Educational Media Reviews Online

Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes is the exhibition film for Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music. This exhibit is on view at the National Gallery of Art from May 12 – October 06, 2013.

The film provides an introduction to Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev (1872–1929) followed by the key works of the Ballets Russes dance company he founded. Diaghilev was not a dancer or choreographer, but rather a true producer: he knew how to gather the best talent from various artistic disciplines, like Pablo Picasso, Vaslav Nijinksy and Igor Stravinsky; choose themes that would intrigue the audience, like The Rite of Spring and Petrouchka; and find the money to make it all happen.

The film highlights biographical aspects of Serge Diaghilev’s life which are justifiably overwhelmed by the brightly colored costumes and scenery on display at the exhibit. For example, we are reminded of how Richard Wagner’s ability to mix different artistic media was a key influence on Diaghilev, and that the Ballets Russes' existence in Russia was a result of the country’s turmoil at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was this turmoil that led Tsarist Russia to seek France’s support by having Diaghilev present Russian culture in Paris.

This film doesn’t communicate the energy of Paris in the early twentieth century the way that the film Paris The Luminous Years (2010) does. Nor does it contain the longer dance excerpts shown in the exhibit. But it is still recommended for public libraries with patrons interested in the arts, and universities with programs in the visual and performing arts.

A slide show is included as part of the DVD. An excerpt of the film can be found on the National Gallery of Art’s website.