Léon Bakst (b. 1866), was a costume designer from Belarus. The young artist made his mark on the dance and ballet world through his work with Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets. He created both scenc pieces and costume ensembles for the storied company. NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet follows in the footsteps with its efforts to bring tales, music, and motifs from folklore to Western audiences.
Léon Bakst (b. 1866), was a costume designer from Belarus. The young artist made his mark on the dance and ballet world through his work with Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets. He created both sceneic pieces and costume ensembles for the storied company.
Ironically Bakst failed his entrance exam to The Imperial Academy of Arts but managed to attend as a non-credit student. Despite the rocky start, Bakst moved to Paris, a hot-bed of artistic creativity, in 1893. Art Nouveau came to prominence in Paris and Bakst joined the movement to discard the more classical arts and create new work featuring intricate and decorative linear designs and motifs based on natural forms.
It was in Western Europe that Bakst worked with the Ballets Russes and Diaghilev, and demand for his commissions grew. Prominent patrons like the Rothschilds and successful productions like Carnaval, Sleeping Beauty and Scheherazade gave him notability and esteem. Bakst returned as an accomplished artist and was elected as a member of the Imperial Academy of Arts.He escaped to America after the 1917 Revolution and showcased work in two exhibitions. His waning health brought him finally back to Paris, where he passed away in 1924.
NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet follows in the footsteps of Ballets Russes in its efforts to bring tales, music, and motifs from folklore to Western audiences. Likewise, Léon Bakst’s wildly creative expression inspires NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet’s rich costuming and set design. Above, compare Bakst’s Scheherazade to the Arabian Variation, and see elaborate designs from both L’oiseau de Feu (The Firebird) and Uncle Drosselmeyer.
Bring home one of NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet’s costume sketches today!
Tote Bag
Tote BagTake your favorite characters from NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet with you everywhere you go, in the sun or in the snow, with the Nutcracker Costume Design Canvas! Watch the video above and click here to read more about the process of getting from sketchbook to stages across North America in this interview with NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet Costume Designer Arthur Oliver.
Canvas
Bring home a piece of history from the acclaimed classic NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet! Which Nutcracker characters do you see here? Compare the Nutcracker Costume Design Canvas sketches to what you’ve seen on stage with Harlequin, Drosselmeyer, the Act II variations and more!