Le Bal
Theatre Costume
1929 (made)
1929 (made)
The two, identically dressed archaeologists whose costumes were completed with architectural top hats and white curled beards were performed in the original production by Jazvinsky and Fedorow were among the guests at the ball.
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 costumes executed under the direction of Mme A. Youkine. The original ballet had 15 performances being presented only during the last season of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Monte Carlo, Paris, Berlin and London where it was first performed on 26 July 1929 also at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.
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.
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 costumes executed under the direction of Mme A. Youkine. The original ballet had 15 performances being presented only during the last season of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Monte Carlo, Paris, Berlin and London where it was first performed on 26 July 1929 also at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.
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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
|
| Title | Le Bal (generic title) |
| Brief description | Jacket of costume for an Archaeologist in Balanchine's ballet Le Bal, designed by Giorgio de Chirico for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1929. Trousers of costume for an archaeologist in Balanchine's ballet Le Bal, designed by Giorgio de Chirico, for Serge Daghilev's Ballets Russes 1929.. |
| Physical description | Jacket in blue repp with white repp collar and revers, with white architectural motifs detailed in black, the epaulettes in the form of volutes of Ionic capitals. The lower sleeves are painted terracotta and black, simulating brickwork. Trousers in sky blue appliqued at the side thighs with columns in black and white. Below the knee the trousers are fitted terracotta cotton painted with black lines to simulate brickwork |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | This costume was Lot 106 in the sale by Sotheby's of Costumes and Curtains from Diaghilev and de Basil Ballets at the Scala Theatre, London on 17 July 1968 when it was purchased by Richard Buckle for the Friends of the Museum of Performance for £40. |
| Summary | The two, identically dressed archaeologists whose costumes were completed with architectural top hats and white curled beards were performed in the original production by Jazvinsky and Fedorow were among the guests at the ball. 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 costumes executed under the direction of Mme A. Youkine. The original ballet had 15 performances being presented only during the last season of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Monte Carlo, Paris, Berlin and London where it was first performed on 26 July 1929 also at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. 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. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.862&A-1980 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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