This magnificent new biography of the extraordinary impresario of the arts and creator of the Ballets Russes 100 years ago draws on important new research, notably from Russia. 'Scheijen masterfully recounts the phenomenal way in which Diaghilev contrived, under virtually impossible circumstances, to nurture a sequence of works ... he triumphs in making clear the degree to which, despite the cosmopolitanism of so much of the work, Russia was at the core of Diaghilev' Simon Callow, Guardian 'It's a fabulous, complicated, very sexy story and Sjeng Scheijen takes us through it with a steadying calm that fudges none of the outrage on or off stage' Duncan Fallowell, Daily Express 'Magnificent ... filled with extraordinary glamour' Rupert Christiansen, Daily Mail

Prizes

Short-listed for Sheridan Morley Prize for Best Theatre Biography 2010 (UK)

The Dutch scholar Sjeng Scheijen is an internationally acclaimed expert on Russian art and has curated several important exhibitions in London, Groningen and elsewhere. He divides his time between Amsterdam and Moscow where he is cultural attaché at the Netherlands Embassy.