Ballets Russes, A Chronology

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A Ballets Russes Chronology
(A Work in Progress)
send suggestions to Richard Finkelstein

1872

March 31 - Serge Pavlovich Diaghilev is born in the province of Novgorad, Russia

1874

October 10 - Birth of designer, Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich

1876

September 15 - Birth of Nicholas Sergeyev

1878

March 13 - René Blum is born in Paris

1880

April 25 - Mikhail Mikhailovich Fokine is born in St. Petersburg
December 21 - Mikhail Mikhailovich Mordkin is born in Moscow

1881

February 12 - Anna Pavlova is born in St. Petersburg (new style)
October 25 - Birth of Pablo Picasso

1882

May 13 - Birth of painter/designer, Georges Braque
June 17 - Birth of Igor Stravinsky

1883

October 5 - Birth of Serge Leonovich Grigoriev - Diaghilev régisseur for 20 years.

1885

Ida Lvovna Rubinstein is born in St. Petersburg
March 9 - Tamara Platonovna Karsavina is born in St. Petersburg

1886

August 3 - Birth of Vira Petrovna Fokina (née Antonova)

1887

December 12 - Birth of Designer, Robert Edmond Jones

1888

Colonel Vassili de Basil (Vassili Grigorievich Voskresensky) is born

1889

August 8 - Vera Alexeyevna Karalli is born in Moscow
July 5 - Birth of Jean Cocteau
December 17 - Vaslav Fomich Nijinski is born in Kiev (according to his Warsaw baptism birth certificate)

1891

January 8 - Birth of Bronislava Fominitshna Nijinska in Minsk
March 22 - Birth of Boris Georgievich Romanov
October 21 - Birth of Lydia Vasilievna Lopukhova

1893

Birth of designer/painter, Joan Miró

1895

August 8 - Léonide Fedorovich Léonide Fedorovich Massine is born in Moscow

1899

Vera Nemchinova is born

1904

January 3 - Birth of Boris Kochno
January 22 - Birth of George Balanchine (Georgi Melitonovich Balanchivadze)
July 27 - Birth of Anton Dolin
November 20 - Birth of Alexandra Dionysievna Danilova in Peterhof

1905

Fokine marries Vira Petrovna Antonova
January 13 - Birth of designer Oliver Messel
April 2 - Serge Lifar is born

1909

May 19 - Serge Pavlovich Diaghilev presents his Russian ballet season at the Théâtre Chatalet in Paris. The company spends two successful seasons in Paris and touring Europe. The Ballets Russes can be dated to this period.
May 19 - Premiere of the ballet, Prince Igor (The Polovtsian Dances) with choreography by Michel Fokine
June 4 - Formal Premiere of Les Sylphides with choreography by Michel Fokine
June 4 - Premiere of the ballet Cléopâtre with choreography by Michel Fokine
Alice Nikitina is born in St. Petersburg

1910

June 4 - Premiere of the ballet Schéhérazade with choreography by Michel Fokine
June 25 - Premiere of the ballet L'Oiseau de Feu (The Firebird) with choreography by Michel Fokine
June 25 - Premiere in Paris of the ballet Les Orientales with choreography by Michel Fokine et. al.
October 25 - Birth of David Lichine
December 1 - Dame Alicia Markova (Lillian Alicia Marks) is born in London

1911

Diaghilev forms a permanent company. Nijinski is the "star attraction"
Pavlova last appears with The Diaghilev company in this season
April 19 - Premiere of the ballet Le Spectre de la Rose with choreography by Michel Fokine
April 26 - Premiere of the ballet Narcisse with choreography by Michel Fokine
June 13 - Premiere of the ballet Petruchka with choreography by Michel Fokine

1913

Diaghilev's Ballets Russes tours Latin America.
May 29 - Le Sacre du Printemps makes its debut in Paris

1912

May 13 - Premiere of the ballet Le Dieu Bleu with choreography by Michel Fokine
May 20 - Premiere of the choreographic drama, Thamar with choreography by Michel Fokine
May 29 - Premiere of the choreographic scene, L'Après-midi d;un Faune with choreography by Vaslav Fomich Nijinski
June 8 - Premiere of the choreographic symphony, Daphnis et Chloè with choreography by Michel Fokine

1913

May 13 - Premiere of the danced poem, Jeux with choreography by Nijinski
May 29 - Premiere of the ballet, Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) with choreography by Nijinski
June 12 - Premiere of the ballet, La Trajédie de Salomé with choreography by Boris Romanov

1914

Léonide Fedorovich Léonide Fedorovich Massine joins The Diaghilev's company
April 16 - Premiere of the one-act ballet, Papillons with choreography by Michel Fokine
May 14 - Premiere of the one-act ballet, La Légende de Joseph with choreography by Michel Fokine
May 24 - Premiere of the opera Le Coq d'Or with choreography by Michel Fokine
May 26 - Premiere of Le Rossignol (The Nightingale) with choreography by Boris Romanov
June 2 - Premiere of Midas with choreography by Michel Fokine

1915

December 20 - Premiere of Soleil de Nuit (Midnight Sun), with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine

1916

Diaghilev's Ballets Russes tours the USA
August 21 - Premiere (in Spain) of Las Meninas, with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
August 25 - Premiere (in Spain) of Kikimora, with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
October 23 - Premiere (Manhattan Opera House) of Till Eulenspiegel, with choreography by Nijinski with scenery by Robert Edmond Jones

1917

Diaghilev's Ballets Russes tours Latin America.
Diaghilev's Ballets Russes tours the USA
Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo dancer (and 1928 wife of George Balanchine), Vera Zorina (b. Eva Brigitta Hartwig) is born
April 12 - Premiere in Rome of Le Donne di Buon Umore , with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
May 11 - Premiere in Paris of Contes Russes (Children's Tales) , with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
May 18 - Premiere in Paris of Parade , with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine

1919

Vaslav Fomich Nijinski gives his last solo performance (St. Moritz, Switzerland)
June 5 - Premiere in London of La Boutique Fantasque (Fantastic Toyshop) with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
July 22 - Premiere in London of Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat) with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine

1920

Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) is revived, with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
February 2 - Premiere in Paris of the "Choreographic Poem in One Act" Le Chant du Rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
May 15 - Premiere in Paris of Pulcinella, with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine and scenery/costumes by Picasso.
May 27 - Premiere in Paris of Le Astuzie Femminili, an opera-ballet in three scenes, with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine

1921

Léonide Fedorovich Massine leaves the Diaghilev company (Rejoining in 1925)
May 17 - Premiere in Paris of Chout (Le Bouffon), with choreography by Mikhail Larionov and Thadée Slavinsky
May 17 - Premiere in Paris of Cuadro Flamenco, a Suite of Andalusian Dances
November 2 - Revival in London of The Sleeping Princess

1922

May 18 - Premiere in Paris, of the one act, Le Mariage de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Aurora's Wedding)
May 18 - Premiere in Paris of the "Burlesque Ballet with Song", Le Renard with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska and scenery/costumes by Mikhail Larionov

1923

Fokine settles in New York
Ninette de Valois joins the Diaghilev company
March 19 - Premiere in Monte-Carlo of Danses Russes
June 13 - Premiere in Paris of Stravinsky's Les Noces with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska
June 30 - Presentation of the divertissement, Le Mariage d'Aurore (Aurora's Wedding) at Versailles in the hall of mirrors.

1924

January 3 - Premiere in Monte-Carlo of the one-act ballet, Les Tentations de la Bergère, ou l'Amour Vainqueur with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska
January 6 - Premiere in Monte-Carlo of Les Biches (aka The House Party) with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska
January 8 - Premiere in Monte-Carlo of Ballet de l'Astuce Féminine with choreography by Léonide Fedorovich Massine
January 19 - Premiere in Monte-Carlo of the one act ballet Les Fâcheau with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska and scenery/costumes by Georges Braque
April 13 - Premiere in Monte-Carlo of the choreographic scene La Nuit sur le Mont Chauve with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska

1925

Léonide Fedorovich Massine re-joins the Diaghilev company

1926

Restaging in London of the ballet L'Oiseau de Feu (The Firebird) with new scenery and costumes by Natalia Goncharova.
Ninette de Valois leaves Diaghilev’s company. She later becomes the founder of The Royal Ballet

1927

Diaghilev's Ballets Russes presents a two month season at the Princess Theatre in London

1929

July 26 - Diaghilev's Ballets Russes gives its final performance at Covent Garden Theatre in London
August 19 - Serge Pavlovich Diaghilev dies in Venice

1930

April 11 - Debut of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps) in the United States. Choreography is by Léonide Fedorovich Massine.

1931

René Blum forms the Ballet de l'Opera at Monte Carlo
Colonel Vassili de Basil and Prince Zeretelli present the Opera Russe in Paris (these companies later merge)
January 23 Anna Pavlova dies in The Hague

1932

January 5 - The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo participates in the opera season at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo.
April 20 - The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (La societe des Ballets Russes et Ballets de Monte-Carlo) was formally registered in Monaco. The founders were René Blum and Colonel Wassily de Basil. George Balanchine was "maitre de ballet" and Leonide Massine became a major choreographer.
June 9 - The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo presents its first Paris Season
Fall - The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo tours Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Switzerland
Léonide Fedorovich Massine joins The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo

1933

July 4 - London Debut of The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil/Blum)
December 22 - The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil/Blum) begins its first American tour
Léonide Fedorovich Massine becomes Ballet Master for The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo
George Balanchine moves to The United States

1934

April 5 - May 9 - The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil/Blum) divides into two groups. In the new group, Serge Grigoriev serves as régisseur with Bronislava Nijinska as choreographer.
September 25 - The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil/Blum) presents its first season in Mexico.
October 25 - The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil/Blum) begins a tour of Canada.

1935

The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil/Blum) tours to The United States, Spain, London, Cuba, Canada

1936

The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil/Blum) presents productions in New York, Barcelona, London, Berlin, and Canada
The The Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (Basil) is renamed, Colonel de Basil's Ballet Russe
René Blum founds (and directs) The Ballets de Monte Carlo with Michel Fokine serving as Maître de Ballet and Choreographer

1938

February - because of a personality conflict between Léonide Fedorovich Massine and de Basil, the The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo company split. René Blum founds (and directs) this newer company (which toured extensively in the USA until its American demise in 1962) is the one Americans remember as The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. The Managing Director was Russian-born, New York banker, Sergei Denham.
Basil's company is renamed Covent Garden Russian Ballet.

1939

Educational Ballet Ltd. purchases Basil's company and it is renamed Original Ballet Russe. (Basil remains as Director)

1942

April 31 - René Blum dies at Auchwitz
August 22 - Mikhail Mikhailovich Fokine dies in New York

1944

July 15 - Mikhail Mikhailovich Mordkin passes away in New Jersey.

1947

de Basil's Original Ballet Russe presents its last London season and is then disbanded (but it is revived briefly in 1951-2)
December 13 - Death of designer Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich

1950

April 8 - Vaslav Fomich Nijinski dies in London

1951

June 23 - Nicholas Sergeyev dies
July 27 - Colonel Vassili de Basil (Vassili Grigorievich Voskresensky) dies
Basil's company is revived briefly by G. Kirsta and the Grigorievs

1952

The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo of Col. de Basil. folds (again) while on tour in Europe

1954

November 26 - Death of Designer, Robert Edmond Jones

1957

January 30 - Death of Boris Georgievich Romanov

1958

July 29 - Death of Vira Petrovna Fokina (née Antonova)

1960

September 20 - Ida Lvovna Rubinstein dies.

1963

October 11 - Passing of Jean Cocteau
August 31 - Passing of painter/designer, Georges Braque

1971

April 6 - Igor Stravinsky passes away

1972

February 22 - Bronislava Fominitshna Nijinska dies in Los Angeles
June 26 - Death of David Lichine
November 16 - Vera Alexeyevna Karalli dies in Vienna

1973

April 8 - Death of Pablo Picasso

1978

May 26 - Death of Tamara Platonovna Karsavina

1979

March 15 - Death of Léonide Fedorovich Massine

1983

April 30 - Death of George Balanchine (Georgi Melitonovich Balanchivadze)
November 25 - Death of Anton Dolin

1986

December 15 - Death of Serge Lifar

1997

July 13 - Death of Alexandra Dionysievna Danilova

1989

L'Apres-midi d'un Faune staged from Nijinsky's actual notation for the first time, by Ann Hutchinson Guest and Claudia Jeschke.

2000

May 6 - Royal Ballet in London revives L'Apres-midi d'un Faune staged from Nijinsky's actual notation by Ann Hutchinson Guest and Claudia Jeschke.
June 1-4 - Ballets Russes Reunion and Gala performance held in New Orleans, LA USA

2003

April 9 - Death of Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo dancer (and 1928 wife of George Balanchine), Vera Zorina (b. Eva Brigitta Hartwig)