Wonderful early twentieth century soft cover publication in this Col. W. de Basil's Ballets Russes De Monte-Carlo: 5th American Season program from 1937-1938, October through April. Lovely antique program is packed with black & white photos, articles and advertisements in color. Beautiful cover artwork by Christian Berard. Overall, this hard to find program is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any classical music or ballet aficionado or historian.

Program is in great vintage condition as a whole. The usual pre-loved surface scuff wear to soft cover & edges, cover is still attached via the top staple, but unattached on lower bottom staple, interior program remains firmly bound together, usual rimples and dimples from reader wear to pages and edges, light discoloration and age spots to some pages, with light moisture stain marks on a few pages from years of hiding on Betty's book shelf, but nothing that distracts from this treasure of ballet history! Please see enlarged pics for best description and details.

The Original Ballet RUSSE (originally named BALLET RUSSE de MONTE CARLO) was a ballet company established in 1932 by Rene Blum and Colonel Wassily de Basil. The company assumed the new name Original Ballet Russe after a split between de Basil and Blum. Col. W. de Basil led the renamed company, while Blum along with others founded a new company under the original name, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. The company's name is derived from the Ballets Russes of impresario Sergei Diaghilev. 

The last season of Diaghilev's Ballet Russe was in 1929, during which it toured and performed in both London and Paris. The company performed for the final time in London at the Covent Garden Theater on July 26th, 1929. Diaghliev died only a month later, on August 19th, 1929 of diabetes. In 1932, with the help of financier Serge Denham, Rene Blum and Colonel Vassili de Basil formed the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. The idea behind the company was to create a world renowned ballet company that would continue the work and legacy of the late Serge Diaghilev. The company hired George Balanchine and Leonide Massine to act as choreographers. The majority of the works that were performed were ones from Diaghilev's company, but they also performed ballets from Balanchine and Massine. Balanchine was let go after only one year because the company found that audiences preferred to watch Diaghilev's and Massine's ballets. (And due to disagreements with de Basil, Massine left the company as soon as his contract was up and joined Blum.) Together Blum and Massine formed their own company, and attracted several of Col. de Basil's dancers. The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo wasn't doing very well financially and almost declared bankruptcy when Sol Hurok, an American producer, took over the management of the company in 1934.(Wikipedia)

Makers Mark: Publisher: Nicolas Publishing Co • Publication Date: 1937

Approximate size: 9-1/2" wide by 12-2/8" tall   •    Weight: 0lb 12oz before packing materials and shipping box

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