lives of other people. I didn't want either to misrepresent or "smooth" the truth. I am absolutely sure that there should not be anything except truth in the biographies of great people, no embellishment. In my memoirs Diagilev's image remained vivid and I hope truthful, but this image was too intimate, it was the sketch to the portrait of Sergiy Pavlovych Diagilev, not of S.P.Diagilev as a great person, founder of new artistic culture, of new esthetics, of "The World of Art" and Russian Ballet.
I am not the one to judge to what extent in my brief review of Diagilev's life and activities I managed to convey his intuition and sagacity, permitted him to guess artistic genius in a person, his genius essence, his ability to inflame others with his own fire, to call, keep and develop the hidden inner fire. In my book I wanted to show that Diagilev not only could organize artistic creative work, gather and connect artists creating works of art unexpected even to themselves, but that he was the participant or member of this unexpected creativity himself, and that Diagilev's impress is beared by all works of art, appeared thanks to him and due to him and artists united by him, having created that epoch in art, in all its fields. If my reader feels that impress of Diagilev's genius I have achieved what I meant"

(S.Lyfar)

Books about Diagilev:

1. Lifar S. Diagilev. With Diagilev. - Paris, 1939. - 503 p.

2. Lifar S. Diagilev - bibliophile. - Paris, 1938. - 12 p.

3. Lifar S. Serge Diaghilev. His life his work his legend. An Intimate biography." London.l940. - 556 p.

4. Lifar S. Serge Diaghilev. His life his work his legend. An Intimate biography. -New York, 1940. - 400 p.

5. Lifar S. Dyagilev. - Budapest. 1975. - 388 p.

6. Persival J. The World of Diaghilev. - London, 1979. - 144 p.

7. The World of Serge Diaghilev / Charles Spencer with contributions by PhilipDyer and Martin Battersby.- New York. 1979. - 175 p.

8. Haskell A. Diaghileff His artistic and private life / In collaboration with Walter Nouvel.-London, 1955. -382 р.

9. Beaumont Cyril W. The Diaghilev Ballet in London. A personal record. -London.l940. - 355 p.

10. Diaghilev observed by critics in England and the United States 1911-1929 .-New York, London, 1975.

© Lesya Ukrainka Public Library
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