The success of the Ballets Russes was legendary, but there is more to the legend than its name: the actual story, the adventure, conceived by one man and lived by a few, that lasted only eight seasons and three summers. From 1911 to 1914, Serge Diaghilev, driven by conviction and stubbornness, turned his vision into reality. He collaborated with the likes of Leon Bakst, Igor Stravinsky, and Picasso to create an explosion of creativity in Western Europe which had never before been seen in the world of art. Thanks to Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, the most glorious page in the history of ballet, one of the most magnificent moments in the adventure of Art, was written. To turn the pages of this stunning book, which offers rare documents from the legendary Ballets Russes from 1911 to 1914 (Monte Carlo years), is to follow Diaghilev on his creative quest—a journey that continues to influence art, theater, ballet, and fashion to this day.

About the Author

André Tubeuf taught philosophy for thirty-five years and served as musical adviser for two Ministers of Culture, Jacques Duhamel and Michel Guy, before he began writing. A collection of his most important works, l’Offrande Musicale, was published in 2006, part of the Bouquin collection. He is an Officer of the Legion of Honor, a Commander of the National Order of Merit, and a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters. He has previously written La Callas and Lost Divas for Assouline.