‘Deliciously entertaining.’ Financial Times

‘Scintillating . . . fizzes with balletic energy.’ Daily Mail

‘Gripping . . . bursting with extraordinary characters and anecdotes.’ Sunday Telegraph

‘An extraordinary tale, enthrallingly told.’ Gramophone

The story of Sergei Diaghilev - the Russian emperor who created the modern art of ballet. Commissioning legendary names such as Nijinsky, Fokine, Stravinsky, and Picasso, he presented a series of radically original works that had a revolutionary impact throughout the Western world. Offstage, there was scandal and sensation, collaboration and rivalry, spectacular relationships, and an eccentric carousel of tumult. Ballets Russes left an unparalleled artistic legacy, which ended with Diaghilev's sudden death in 1929. However, the successes of its heroic period would continue to set the standards for the following era.

Pages: 384, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm