Serge Lifar - Discusses and Performs Parts of 'L'après-midi d'un faune' (c1940)

In interview, Serge Lifar discusses the use of the flute in 'L'après-midi d'un faune'. In French with Russian over-dubbing.

He then performs some of the ballet in an outdoor setting, captured on (probably) amateur film, some of which I've uploaded before.

Nijinsky choreographed and danced the principle role of the faun in the original Ballets Russes production of 1912.

This performance was never filmed.

Serge Lifar performed the role with the Diaghilev company in 1923.

Though Lifar would never have seen the original production, the passed-on memory of other members of the company would have informed the 1923 Ballets Russes revival and so this 1940s performance.

It is valuable then in that perhaps it captures some aspects of the original work.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Serge Lifar
• Ballets Russes
• ballet
• L'après-midi d'un faune

[balletnut]

I saw Nureyev in this (not in the autumn of his life) and I was absolutely spellbound by him - although he was naturally so passionate, in this he was graceful and serene but, of course, still animal-like. His magnetism was really terrific.

I agree with you Nick, there was something different in the air on a performance with Rudi.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi balletnut - thes equalities we are chatting about are i'm sure a good part of what made nureyev stand above many other of the dancers of his generation, that and the publicity of jumping to the west - still at his zenith when i was a kid in the early 70shis performances were quite special. lucky you to have seen him in 'l'apres midi d'un faune' - i've seen the footage but it's not the same as being there. cheers!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi again silkenthreaddance - unfortunately i don't know anything about this footage which is the same as that of the earlier upload - just different parts of the performance. i'm guessing it's semi-amateur. the earlier upload has the name 'Serge Lifar - 'L'apres midi d'un faune' (c1940's) ' - you can search my channel using that to find it - i should really put all the bits together! i agree being in the open air adds a lot to the atmosphere - great you like it too.



[nickwallacesmith]

hi silkenthreaddance - sadly i never saw him in this role - only on film - you are lucky to have seen it! i suspect it was a smart move on his part to take on less dance strenuous roles later in his career. i saw nureyev a lot as a kid in london, often several times a week - 1970-1975 - lots of great memories: swan lake, sleeping beauty, giselle, romeo and juliet ... and his forays into modern works such as those of glen tetley. there was something different in the air on a nureyev performance