Dyagilev S.P., (1872-1929), worker of theatre and arts

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
Categories / Art/Fine Arts/Personalia
DYAGILEV Sergey Pavlovich (1872-1929), theatrical and artistic figure, publisher and critic. He lived in St. Petersbrug from 1890. Graduated from Petersburg University with a major in law in 1896, he was an irregular student in Petersburg Conservatory taking vocal classes and studied composition under N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. He was a special commissioner in the Board for Imperial Theatres and the editor of the Yearbook of Imperial Theatres in 1899-1901. Inspirer and founder of the World of Art Association from the late 1890s, he shared the position of editor-in-chief of the magazine of the same name with A. N. Benois in 1898-1904. He arranged exhibitions of fine arts in St. Petersburg, which were remarkable for their culture and included the Scandinavian Exhibition held in the building of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts in 1897, the World of Arts exhibitions held in 1899-1903 and 1906, the History and Art Exhibition of Russian Portraits - unprecedented in size - held in the Tauride Palace in 1905. He mainly lived in France from 1906 promoting Russian art in western Europe. He managed a large retrospective exhibition of Russian art in the Autumn Saloon, Paris, in 1906. He arranged annual Russian performances, known as the Russian Seasons Abroad, including Historic Russian Concerts featuring Rimsky-Korsakov, S. V. Rakhmaninov, A. K. Glazunov, and F. I. Chaliapin in 1907; festivals of Russian operas in 1908; and performances featuring St. Petersburg ballet dancers M. M. Fokine, A. P. Pavlova, V. F. Nizhinsky, and T. P. Karsavina from 1909. He headed the company of Dyagilev’s Ballets Russes from 1911 to 1929, doing tours of Paris, London, Rome and American cities leading to a triumph of the Russian ballet school and the innovative scenery executed by L. S. Bakst, A. N. Benois, I. Y. Bilibin, A. Y. Golovin, N. K. Roerich, N. S. Goncharova, etc. influencing greatly the art of scenery design on a global scale. Diaghilev’s flats at 45 Liteiny Avenue and 11 Fontanka River Embankment from 1900 (memorial plaque) were the focus of attention for St. Petersburg’s literati and artists from the late 19th century and the early 20th century and accommodated the editors of the World of Art. The Dyagilev Centre of Arts has been operating in St. Petersburg since 1990.

References: Сергей Дягилев и русское искусство: Статьи, открытые письма, интервью. Переписка. Современники о Дягилеве: В 2 т. М., 1982; Григорьев С. Л. Балет Дягилева, 1909-1929. М., 1993; Нестьев И. В. Дягилев и музыкальный театр ХХ века. М., 1994.

O. L. Leikind, D. Y. Severyukhin. Bakst Leon (real name Lev Samoilovich Rosenberg)
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich
Bilibin Ivan Yakovlevich
Chaliapin Fedor Ivanovich
Dyagilev Sergey Pavlovich
Fokin Mikhail Mikhailovich
Glazunov Alexander Konstantinovich
Golovin Alexander Yakovlevich
Goncharova Natalia Sergeevna
Karsavina Tamara Platonovna
Nijinsky Vaclav Fomich
Pavlova A.I.
Rachmaninov Sergey Vasilievich
Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolay Andreevich
Roerich Nikolay Konstantinovich
Fontanka River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 11
Liteiny Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 45
Сергей Дягилев и русское искусство: Ст., открытые письма, интервью. Переписка. Современники о Дягилеве: В 2 т. М., 1982
Нестьев И. В. Дягилев и музыкальный театр ХХ века. М., 1994
Григорьев С. Л. Балет Дягилева, 1909-1929. М., 1993 State University, St. Petersburg
Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory
Imperial Theatres Board
Mir Iskusstva (World of Art), journal
World of Art, Association
Tauride Palace
1905