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The ballet Russes was a ballet company established in 1909 by the Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev. On May 19 , 1909 the Paris Premiere season of Diaghilev's. Ballet Russes at Theatre de Chatelet.
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The company returned in 1910 ; in 1911 it was presented under Diaghielv's Ballet Russes and made its debt in London.
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The company now consisted of works by the great choreographers Marius Petpia , Michel Fokine , Bronislava Nijinska , Leonide Massine , and young George Balanchine.
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In 1914 , Leonide Massine joined Diaghilev's Ballet Russes. On April 16th was the premier of the one act ballet , Papillons , choreographed by Fokine.
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On May 6th , they set sail back to Europe on the Dante Alighieri ship , loaded with a cargo of ammunition , horses , and the Diaghilev Ballets Russes dancers. World war one was in full swing , and the main threat to their well-being while sailing home was from German submarines lurking odd the Spanish coast.
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On September 8 , 1916 Diaghilevs Ballet Russes set back sail to America for a second tour. Diaghilev and Grigoriev remained in Rome.
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Diaghilev's Ballet Russes came to America in 1916. That was the only tour that Diaghilev's Ballet Russes ever danced as a company in the united states. their first performance was held in New York. They open January 17 with"The Firebird." The Americans had never witnessed a Russian Ballet before , until that day.
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The final season for Diaghielv's Ballet Russes was in 1929. The Ballet Russes performed in London and in Paris that year. On July 26th , 1929 , Diaghilev's Ballet Russes gave its final performance at Covent Garden Theatre in London.
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In 1929 Diaghilev sadly died in Venice , Italy on August 19th , 1929 , and is buried on the nearby island of San Michele in the San Michele Cemetery.
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After Diaghilev's death the company's property was claimed by its creditors. the dancers were scattered. Colonel Wassily de basil ad his associate Rene Blum revived the company but Col . de Basil and Rene Blum constantly argued , so Blum founded a new company named the original Ballet Russe. the original Ballet Russe toured mostly in Europe. During World war two the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo toured in the United states , giving Americans a strong sense of what was known as "Russian Ballet."
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Dancer began leaving in search for better opportunities , so Basil hired new dancers , not as qualified or technically experienced , leaving the company in bad shape. In November of 1948 the company had its last performance.
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Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo took a chance and decided to hire an American choreographer , Agnes de Mille. From that point on the beginning of "true American Ballet" formed.
