Diaghilev

Sergey Pavlovich Diaghilev (1872–1929) personified the word impresario: he did not sing, dance, choreograph, compose, draw, or paint, but, by the force of his personality, impeccable taste, and keen knowledge of the arts, he influenced (and sometimes manipulated) a group of artists who changed the course of European culture in the early 20th century. Today he is known primarily as the founder of the Ballets Russes, a company that showcased the talents of dancers Vaslav Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina and choreographers George Balanchine and Michel Fokine, as well as artists and composers. In this scholarly work, Scheijen, an independent scholar and Russian art historian, illustrates impeccable research drawn from materials in archival collections in France, Russia, and the United States as well as many other primary sources. Throughout the text there are personal and family photographs and sketches by many of the artists involved with Diaghilev productions. There is also an eight-page section of full-color illustrations of set designs (not seen by this reviewer).