Triumph “the bandit”. Russian culture fashion did the trick and pressure of Diaghilev

Triumph “the bandit”. Russian culture fashion did the trick and pressure of Diaghilev

145 years ago, March 31, 1872, in the village selishchi Novgorod governorate were born: Peter the Great, Nero, Crusader of beauty and the Radiant sun.

Such nicknames will later award him the son of staff-captain in the cavalry guards regiment Pavel Diaghilev.

When a few years ago, we at the state level, discussed the problems of international image of modern Russia, the public agreed that it is important and went deep into the details: what to see our country? Dominated the answers “great”, “terrible”, “powerful”. A bit behind terms like “rich and prosperous”. But the main and got.

Meanwhile, over a hundred years before one man managed not only to formulate it “important”, but also to implement. Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev was able to make Russia a fashion. So trendy, what in the world she suddenly wanted to emulate, and achieve it — copy.

The prophet in the Fatherland

Something similar happened when the Russian army, the winner of Napoleon, in 1814 entered Paris. Then for a short time in Europe established the fashion for all things a la Russe.

However, in the 1812 Patriotic war killed hundreds of thousands of people. Diaghilev was without injuries and dead bodies, but had reached, perhaps, a greater. Suffice it to say that the mother of the current Queen of great Britain got married in a dress with a distinct “Russian” motives and admitted that the reason her impressions of Diaghilev’s ballets “the Firebird”, “Petrushka” and “rite of Spring”.

31 Mar 1872, d. Village, Novgorod province. born Sergei Diaghilev, philanthropist, Creator of the troupe “Russian ballet of Diaghilev” pic.twitter.com/0A4KKRbquH

— History in Pictures (@RussiainPhotos) March 31, 2017.

However, while abroad, did not recognize his success in the Homeland for many Diaghilev was a jester pea. Here’s a review of 1898: “the Ragpicker, collecting in a landfill dregs of a decadent art.” Here’s a review of 1898: “Tasteless poseur engaged in blatant self-praise”.

Here’s a review of 1898: “the Impostor of Russian art, the leper bandit”.

Only a few years later, when in Paris already heard of the famous ballet “Russian seasons” appears in print careful: “Diaghilev, a prominent artistic and musical activist.” But even this “confession” was accompanied by loud screaming hurt his competitors: “Believe me, not Mr. Diaghilev created the success of Russian theatre abroad!”.

This is partly true. A friend of Sergei Pavlovich artist Alexander Benois wrote: “Not the West, not Roerich, Diaghilev not been triumphant in Paris, and the entire Russian culture, all feature Russian art”.

The producer from God

But without Diaghilev’s triumph, this would not happen. The modern producers in the course of cynical expression: “the Star can sit in the kitchen, drinking cheap vodka and not know that she is a star.” Hardly Sergey Pavlovich operated in these words, but acted as the most hard-headed producer. For the sake of his only stars of Russian art — he did it all: he risked his reputation, humiliated, lied to and even spoke the truth.

French noblewoman Countess Elizabeth Greffulhe remembered as the Diaghilev secured the funds for the first “Russian season”: “I thought He was some rogue, an adventurer. But when he sat down at the piano and began to play things by Russian composers, which I didn’t know I understood everything. It was so new and so amazingly beautiful… When he started talking about how he wants the next year to organize a festival of Russian music, I immediately, without hesitation, promised him to do everything in my power”.

With a truly producer zeal he applied to his subordinates. Here’s how one incident told the composer Vladimir Dukelsky: “Diaghilev was always afraid of the operetta kings are going to poach his staff, promising mountains of gold. His suspicions were justified — I was seduced by the pound and signed the contract. Diaghilev came in wild rage, and, to the great horror of those present, trampled my brand new cylinder, starting at the same time.

Riot lawyer

Indeed, if not a bandit, it is very close. No wonder a friend of Diaghilev artist and choreographer Serge Lifar was talking about his style of behavior:

In aristocratic-aristocratic nature of Diaghilev somewhere secretly lurked and Russian-rebellious beginning, Russian anarchism, ready to blow the entire centuries-old culture.Serge Lifar

But the man, in which sat all this iniquity, was the most that neither is a lawyer. Namely a graduate of the law faculty of St. Petersburg University. St. Petersburg law school abroad XIX—XX centuries largely determined the cultural explosion that we call the Silver age. Here are a few names — Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, Alexander Benois, Nikolai Roerich, Ivan Bilibin. And even the terrible historical background to the triumph of Russian culture contributed to the two local graduate — Alexander Kerensky and passed examinations without attending lectures of Vladimir Lenin.

Of course, knowledge of the conflict of laws and laws of European countries could not help in the implementation of the Diaghilev Russian breakthrough to the West. However, some features needed by the producer — heavy pressure, charm, cunning, the ability to like — was innate.

His great-niece Zinaida Kamenetsky left some interesting memories about how very young Diaghilev won the children’s competition.

Whether to look for mushrooms, and they were deep in the Park, now began the competition. One time the winner was Sergei, until he was caught — he bought mushrooms from the women.Zinaida Kamenetskaya

But her acquaintance with the future triumph: “a minute later, still all dusty from the far end of the road burst into the dining-room a young man and began indiscriminately of age and sex of all kiss and hug! We with horror have felt, as we lifted into the air, strong arms and left alone, only to tuck into the huge mouth of our favorite highlights”.

Approximately so did the Europe under the onslaught of Russian culture, which was headed by Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev.

San Michele — the cemetery island in Venice. Here, incidentally, are buried Stravinsky, Diaghilev and Brodsky…. pic.twitter.com/vw3fWxGvlY

— Liza Mironchik (@StocktonThunder) 17 Mar 2017

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