Notebook
1917 - 1918 (hand written)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Léonide Massine began work on Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornerd Hat) while Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes was touring in Spain in 1917 and 1918 (a neutral country during the War). Massine appears to have met Felix Fernandez Garcia in Barcelona and again in Madrid in 1917 where he was invited to join the company. As Lydia Sokolova recalled in her autobiography 'The employment of Felix was the first step towards the realisation of the great Spanish ballet which Massine intended to create....The essential was that Massine and the company should learn to perform Spanish steps in a Spanish way; and Massine in particular had to master the grammar of the Spanish dance before he could work out his choreography.' Massine appears to have begun to study in Barcelona and he also studied with Felix's own teacher Senor de Molina. During the summer months Massine and Diaghilev stayed with Jose Maria Sert at Sitges and Manuel de Falla joined them in Barcelona. In July, with Falla and Felix, Massine and Diaghilev travelled in search of dances and music.
Le Tricorne, choreographed by Léonide Massine was based on an 18th century Spanish comedy by Martínez Sierra after Alarcon. It had a score by Manuel de Falla, and curtain, scenic setting and costumes by Pablo Picasso. It received its world premiere by the Ballets Russes on 22 July 1919 at the Alhambra Theatre, London.
Le Tricorne, choreographed by Léonide Massine was based on an 18th century Spanish comedy by Martínez Sierra after Alarcon. It had a score by Manuel de Falla, and curtain, scenic setting and costumes by Pablo Picasso. It received its world premiere by the Ballets Russes on 22 July 1919 at the Alhambra Theatre, London.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Cardboard, paper, printing ink, ink and pencil |
| Brief description | Notebook in which Leonide Massine made notes concerning flamenco dance in preparation for the ballet, Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), ca. 1918 |
| Physical description | Notebook in which Leonide Massine made notes concerning flamenco dance in preparation for the ballet, Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), ca. 1918. A black Spanish notebook-diary with the word 'Agenda' on the cover which has scraps of paper stuck to it. The diary (for 1917 or 1918) allocates half a page to each day but the pages from 9-20 January and from 27 April through to 30 December are missing. Inside the writing is in Spanish and Russian and it includes drawings which are believed to relate to Massine's lessons in Flamenco with Felix Fernandez Garcia. The notebook contains references to Sitges, Spain 1918 and places in Paris. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Agenda' (faintly printed on front cover) |
| Credit line | Given by Richard Buckle and Leonide Massine |
| Object history | Notebook owned by Leonide Massine and donated to the Theatre Museum by Richard Buckle and Leoinide Massine |
| Historical context | While Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes was touring in Spain in 1916-1918 Massine studied Spanish dance. In particular he studied with the flamenco dancer Felix Fernandez Garcia. The dances he studied form the basis of the ballet Le Tricorne, The Three-Cornered Hat. |
| Summary | Léonide Massine began work on Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornerd Hat) while Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes was touring in Spain in 1917 and 1918 (a neutral country during the War). Massine appears to have met Felix Fernandez Garcia in Barcelona and again in Madrid in 1917 where he was invited to join the company. As Lydia Sokolova recalled in her autobiography 'The employment of Felix was the first step towards the realisation of the great Spanish ballet which Massine intended to create....The essential was that Massine and the company should learn to perform Spanish steps in a Spanish way; and Massine in particular had to master the grammar of the Spanish dance before he could work out his choreography.' Massine appears to have begun to study in Barcelona and he also studied with Felix's own teacher Senor de Molina. During the summer months Massine and Diaghilev stayed with Jose Maria Sert at Sitges and Manuel de Falla joined them in Barcelona. In July, with Falla and Felix, Massine and Diaghilev travelled in search of dances and music. Le Tricorne, choreographed by Léonide Massine was based on an 18th century Spanish comedy by Martínez Sierra after Alarcon. It had a score by Manuel de Falla, and curtain, scenic setting and costumes by Pablo Picasso. It received its world premiere by the Ballets Russes on 22 July 1919 at the Alhambra Theatre, London. |
| Bibliographic reference | Massine. Le tricorne notebook Notation of Flamenco |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.4-1980 |
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| Record created | July 28, 2009 |
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