THE BALLETS RUSSES AND SPAIN
During the spring of 1916, Madrid enjoyed the presence of Serge Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes, who performed a series of ballets at the Teatro Real, including, alongside other works, The Firebird and Petrushka, both by Igor Stravinsky, who was also in attendance. Falla, who had just premiered his Noches en los jardines de España at the same theatre, published an article in the 5 June issue of La Tribuna in which, referring to Stravinsky, he asked:
At this time, the composer continued his intense collaboration with his friends the Martínez Sierras. Together, they created a new work: the mime-play El corregidor y la molinera, which was premiered at the Teatro Eslava in Madrid on 7 April 1917. Based on Pedro Antonio de Alarcón’s novel El sombrero de tres picos, the mime-play was to be transformed into a ballet for Diaghilev’s company, in accordance with an agreement between Diaghilev and Falla. In the summer of 1917, the two men set out with Massine on a tour of various Spanish towns and cities, among them Granada, the scene of unforgettable and surprising photographs, including one of Diaghilev and Massine mounted on donkeys in front of the Puerto del Vino in the Alhambra. Other photographs, taken in May 1918, show the entire Ballets Russes company in the Court of the Lions, wearing their costumes for Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade.
Does Madrid know that she has as her guest one of Europe’s greatest artists? Does she know, moreover, how to disassociate herself from those who say that this composer’s art serves more to disorientate than to indicate the path of truth?18[18] FALLA, Manuel de. “El gran músico de nuestro tiempo: Igor Stravinsky”. Article published in La Tribuna. Madrid, 5 June 1916. In: Escritos sobre música..., p. 27.
That same year, at the beginning of the summer, Noches en los jardines de España – the first part of which is entitled “En el Generalife” – was performed in Granada during the traditional Corpus Christi festivities. Falla himself played the piano part in this performance, which was given at the Palacio de Carlos V on 26 June. In the audience were Serge Diaghilev, founder and director of the Ballets Russes, and Léonide Massine, the company’s choreographer and leading male dancer.At this time, the composer continued his intense collaboration with his friends the Martínez Sierras. Together, they created a new work: the mime-play El corregidor y la molinera, which was premiered at the Teatro Eslava in Madrid on 7 April 1917. Based on Pedro Antonio de Alarcón’s novel El sombrero de tres picos, the mime-play was to be transformed into a ballet for Diaghilev’s company, in accordance with an agreement between Diaghilev and Falla. In the summer of 1917, the two men set out with Massine on a tour of various Spanish towns and cities, among them Granada, the scene of unforgettable and surprising photographs, including one of Diaghilev and Massine mounted on donkeys in front of the Puerto del Vino in the Alhambra. Other photographs, taken in May 1918, show the entire Ballets Russes company in the Court of the Lions, wearing their costumes for Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade.
