Not on display

Ansemet, Diaghilev, Stravinsky and Prokofiev

Photograph
1921 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The snapshot shows four key collaborators on the season by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes at the Prince's Theatre. London. which ran from 26 May to 30 July 1921. The season was promoted by C. B. Cochran and included the London premier of Serge Prokofiev's Chout on 9 June and four of Igor Stravinsky's ballets; Petrouchka, Pulchinella, Massine's Le Sacre du printemps and The Firebird.

Ernest Ansermet (1883-1969) was a Swiss conductor who worked for Diaghilev between 1915 and 1923 and became noted for his conducting of Russian music. Diaghilev always recognised the importance of music for ballet and roughly half his productions had originally commissioned scores. Stravinsky and Prokofiev were amongst the most important composers he worked with and he referred to them as his 'two sons'. This photograph, therefore, may be regarded as a family portrait.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAnsemet, Diaghilev, Stravinsky and Prokofiev (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Photograph
Brief description
Snapshot taken outside the Prince's Theatre, London during the 1921 season by the Ballets Russes showing Ansemet, Diaghilev, Stravinsky and Prokofiev
Physical description
Photograph of four men standing in the road outside a London theatre. From the left to right they are: a bearded man wearing an overcoat and holding a hat and cane, a large man wearing spats, a short dapper man in a dark suit holding a cane, hat and gloves, and a man of medium height in a lighter suit.
Dimensions
  • Height: 11cm
  • Width: 8.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
'Russian Ballet / Russians 3191 / Left to right / Ernest Ansermet / The Late Serge de Diaghilev / writer of the letter in DT last Saturday!! etc / Stravinsky / Prokofieff / after a Rehearsal at the Princes Theatre / £2.2 / Please acknowledge Sydney J Loeb.' (Annotated on the reverse. Loeb may be a collector or an amateur photographer.)
Credit line
Gabrielle Enthoven Collection
Summary
The snapshot shows four key collaborators on the season by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes at the Prince's Theatre. London. which ran from 26 May to 30 July 1921. The season was promoted by C. B. Cochran and included the London premier of Serge Prokofiev's Chout on 9 June and four of Igor Stravinsky's ballets; Petrouchka, Pulchinella, Massine's Le Sacre du printemps and The Firebird.

Ernest Ansermet (1883-1969) was a Swiss conductor who worked for Diaghilev between 1915 and 1923 and became noted for his conducting of Russian music. Diaghilev always recognised the importance of music for ballet and roughly half his productions had originally commissioned scores. Stravinsky and Prokofiev were amongst the most important composers he worked with and he referred to them as his 'two sons'. This photograph, therefore, may be regarded as a family portrait.
Collection
Accession number
S.21-2021

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Record createdJanuary 14, 2021
Record URL
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