Diaghilev, Sergei Pavlovich

Diaghilev, Sergei Pavlovich (1827-1929), Russian ballet manager.

In 1909 Sergei Diaghilev took a company of Russian ballet dancers to Paris and their visit was a great success.

Two years later Diaghilev formed Les Ballets Russes and, for twenty years afterwards, toured Europe with this company. It included some of the greatest dancers of the day, such as Pavlova and Nijinsky, as well as outstanding dance arrangers, musicians like Igor Stravinsky and painters like Pablo Picasso.

It helped more people to get to know ballet and also showed other companies how well ballet could be presented.

See John E. Bowlt A Feast of Wonders: Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes