Serge de Diaghilev - A Portrait [6]

This is a documentary divided into seven parts on the life of Serge de Diaghilev, founder and guiding creative force of the famed Ballets Russes company.

I'm uploading the film as it used to be on You Tube but no longer seems so and I think a lot of people would like to have access to it again.

The talking head is Ballets Russes dancer, Tamara Geva.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Serge de Diaghilev
• Ballets Russes
• Russian Ballet
• ballet

[nickwallacesmith]

hi balletnut - yep, it's my favourite DVD at the moment and i've pirated quite a lot to upload here on YT - :< mia culpa. speaking of people who danced for or knew Diaghilev, i knew a woman in adelaide - natasha kirsta nee Princess Natasha Watchinadze - who knew bronislava nijinska well and saw her brother dance - she was in her late 80s and i was a teenager - but just listening to her speak about these legendary characters was wonderful - a kid thing i guess too

[balletnut]

I agree, the DVD of 'Ballet Russes' was superb and I got it because I enjoyed it so very much in the cinema. The cinema was absolutely packed - probably with a great many people who danced for Diaghilev or remember those days. Lucky them!!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Pearlaceous - yes, and wonderful to have had the imagination to bring together (quite often) diverse and talented composers, painters, and choreographers in the creation of a new work - breath-taking

[Pearlaceous]

All those names thrown around so casually - it really *is* like a Who's Who of the early 20th century arts world. Quite staggering!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi AmethystGalleon. yes very muddly. the film 'ballets russes' 2006 is much better thought out. yes the ballets russes was never allowed to be filmed by diaghilev but there was that one amateur film of a rehearsal which i uploaded as 'Serge Lifar in 'Les Sylphides' with the Ballets Russes 1928' found in the british pathe archive. and yes danilova and George Balanchine left Russia in 1924. yes and it's very annoying that snippets of dance are not identified. but good to have!

[AmethystGalleon]

This film is a treasure, but the chronology is all MIXED UP! E.g., Doubrovska and Balanchine talk about inviting Diaghilev over for dinner. Then the film switches to the beginning of the first World War and the Russian Revolution (1917). It omits the fact that Balanchine, Geva, Danilova and the other man didn't leave the Soviet Union until 1924. Also, Diaghilev's company was never filmed, and none of the companies shown in this receive credit. I believe it is the Royal doing "Les Noces."