Theatre Costume
1916 (made)
| Artist/Maker |
Sadko was a fantastic ballet from scene 6 from the opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov which was staged in a new version by Adolf Bolm as a particularly Russian work for the second tour of the USA by Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. It was previewed at the Teatro Victoria Eugenia in San Sebastián, Spain, on 19 August 1916. It was performed in London at the London Coliseum between 31 October 1918 and 12 February 1919. The choreographer, Bolm, took the title role in Spain and America. but in London Sadko was played by Jean Jazvinski.
The 1916 production of Sadko was the second by the Ballets Russes (in June 1911 Sadko: In the Underwater Kingdom with vocalists and dance had been staged at the Théâtre du Châtelet by the Ballets Russes for four performances). The 1916 Sadko reused the set by Boris Anisfeld. The scene presented in both productions is that in which Sadko charmed the Sea Princess so she lured him to her father's underwater kingdom. There his music played on the gusli (a Russian harp) caused all the sea creatures to dance. Eventually Sadko broke the strings of his gusli to escape to the real world, taking his sea-bride with him.
After three performances in Spain, Sadko featured in the opening performance at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York on 16 October 1916 although it only appears to have had 5 performances on the tour. In New York the ballet was photographed by White. Sadko was revived during the 1918-19 season at the London Coliseum where it was favourably reviewed. The Observer 3 November 1918 described how when Sadko played the: 'finny Court had to dance to it. How oddly, how madly, how waterily, they jigged! There was the great Sea-King himself, with his huge green beard and his splendid robes and crown, bobbing it up and down and round and round. And there were all the watery people flopping it and twirling it and flapping it to the mad music of the harper. And the colours as they danced were just as sheeny and strange and under-watery and lovely as could be. It is a fascinating little ballet, at once comical and exquisite.'
It had 15 performances at the London Coliseum where it received its final performance on 12 February 1919.
This costume has at times been described as being for a Prince but Sadko was a merchant and musician.
The 1916 production of Sadko was the second by the Ballets Russes (in June 1911 Sadko: In the Underwater Kingdom with vocalists and dance had been staged at the Théâtre du Châtelet by the Ballets Russes for four performances). The 1916 Sadko reused the set by Boris Anisfeld. The scene presented in both productions is that in which Sadko charmed the Sea Princess so she lured him to her father's underwater kingdom. There his music played on the gusli (a Russian harp) caused all the sea creatures to dance. Eventually Sadko broke the strings of his gusli to escape to the real world, taking his sea-bride with him.
After three performances in Spain, Sadko featured in the opening performance at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York on 16 October 1916 although it only appears to have had 5 performances on the tour. In New York the ballet was photographed by White. Sadko was revived during the 1918-19 season at the London Coliseum where it was favourably reviewed. The Observer 3 November 1918 described how when Sadko played the: 'finny Court had to dance to it. How oddly, how madly, how waterily, they jigged! There was the great Sea-King himself, with his huge green beard and his splendid robes and crown, bobbing it up and down and round and round. And there were all the watery people flopping it and twirling it and flapping it to the mad music of the harper. And the colours as they danced were just as sheeny and strange and under-watery and lovely as could be. It is a fascinating little ballet, at once comical and exquisite.'
It had 15 performances at the London Coliseum where it received its final performance on 12 February 1919.
This costume has at times been described as being for a Prince but Sadko was a merchant and musician.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
|
| Materials and techniques | Silk Satin, cotton velvet, metalic fabric, twisted metal thread and cord, metal boning, cotton twill lining, tarleton, bias cotton, button, metal press studs and hooks and eyes. Artificial pearls on cap |
| Brief description | Boyar-style tunic and hat, designed by Natalia Goncharova for Sadko in Bolm's ballet Sadko, created for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1916. |
| Physical description | Boyar-style costume designed by Natalia Goncharova for Sadko in Adolf Bolm's ballet Sadko, created for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1916. Long tunic of scarlet velvet and satin, with high wired orange silk collar bordered with gold braid, appliquèd with gold tissue 'sunflowers' and foliage, bands of gold simulated frogging and a hem band of chrome-yellow silk with scarlet and white 'crown' pattern. High-crowned cap with padded rim of copper-coloured silk, crimson velvet and scarlet silk, trimmed on the right side with gold braid and pearls. The cap was originally worn folded over, not as it is always displayed, upright. The costume, as photographs by White show, was originally worn with a wide sash, striped trousers with elaborate 'cuffs' and decorated boots with up-turned toes. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by the British Theatre Museum Association |
| Object history | Given to the V&A by the British Theatre Museum Association who acquired it (Lot 53) at the Sotheby auction of Ballets Russes material at the Scala Theatre 17 July 1968 |
| Summary | Sadko was a fantastic ballet from scene 6 from the opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov which was staged in a new version by Adolf Bolm as a particularly Russian work for the second tour of the USA by Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. It was previewed at the Teatro Victoria Eugenia in San Sebastián, Spain, on 19 August 1916. It was performed in London at the London Coliseum between 31 October 1918 and 12 February 1919. The choreographer, Bolm, took the title role in Spain and America. but in London Sadko was played by Jean Jazvinski. The 1916 production of Sadko was the second by the Ballets Russes (in June 1911 Sadko: In the Underwater Kingdom with vocalists and dance had been staged at the Théâtre du Châtelet by the Ballets Russes for four performances). The 1916 Sadko reused the set by Boris Anisfeld. The scene presented in both productions is that in which Sadko charmed the Sea Princess so she lured him to her father's underwater kingdom. There his music played on the gusli (a Russian harp) caused all the sea creatures to dance. Eventually Sadko broke the strings of his gusli to escape to the real world, taking his sea-bride with him. After three performances in Spain, Sadko featured in the opening performance at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York on 16 October 1916 although it only appears to have had 5 performances on the tour. In New York the ballet was photographed by White. Sadko was revived during the 1918-19 season at the London Coliseum where it was favourably reviewed. The Observer 3 November 1918 described how when Sadko played the: 'finny Court had to dance to it. How oddly, how madly, how waterily, they jigged! There was the great Sea-King himself, with his huge green beard and his splendid robes and crown, bobbing it up and down and round and round. And there were all the watery people flopping it and twirling it and flapping it to the mad music of the harper. And the colours as they danced were just as sheeny and strange and under-watery and lovely as could be. It is a fascinating little ballet, at once comical and exquisite.' It had 15 performances at the London Coliseum where it received its final performance on 12 February 1919. This costume has at times been described as being for a Prince but Sadko was a merchant and musician. |
| Other number | 1968/A/76 - BTMA accession number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.740&A-1980 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
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