Page 65 - Studio International - July August 1974

done because we are in choreography, rehearsal. mining men, and all that mixed together but by one man, Diaghilev;
so express it by that means, not by DS: Right. And you were seeing his obviously with matador and picador remember that.
others. designs evolve, you were seeing the to get the whole thing. So anywhere DS: Which of your works do you
DS: Yes, he was right, wasn't he ? costumes being made ? you put them it will be always good, like best in retrospect?
LM : Certainly. LM : Yes. you understand, because the LM : Well, I think what stands out in
DS: Did all the easel painters who DS: I mean, was it just some characters are so well chosen. For my opinion would be Sacre du
worked with you and who worked marvellous kind of chance that you Castellanas, for Sevillanos he gave Printemps which I reworked ;
with Diaghilev stay around for such got this thing that I talked about? more volume and of his blue and Tricorne I think, and perhaps
a long time in the course of rehearsal To what extent were you thinking green so marvellously chosen so you St Francis.
and the creation of a ballet as about the colours Picasso was using ? could not make a mistake, DS: It's very interesting that you
Picasso did ? LM : It came without much impossible. He divided them in small don't mention the four symphonic
LM: No, perhaps not, but the deliberation. I believe the answer to pieces and there would be a matador, ballets of the 30s.
reason for that was that Picasso was this is that very justly Picasso took a here would be a picador, here Jota LM : Yes, well I don't mention them
attracted by Olga Kokhlova to such an certain volume for the peasants, for Valenciana, here the man from the because there was the sort of desire
extent that when we did Les Femmes peasants of Sevilla, and he North — that's how it's worked out. of a young man who is in a square
de Bon Humeur, which was a completed it with welding the whole It's by the unmistakeable choice of box and he's feeling that his
Bakst production, Picasso painted of Spain into one thing, instead of the primary elements. Rhythm also, imagination reaches much more
the props. going to one province or another, but of course, is directly important to forward and he's looking to come out
DS: But with Tricorne — I mean, he to bring them all together. Again choreography as to the pictorial of that impasse ; that was the main
stayed in London for three months. it probably came from Diaghilev and effect, so naturally if he does eight thing. But let's quickly say that you
LM : Oh yes, yes. Well, at that time as they have this extraordinary Sevillanos I will not break them in can't accept that as a mature
he was very flexible and he had character for Jota Valenciana in eight individuals; they will all do the interpretation of a symphonic form ;
understood the importance of long skirts, in the North of Bilbao same thing. So it all came naturally there is just a glimpse of it here and

(Above) Parade (Above) Parade the horse
(Left) Parade the American manager
contributing something to the there.
spectacle which Diaghilev conceived DS: I am trying to think if there's a
in that way : the best of painting, common element to the ones you
the best of music, the best of pick out — Tricorne and the St Francis
everything. and Sacre du Printemps. That's
DS: I remember the first time I saw interesting that you choose that
Tricorne. The thing that struck me since originally it was created by
very forcibly was in the dance at the Nijinsky
end, with all the people on the stage, LM : Nijinsky's Sacre, although I
the dance based on the jota. I haven't seen it, I admire very much.
thought it was one of the most DS: You never saw it?
miraculous combinations of movement LM : I saw only photographs and I
and design that I've ever seen. The saw a glimpse of dancers who had
way in which the movement and the danced in it who showed me some
colour worked together to make a movements. It was a very, very
kind of moving kaleidoscope, and revolutionary work, let us say. After
the way in which the dancers were all the very gentle approach of
constantly re-forming, the groups Fokine in his works; and it would
constantly re-forming, and each time take somebody to do that. As the
they re-formed there was another French say, 'C'est Gauguin de
marvellous balance of colour, gave a printemps.' It was ahead of time, if
kind of ideal of collaboration between he wouldn't be so attracted and
design and movement. When you hadn't a fixed idea with Dalcroze's
created this ballet were the interpretation of music ; texturally the
costumes actually being worn thing would live but it was unbearable
during rehearsal ? to hear and to see.
LM : No. DS: There was too much going on ?
DS: Picasso was watching the LM : Yes, Diaghilev explained that
rehearsals presumably, of course? scientifically the law of the ear
LM : You know he liked rehearsals doesn't correspond to the law of
much more than performances. He seeing : you can do it one by one, but
said I can see much more in the when joined together it is too much.