Serge Diaghilev & His World: Ballets Russes 1909 - 1929
Foyer, Performing Arts Reading Room
James Madison Building
The Library of Congress
Washington, DC
June 4 to October 10, 2009
by George Jackson
copyright 2009 by GJ
There's much to ponder in this modest addition to the year's many exhibits on the centennial of the Ballet Russe. For those not familiar with the Library of Congress let me say that its holdings are large but lumpy. Special collections which have come into the LoC's possession make it incredibly rich on certain topics but on related ones this institution may leave you as undernourished as the smallest branch of a remote public library. Unlike that branch, moreover, the LoC doesn't routinely participate in interlibrary exchange. Still, discoveries can be made in both the special collections and regular stacks - such as unpublished dance scores by name composers and historic information on ballet that appeared for some reason in a railroad magazine (perhaps the editor was a fan). From not precisely these yet from similar sources, Elizabeth Aldrich - this exhibit's organizer and the LoC's Curator of Dance - has put together a compact overview of Diaghilev's dance enterprise that throws light on the importance of balletic line and volumetric groupings in the Ballet Russe.
Lessons in the strength of the ballerina's stretch and in refining that force by angling every joint of her arm ever so exactly can be seen in photos that range from Karsavina as the Firebird (Fokine, 1910) to Danilova as Terpsichore (Balanchine's "Apollo", 1928). Stretch, angling and rotation of the torso and leg give Danilova as Flore (Massine's "Zephire et Flore", 1925) a wry but again very Maryinsky characteristic. The importance of line has persisted and perhaps increased to this day for all repertory whether pre-Diaghilev, Diaghilev or post-Diaghilev. Groupings, though, that experiment with volume aren't as prevalent as in Diaghilev's day (Massine's "Pulcinella", 1920 and even Balanchine's early ballets). Goncharova's costume design for "Night on Bald Mountain" (Nijinska, 1924) adds to body volume with drapery for the arms.
Volume is very apparent in how a photographer saw Nijinsky as Narcisse (Fokine, 1911) but this fascinating head and arms shot could only have been approximated in the theater with the help of binoculars.
The off-stage photos and sketches of Diaghilev and his company, whether posed or not, have personal charm. Doubrovska and Tchernicheva wear their clothes stylishly. Nijinska is Nijinska, no matter what her costume - unless she forgets herself and looks like her brother. Diaghilev lets himself be upstaged by a child - Picasso's son.
Undoubtedly there are Diaghilev items at the LoC that have yet to be discovered!
[See www.loc.gov/exhibits/ for a digital version of this exhibition.]
