Léonide Massine and the 20th century ballet
By: Leslie Norton
Publisher: McFarland & Co.
Published: 2004
Place of publication: Jefferson, N.C
Language: eng
Number of pages: 374
Subjects: Massine, Leonide, -- 1896-; Choreographers -- Russia (Federation) -- Biography; Ballet -- History -- 20th century
Genres: Biography
Description: "The great Russian choreographer Leonide Massine was the most important figure in modernist ballet in the 1930s, known for works such as Gaite Parisienne and The Three-Cornered Hat. His versatility and scope made his choreography the most representative of the century. Whatever period he portrayed, his style flowed freely and unselfconsciously. His character ballets dealt not with stereotypes but with individuals, and his symphonic ballets proved how great music could be employed without demeaning it. Like his mentor Diaghilev, he strove to bring music, painting, and poetry to his ballets. Massine was responsible for the first resolutely abstract ballet and the first true fusions of ballet and modern dance." "This book provides a biography of Massine and a detailed analysis of his major ballets, including those for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and American Ballet Theatre. It offers a study of Massine's works from an array of perspectives. By examining the music and composers, set design, and literary sources, the book places his works in the larger context of the dance, opera, visual art, literature, and theater of the period. The analyses of ballets include synopses, comments on the scenery and costumes, music, and choreography, and a critical survey. An epilogue summarizes Massine's impact on the development of ballet in the twentieth century. The book includes both informal and performance photographs."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 359-363) and index