Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes
Serge Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes 1909-1929, the work of the company and its cultural impact on 20th century d…
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Working for Diaghilev
The world of Diaghilev still captures the imagination. During the course of the survey and the conservation work fo…
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Costume from The Rite of Spring
Christopher Cook and Sarah Woodcock talk about a costume designed by Nicholas Roerich for the 1913 ballet 'The Rite…
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Biography of Léon Bakst
Overview of the life and work of revolutionary stage designer and artist, Leon Bakst. Born in Russia in 1866, Bakst…
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History of Black dance
The term Black dance describes a range of styles whose origins include: the tribal dances of Africa, the slave dances of the West Indies and the American Deep South, the Harlem social dances of the 1920s and the jazz dance of Broadway musicals. Black dance has often been bound up with social and rights issues. The history of black dance in Britain is relatively young, and the first black British dance company, Ballet Nègres, was formed in 1946.
Designing stage costumes
A much-repeated cliché is that theatre costumes are badly made, tawdry, unfinished and don’t bear close inspection. Yet only in close-up can the inventiveness and resourcefulness of designer and maker be really appreciated.
The origins of ballet
Ballet and opera began in the 17th century, with the elaborate spectacles devised at European courts. These were flamboyant entertainments used to celebrate marriages or show off the wealth and power of the ruler.
Howard Goodall on Diaghilev's Music: Part 1
Howard Goodall discusses the music Diaghilev commissioned in the context of the development through the 19th century of a distinctive Russian musical style in St Petersburg.
Romantic ballet
In the early 19th century the Age of Reason gave way to the age of the imagination and the Romantic Movement. Young artists, writers, poets and dancers wanted the freedom to express themselves in a spontaneous and individual way. Rejecting the classical ideas of order, harmony and balance they turned to nature as a source of inspiration.
A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Diaghilev 3 CD Boxed Set
The compilation accompanies the V&A exhibition Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1909-1929.
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