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The Diaghilev I Knew - The Atlantic

theatlantic.com · 3,572 words · saved by 1 readers

IGOR STRAVINSKYwas born on the outskirts of St. Petersburg in 1882. His father was the leading bass singer at the Imperial Opera. At the age of nine the boy was allowed to take piano lessons, but his parents disapproved of a musical career and later sent him to study law at the University of St. Petersburg. Upon his graduation in 1905, he broke away to learn composition from Rimski-Korsakov; and by 1914 he had achieved international fame as a musical innovator with The Firebird, Petrouchka, and The Rites of Spring, which were commissioned by Diaghilev for his Ballets Russes. For nineteen years he was Diaghilev’s favorite composer. This record of their friendship has been translated by Mercedes de Acosta. by IGOR STRAVINSKY THE ever-growing interest shown by the American public in the art of the dance, the success with which the finest choreographic spectacles have met, and the increasing talent and skill of the performers give me an opportunity to recall the impressive figure of a man

by IGOR STRAVINSKY 1 THE ever-growing interest shown by the American public in the art of the dance, the success with which the finest choreographic spectacles have met, and the increasing talent and skill of the performers give me an opportunity to recall the impressive figure of a man who not only contributed greatly to the world-wide spread of this art, but, by sheer inspiring energy and breadth of cultural initiative, raised the prestige of the ballet to undreamed-of heights. I am speaking of my late friend, Sergei Diaghilev. Nineteen years of close collaboration, of affection and mutual f

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