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The
ballet company '''Ballets Russes''' created a sensation in
Western Europe in the early years of the 20th century, due to the great vitality of
Russian ballet, as compared with what was current in
France at the time.
It became the most influential
ballet company in 20th century, and that influence, in one form or another, has lasted to this day.
Ballets Russes was established by the impresario
Serge Diaghilev in 1909 who ran it until his death in 1929.
The dancers and choreographers associated with it included
George Balanchine,
Alexandra Danilova,
Michel Fokine,
Tamara Karsavina,
Serge Lifar,
Alicia Markova,
Leonide Massine,
Vaslav Nijinsky,
Anna Pavlova and
Lydia Lopokova.
Designers included
Bakst,
Braque,
Picasso,
Tchelitchev, and
Utrillo.
Composers included
Debussy,
Milhaud,
Poulenc,
Prokofiev,
Ravel,
Satie,
Respighi,
Richard Strauss, and, most notably,
Igor Stravinsky, whom Diaghilev spotted when he was virtually unknown and whose career he launched.
A list of the ballets premiered by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes include:
* ''
Les Sylphides'' (1909)
* ''
The Firebird'' (1910)
* ''
Shakheresada'' (1910)
* ''
Le Spectre de la Rose'' (1911)
* ''
Petroushka'' (1911)
* ''
Daphnis et Chlo'' (1912)
* ''
LAprs-midi dun Faune'' (1912)
* ''
The Rite of Spring'' (1913)
* ''
Josephs-Legende'' (1914)
* ''
Parade'' (1917)
* ''
La Boutique fantasque'' (1918)
* ''
The Song of the Nightingale'' and ''
Pulcinella'' (1920)
* ''
Les Biches'' (1923)
* ''
The Prodigal Son'' (1929).
After Diaghilev's death the company's property was claimed by creditors, and the dancers were scattered. In the subsequent years, the company (in name only) was revived as the
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (with which the names of
George Balanchine and
Tamara Toumanova are associated) and as the
Original Ballet Russe.
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