Editing Sergei Diaghilev (section)

=== Imperial Theaters ===

In 1899, Prince [[Serge Wolkonsky]] received directorship of all Imperial theaters. On 10 September 1899, he gave Diaghilev the post of officer on special duty. The post was usually a nominal one, but since Diaghilev managed to actively engage into the theatrical world, he was soon made responsible for the production of the Annual of the Imperial Theaters. As editor-in-chief, he reformed the edition and converted it into a full-scale luxurious magazine with critical essays, playbills, articles about artists and lots of pictures. Diaghilev even changed the paper to print the issues. He invited many of his fellow members in ''Mir iskusstva'' to work on the magazine, design fonts and create illustrations. He also showed himself as a successful promoter by finding sponsors, advertisers, and new distribution channels. As recalled by Benois, the success of the magazine went to Sergey’s head and very soon he was thinking about himself as ‘the only one, without whom nothing can be done.{{sfn|Lifar|2013}}{{sfn|Benois|1980}}

At that time Diaghilev started frequent visits to repetitions of the Imperial Ballet. His appearance as a [[dandy]] with a grey lock amazed the ballerinas, who soon nicknamed him ‘Chinchilla’. He was especially interested in young [[Mathilde Kschessinska]], who was flattered by the attention of an already famous art connoisseur. Even though they would fight later and temporarily break contact, the friendship would last through all their lives.{{sfn|Lifar|2013}}

Diaghilev brought the members of ''[[Mir iskusstva]]'' with him to the Imperial theatres. [[Apollinary Vasnetsov]], Alexandre Benois, Léon Bakst, Valentin Serov, Eugene Lansere and other contemporary artists began working on decorations and costumes. In 1900, Prince Serge Wolkonsky entrusted Diaghilev with the staging of [[Léo Delibes]]' ballet Sylvia, a favorite of Benois. The two collaborators concocted an elaborate production plan that startled the established personnel of the Imperial Theatres. After several increasingly antagonistic differences of opinion, Diaghilev refused to go on editing the Annual of the Imperial Theatres and was discharged by Volkonsky in 1901. However, the scandal also ruined Wolkonsky’s career; in a week, he was similarly fired. By that time, even the [[Nicholas II of Russia|Emperor]], persuaded by Kschessinska, took Diaghilev’s side. Sergei didn’t think much of a civil servant career, so he went abroad and immersed in his other plans.{{sfn|Levashev|2011|p=54}}{{sfn|Verveyko|2020}}