See also: Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Category:Ballets Russes and descendants

Léon Bakst: Firebird, Ballerina, 1910

The Ballets Russes (French for The Russian Ballets) was a ballet company established in 1909 by the Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev. See also Ballets Russes, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was an influential Ballet company founded by René Blum and Colonel Vassily Léon Samoilovitch Bakst ( May 10, 1866 - December 28, 1924) was a Russian painter and scene- and Costume designer The Firebird ( French: L'Oiseau de feu; Russian: Жар-птица Žar-ptica) is a 1910 ballet by Igor Stravinsky Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance Impresario, from the Italian impresa an enterprise or undertaking is a traditional term still very much in use in the Entertainment industry for Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev (Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев / Sergei Pavlovich Dyagilev) also referred to as Serge, ( March 31, It performed until his death in 1929. It was initially resident in the Théâtre Mogador and Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris and then moved to Monte Carlo. Théâtre Mogador founded in 1913 and designed by Bertie Crewe, is a Parisian Music hall theatre located in the 9th district The Théâtre du Châtelet is a Theatre and Opera house in Paris, France. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Monte-Carlo ( Occitan: Montcarles, Monégasque: Monte-Carlu) is one of Monaco 's various administrative areas sometimes erroneously Its members originated from the Tsar's Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg, where all its dancers were associated and trained. The Mariinsky Ballet, is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Younger dancers were trained in the Russian tradition in Paris, with the community of exiles after the Russian Revolution. The company used many of the works of the great choreographer Marius Petipa. See also, Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance see chorea) and "γραφή" See also Marius Ivanovich Petipa (Мариус Иванович Петипа (born Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa on 11 March 1818 in Marseille, Kingdom

It created a sensation in Western Europe because of the great vitality of Russian ballet compared to French dance. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Ballets Russes became one of the most influential ballet companies of the 20th century, in part because of its ground-breaking artistic collaboration among contemporary choreographers, composers, artists, and dancers. See also A ballet company is a group of Dancers who perform Ballets. Its works were part of the avant-garde culture in Paris and France. Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard That influence, in one form or another, has lasted to this day.

After Diaghilev's death, the company's property was claimed by creditors. The dancers were scattered. Colonel Wassily de Basil and his associate René Blum revived the company under the name Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. Wassily de Basil, usually referred to as Colonel W de Basil (1880 - 27 July 1951 was a Russian Ballet Impresario. René Blum may refer to René Blum (ballet, a French ballet choreographer René Blum (politician, a Luxembourgian politician George Balanchine and Leonide Massine worked with them as choreographers and Tamara Toumanova as a principal dancer. See also List of ballets by George Balanchine, George Balanchine (January 22 1904 &ndash April 30 1983 born Giorgi Melitonis dze Balanchivadze Tamara Toumanova ( March 2 1919 - May 29 1996) was a Ballerina and actress. De Basil and Blum argued constantly, so Blum founded another company under the name Original Ballet Russe. See also Ballets Russes, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was an influential Ballet company founded by René Blum and Colonel Vassily

During World War II the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo toured extensively in the United States, giving Americans a strong impression of what was known as "Russian Ballet. " When dancers retired and left the company, they often founded dance studios in the United States or South America, or taught at other dancers' studios. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a With Balanchine's founding of the New York City Ballet, many former Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo dancers went to New York to teach. New York State Theater by David Shankbonejpg|thumb|300px| New York State Theater]] New York City Ballet ( NYCB) is a Ballet company founded in 1948 by

The Original Ballet Russe toured mostly in Europe. Its alumni were influential in teaching classical Russian ballet technique in European and British schools.

The ballet company and artistic collaboration

The company consisted of 13 members, all at a very high standard of dance. The dancers and choreographers associated with it included George Balanchine, Mathilde Kschessinska, Michel Fokine, Vera Karalli, Tamara Karsavina, Serge Lifar, Alicia Markova, Léonide Massine, Vaslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Ida Rubinstein and Lydia Lopokova. See also List of ballets by George Balanchine, George Balanchine (January 22 1904 &ndash April 30 1983 born Giorgi Melitonis dze Balanchivadze Mathilde Kschessinskaya (Матильда Феликсовна Кшесинская family origin Matylda Krzesińska ( 19 August 1872 (O See also Michel Fokine (a French transliteration English transliteration Mikhail Fokin; from Михаил Михайлович Фокин, Mikhaíl Mikháylovich Vera Alexeyevna Karalli ( Вера Алексеевна Каралли) ( July 27, 1889 - November 16, 1972) was a notable Russian Tamara Platonovna Karsavina (10 March 1885 &ndash 26 May 1978 was a famous Russian Ballerina who eventually settled in England, where she helped found See also Serge Lifar (real name Сергей Михайлович Лифарь, Sergei Mihailovich Lifar) ( April 2, 1905 Dame Alicia Markova, DBE, DMus (1 December 1910 &ndash 2 December 2004 was the first English dancer to be titled a Prima Ballerina Assoluta See also Leonid Fyodorovich Myasin (Russian Леонид Фёдорович Мясин better known in the French transliteration Léonide Massine ( August Nijinsky redirects here For other uses of the name see Nijinsky (disambiguation. Anna Pavlovna Pavlova (А́нна Па́вловна Па́влова (&ndash 23 January, 1931) was a famous Russian Ballerina of the late Ida Lvovna Rubinstein ( 5 October 1885, St Petersburg, Russia &ndash 20 September 1960, Vence, France Lydia Vasilyevna Lopokova Baroness Keynes ( October 21, 1892 - June 8, 1981; Лидия Васильевна Лопухова was a famous

The company invited contemporary artists to design sets and costumes, including Bakst, Benois, Braque, Gontcharova, Picasso, Chanel, Matisse, Derain, Miro, de Chirico, Dalí, Bilibin, Tchelitchev, Utrillo and Nicholas Roerich. Léon Samoilovitch Bakst ( May 10, 1866 - December 28, 1924) was a Russian painter and scene- and Costume designer Alexandre Nikolayevich Benois (Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Бенуа́ ( St Georges Braque ( May 13, 1882 &ndash August 31, 1963) was a major 20th century French painter and sculptor Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova (Наталья Сергеевна Гончарова June 4, 1881 - October 17, 1962) was a Russian Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Martyr Patricio Clito Ruíz y Picasso (October 25 1881 &ndash April 8 1973 Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( August 19, 1883 &ndash January 10, 1971) was a pioneering French Fashion designer Henri Matisse (31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954 was a French Artist, known for his use of Colour and his fluid brilliant and original draughtsmanship André Derain ( June 10, 1880 – September 8, 1954) was a French painter and co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse Joan Miró i Ferrà ( April 20, 1893 &ndash December 25, 1983) was an ethnic Catalan (of Spanish nationality Giorgio de Chirico ( July 10, 1888 &ndash November 20, 1978) was an influential pre-Surrealist and then Surrealist Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech 1st Marquis of Púbol (May 11 1904 &ndash January 23 1989 was a Spanish Catalan Surrealist Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (Иван Яковлевич Билибин ( August 16, 1876 - February 7, 1942) was one of the most influential 20th-century Pavel Tchelitchew ( Russian Павел Фёдорович Челищев ( 21 September 1898, Moscow - 31 July 1957, Maurice Utrillo, born Maurice Valadon, ( 26 December 1883 - 5 November 1955) was a French painter who specialized

In another collaboration, Diaghilev and his choregraphers worked with contemporary composers, who included Debussy, Milhaud, Poulenc, Prokofiev, Ravel, Satie, Respighi, and Richard Strauss. Achille-Claude Debussy (aʃil klod dəbysi (August 22 1862 &ndash March 25 1918 was a French Composer. Darius Milhaud (darjys mijo (September 4 1892 &ndash June 22 1974 was a French Composer and teacher See also, Rhône-Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (fʀɑ̃sis ʒɑ̃ maʀsɛl pulɛ̃k January 7, 1899 – January 30, Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who Alfred Éric Leslie Satie ( Honfleur, 17 May 1866 – Paris, 1 July 1925) was a French Composer and For the astronomer see Lorenzo Respighi (1824—1889 For the crater named after Lorenzo Respighi see Respighi (crater. Richard Georg Strauss (11 June 1864 &ndash 8 September 1949 was a German Composer of the late Romantic era and early modern era particularly noted Perhaps the most notable was Igor Stravinsky, whom Diaghilev spotted when he was virtually unknown. Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский) ( &ndash 6 April 1971 was a Russian born Composer, considered by many to By hiring Stravinsky, Diaghilev helped launch his career in Europe and later the United States. Stravinsky's scores for ballets The Firebird and Rite of Spring shocked Paris audiences and the latter caused a near riot.

Principal productions

Russian Ballet, by August Macke (1912). August Macke ( January 3, 1887 &ndash September 26, 1914) was one of the leading members of the German Expressionist group The ballet being danced appears to be Carnaval. Carnival is a festival season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February and March

See also: Category of Ballets Russes productions

External links

• Danza Ballet: Especial The Ballet Russes
• Ballet Russes (2005), documentary covering the history of the Ballets Russes, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Original Ballet Russe from the former's inception through the latter's end, featuring many interviews with surviving dancers of the company - IMDB listing
• JM Barrie and the Russian Dancers – article by Robert Greenham about Barrie's play The Truth about the Russian Dancers and his friendships with the prima ballerinas of Ballets Russes, Lydia Lopokova and Tamara Karsavina. Nikolai Nikolayevich Tcherepnin ( &ndash 26 June 1945) was a Russian Composer, Pianist, and conductor. Alexandre Nikolayevich Benois (Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Бенуа́ ( St Prince Igor ( Князь Игорь, Knyaz' Igor) is an Opera by Alexander Borodin, written in four acts with a prologue Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (Александр Порфирьевич Бородин Aleksandr Porfir'evič Borodin) ( &ndash) was a Russian Composer Nicholas Roerich, ( October 9, 1874 - December 13, 1947) also known as Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh (misspelled surname ( Anton Stepanovich Arensky (Антон Степанович Аренский ( –) was a Russian Composer of Romantic classical music, a Pianist Léon Samoilovitch Bakst ( May 10, 1866 - December 28, 1924) was a Russian painter and scene- and Costume designer The Firebird ( French: L'Oiseau de feu; Russian: Жар-птица Žar-ptica) is a 1910 ballet by Igor Stravinsky Scheherazade ( Шехерезада in Cyrillic, Šekherezada in transliteration Op Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov ( Николай Андреевич Римский-Корсаков, Nikolaj Andreevič Rimskij-Korsakov) also Nikolay Carnival is a festival season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February and March Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic Petrouchka or Petrushka ( Pétrouchka; Петрушка) is a Ballet with music by the Russian Composer For the 1946 motion picture see Specter of the Rose Le Spectre de la Rose is a ballet of the Ballets Russes based on a choreographic Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber ( 18 December 1786 in Eutin, Holstein, Germany - 5 June 1826 in London The Ballet L'après-midi d'un faune (or The Afternoon of a Faun) was choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky for the Bertrand-Jean Redon, better known as Odilon Redon ( April 20, 1840 &ndash July 6, 1916) was a Symbolist painter and Daphnis et Chloé is a Ballet with music by Maurice Ravel. Ravel described it as a "symphonie choréographique" (choreographic symphony This article is about the Byzantine noble For the Queen of Georgia please see Tamar of Georgia Thamar Angelina Komnene, was born in the latter Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev ( Милий Алексеевич Балакирев, Milij Alekseevič Balakirev) ( 2 January 1837 Jeux ( Games) is the last work for Orchestra written by Claude Debussy. This article is about the ballet music For the emo/hardcore band see Rites of Spring The Rite of Spring, commonly referred See also Florent Schmitt ( September 28 1870 – August 17 1958) was a French composer Sergey Yurievich Sudeikin, also known as Serge Soudeikine (1882-1946 was a Russian artist and set-designer associated with the Ballets Russes and Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova (Наталья Сергеевна Гончарова June 4, 1881 - October 17, 1962) was a Russian Mikhail Fyodorovich Larionov ( Russian: Михаил Фёдорович Ларионов, June 3, 1881 &ndash May 10, 1964 Parade is a Ballet with Music by Erik Satie and a one-act scenario by Jean Cocteau. El Sombrero de Tres Picos ( The Three-Cornered Hat) is a Ballet composed by Manuel de Falla, commissioned in its development by Sergei Diaghilev Manuel de Falla y Matheu ( November 23, 1876 &ndash November 14, 1946) was a Spanish Composer of classical music Henri Matisse (31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954 was a French Artist, known for his use of Colour and his fluid brilliant and original draughtsmanship Pulcinella is a Ballet by Igor Stravinsky based on an 18th-century play — Pulcinella is a character originating from Commedia dell'arte Renard, Histoire burlesque chantée et jouée (The Fox Burlesque tale sung and played is a one-act chamber opera-ballet by Igor Stravinsky, written in See also Bronislava Nijinska (Бронислава Фоминична Нижинская Bronislava Fominichna Nizhinskaya; Polish: Bronisława Niżyńska Les noces ( English: The Wedding; Russian: Свадебка ( Svadebka) by Igor Stravinsky See also List of New York City Ballet repertory Les Biches is a ballet by Francis Poulenc, premiered by the Ballets Russes Marie Laurencin ( October 31, 1883 – June 8, 1956) was a French painter and printmaker Georges Auric ( February 15, 1899 &ndash July 23, 1983) was a French composer born in Lodève, Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( August 19, 1883 &ndash January 10, 1971) was a pioneering French Fashion designer Henri Sauguet ( 18 May, 1901 - June 22 1989) was a French Composer. Naum Gabo KBE, born Naum Neemia Pevsner ( August 5 1890 - August 23 1977) was a prominent Russian sculptor Georges Henri Rouault ( 27 May 1871 &ndash 13 February 1958) was a French Fauvist and Expressionist painter