Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Immortal Longings, a world premiere piece written by five time Tony Award Winner Terrence McNally.
Immortal Longings explores the dramatic relationship between Sergei Diaghilev and Vaslav Nijinsky at the height of the Ballets Russes in 20th century Paris. Hmm, none of those names sound familiar to you? They weren’t to my husband either – not to worry, I realize not everyone is a theater and history geek like me. I’ve got a short and sweet piece below that covers the basics for understanding the content of the play.
So What is The Ballets Russes?
The Ballets Russe was the most innovative dance company of the 20th century and propelled the performing arts to new heights through groundbreaking collaborations between artists, composers, choreographers, dancers, and fashion designers. Founded by Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev (1872–1929) in Paris in 1909, the company combined Russian and Western traditions with a healthy dose of modernism, thrilling and shocking audiences with its powerful fusion of choreography, music, and design.
But why so legendary?
Diaghilev brought together the most creative artists of his day. Recognizing the greatness of contemporary art, he called upon Léon Bakst, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Giorgio de Chirico, among others, to create dynamic set designs and exquisitely decorated costumes that shared a unified aesthetic. They in turn brought the most important artistic developments of the early 20th century—including futurism, cubism, and surrealism—to the ballet stage. Vaslav Nijinsky, the company’s premier dancer, would come to be known as the greatest dancer of the 20th century.
Now on to the juicy stuff…
Diaghilev took the 19-year-old Nijinsky as a lover and made him the star of his Ballets Russes. Five years later, when Nijinsky left to marry Romola de Pulszki, Diaghilev threw him out of his dance company and tried to destroy his career. Nijinksy was a fragile genius and the split with Diaghliev would haunt him the rest of his life. He would later be institutionalized by the age of twenty nine with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
So what did we think of the show?
The writing did a superb job of portraying the complexity of the relationship between Diaghliev and Najinisky. Both characters, fragile and damaged in their own ways, were portrayed in raw forms by actors Steve Epp (Diaghliev) and Wyatt Fenner (Nijinsky). The set design was stunning and the supporting cast was excellent at delivering those short jab one-liners that bring comedic relief to a dramatic scene. There are two moments of the show with full nudity so keep in mind this play is certainly not for the young or immature audience.
Want to see it too?
Great, you absolutely should! The show runs through next weekend, July 14th at the Zach Theater. Tickets can be purchased at http://zachtheatre.org/
The Stacy Strategy 