Paris Modern the Swedish Ballet 1920-1925
PARIS MODERN THE SWEDISH BALLET 1920-1925 Nancy Vim Norman Baer with contributions by Jan Torsten Ahlstrand William Camfield Judi Freeman Lynn Garafola Gail Levin Robert~.~urdock Erik Naslund Anna Greta Stahle FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO Distributed by the University of Washington Press ~~ETS SJ". ~~ v~ .:z;.~ ~0 f.... ~ RIVALS FOR THE NE-W Lynn Garafola n the early 192 0S the Ballets Russes faced a rival had been a "turn" on the English music-hall stage, while that challenged its monopoly of avant-garde ballet its grand postwar comeback at the Paris Opera early in I -the Ballets Suedois. Organized by Rolf de Mare, 1920 had been marred by a two-week strike of Opera the new company made its debut at the Theatre des personnel. And where the opening season of the Ballets Champs-Elysees on 25 October 1920 with an ambitious Suedois would offer fifty-odd performances, the Ballets program of works choreographed by Jean Borlin, the Russes season that followed would consist of fewer than company's star. Four ballets were given on the opening a dozen. night-Iberia, Jeux (Games), Derviches (Dervishes), and Still, Diaghilev must have found some consolation in Nuit de Saint-Jean (Saint John's Night, or Midsummer the identity-or lack of identity-of the rival enterprise. Night's Revel)-and in the course of the season, which To all appearances the new company was a knock-off of lasted for nearly six weeks, five new ones were added the Ballets Russes, from its name, which meant "Swedish Diver1:isse71lent, Maison de flus (Madhouse), Le To71lbeau Ballet," to its repertory, roster of collaborators, and de Couperin (The Tomb of Couperin), El Greco, and Les general aesthetic approach.
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