A Different Faun on My Mind |

It’s funny how, sometimes, an object you see while you are in a place makes you think about another place that is miles away from you.

After seeing the pediment of the Philadelphia Art Museum with its sculptures by C. Paul Jennewein depicting Greek gods and goddesses and in particular the colourful faun, I started thinking about the “Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1900-1929” exhibition currently on at London's Victoria and Albert Museum and about Vaslav Nijinsky’s revolutionary interpretation of a faun in L’après-midi d’un faune (Afternoon of a Faun).

Inspired by the eponymous poem "L'après-midi d'un faune" (1876) by Stéphane Mallarmé, set to Debussy's score and choreographed by Nijinsky, the ballet was considered as revolutionary both for the rigid and sculptural movements of the performers who danced in profile as if on a bas relief, but also for Nijinsky's interpretation as the indolent faun sexually aroused by a group of nymphs.

The ballet caused a scandal because it ended with Nijinsky mimicking an orgasm.

I'm posting here a clip from Herbert Ross’s film Nijinsky (1980) with George de la Peña in the role of the dancer and choreographer for further references/inspirations.

And for those of you who like Petrushka and are eagerly waiting to celebrate next year the ballet's anniversary, well, I may have a little surprise for you before Christmas, so watch this space…