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Le Bal

Theatre Costume
1929 (made)

This costume made for Lubov Soumarokova for one of four Sylphides designed by Georgio de Chirico appears to be the only woman's costme from the ballet that has survived. The Sylphs were originally danced by Alicia Markova, Natalie Branitska, Soumarokova and Dora [Dorotea] Vadimova. It is a surrealist's interpretation of a traditional romantic ballet costume with unusually elaborate wings and was completed by a white wig and dark shoes.

Le Bal (The Ball), a modern ballet in one act and two scenes had sets and costumes designed Giorgio de Chirico, was created for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo on 7 May 1929. The musical score was by Vittorio Rieti, the narrative by Boris Kochno, after a story by Count Vladimir Sologub, and it was choreographed in 1929 by George Balanchine. The set and costumes were re-used by Leonide Massine in 1935 when the Sylphides were danced by Vera Zorina, Sono Osato, Paulina Strogova [Prudence Hyman] and Tamara Tchinarova

At a ball a young man is struck by the beauty of a lady accompanied by an astrologer. After the guests are entertained by Spanish and Italian dances, the beauty is persuaded to unmask and is seen as an elderly woman who pursues the young man. After further dancing the woman, again masked, and astrologer return and together they remove their disguises. The woman successively removes two masks, changing from crone to young beauty and the astrologer is revealed as her handsome partner. The young man watches the couple leave while he faints with disappointment. The Sylphides were woven through the work as spirits of the ballroom.

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watch Conservation stories: Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes The V&A holds the largest collection of Ballets Russes costumes in the world. Jane Pritchard, Curator of Dance, and V&A conservation specialists take us behind the scenes as they prepare key objects, costumes and a giant stage cloth for display in the major 2010 exhibition 'Diaghilev and t...

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLe Bal (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Silk, tarlatan, millinary wire, metal hooks and eyes, steel bones
Brief description
Costume designed by Giorgio de Chirico for a Sylph in George Balanchine's ballet Le Bal for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1929.
Physical description
Costume designed by Giorgio de Chirico for a Sylphide in Le Bal. White silk sleeveless bodice with white tarlatan skirt and stiffened white silk elaborate wings painted with black outlines. On the front of the bodice is a single black crozier-shaped arabesque in black braid.

Dimensions
  • Depth: 1005mm (Note: As stored flat on board.)
  • Width: 1300mm (Note: As stored flat on board.)
  • Height: 460mm (Note: As stored flat on board.)
Credit line
Given by the Friends of the Museum of the Performing Arts
Object history
Sold in the Sotheby's Sale of Costumes and Curtains from Diaghilev and De Basil Ballets at the Scala Theatre, 17 July 1968 (one of two costumes in lot 96, purchased by Dupre for £10.00).

Exhibited in the V&A's exhibitions, Surreal Things, 2007, and Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes, 2010-11 and on tour.
Summary
This costume made for Lubov Soumarokova for one of four Sylphides designed by Georgio de Chirico appears to be the only woman's costme from the ballet that has survived. The Sylphs were originally danced by Alicia Markova, Natalie Branitska, Soumarokova and Dora [Dorotea] Vadimova. It is a surrealist's interpretation of a traditional romantic ballet costume with unusually elaborate wings and was completed by a white wig and dark shoes.

Le Bal (The Ball), a modern ballet in one act and two scenes had sets and costumes designed Giorgio de Chirico, was created for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo on 7 May 1929. The musical score was by Vittorio Rieti, the narrative by Boris Kochno, after a story by Count Vladimir Sologub, and it was choreographed in 1929 by George Balanchine. The set and costumes were re-used by Leonide Massine in 1935 when the Sylphides were danced by Vera Zorina, Sono Osato, Paulina Strogova [Prudence Hyman] and Tamara Tchinarova

At a ball a young man is struck by the beauty of a lady accompanied by an astrologer. After the guests are entertained by Spanish and Italian dances, the beauty is persuaded to unmask and is seen as an elderly woman who pursues the young man. After further dancing the woman, again masked, and astrologer return and together they remove their disguises. The woman successively removes two masks, changing from crone to young beauty and the astrologer is revealed as her handsome partner. The young man watches the couple leave while he faints with disappointment. The Sylphides were woven through the work as spirits of the ballroom.
Collection
Accession number
S.849-1980

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
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