The artist is Roerich
A bright page in the life of Roerich was his participation in “Russian seasons” in Paris organized with. P. Diaghilev.
The noisy, well -deserved success fell to the artist in 1909, when the first “Russian season” opened in the Paris Theater of “Shatla”. Diaghilev made the achievements of domestic art to the court of demanding French public. In the design of Roerich there were “Polovtsian dances” from the “Prince Igor” and.P.Borodina and Pskoviteka n.A.Rimsky-Korsakov.
Appeal to the opera “Prince Igor” is natural for the artist among his hobbies by Slavic history. Creating the scenery for the performance, Roerich was captured by the powerful energy of music, which turned out to be incredibly close to his own artistic ideals.
In the scenery of the “camp”, against which the “Polovtsian dances” were set, the landscape plays the main role, the merged three eternal elements of nature – the sky, earth, water. And the Polovtsian tents, the outlines of which echoed the measured stripes of gentle steppe hills, also seem to live outside the history. The rhythm of music was born, the rhythm of the lines was born, elasticly curved, as if the bark of the earth raised its powerful breathing.
For the choreographer, Mikhail Fokin, in whose production was the ballet, it was especially important that Roerich has given great importance to color. Paints gave the dynamics the scene, emotionally strengthened the drawing of the dance. “These are paints! These are the scenery! I just returned from Russia, and they have everywhere like this!” – admired at one of the performances artist Maurice Denis.
The amazing harmony of picturesque and choreographic images created with the audience, struck them “not the illusion of truth, but the persuasiveness of the illusion.”.
In 1914, in London, Diaghlev made the opera completely in four actions with the prologue, again inviting Roerich to decorate the performance. The opera was successful. The party of Konchak was performed by Fedor Chaliapin, the famous Russian singer. Unfortunately, Roerich could not attend the premiere. Artist about. Allegry informed him: „He walked last night „Igor “at full hall; The success was great, the British growled with delight!”
Roerich performed the scenery in a short period of time: the end of 1913 – the beginning of 1914. Bright patterned costumes, the festive flavor of architecture, which is sometimes a fabulous character, created an attractive image of a distant past, filled with vital force. The success of the London production was largely related to the design of the performance.
“Polovtsian dances” in the design of Roerich went in Paris for 20 years.
E.IN.Stankevich // Materials for audio guide to the exhibition "Nikolai Roerich. In search of Shambhala", 2020
N.Roerich. Polovtsian camp.
“Polovtsian camp” Roerich is rightfully considered a masterpiece of stage painting.
Polovtsian dance from opera A.P.Borodin "Prince Igor". Mariinskii Opera House. 2003
