This first attack could do no more than break through the first lines of the enemy. Painting, it was evident, was not sufficient as an object for combat. So Diaghileff thought of music. His historical concerts of Russian music caused the greatest excitement; Parisian opinion was deeply stirred. Bakst’s role in this first and formidable success was quite accidental. He drew some portraits for the program, notably that of Balakirev, the composer of “Thamar”: bold lines and a synthetic contour set out the head of the aged oriental sorcerer as though it were sculptured. It now became a question of following up this first victory. Diaghileff turns once again to the theater, counting for his success upon its numbers and upon the wide range that it afforded. All circumstances are favorable for his project. His old group of co=workers surrounds him, abler through strife and experience. A galaxy of stars of the dance--Pavlova, Karsavina--await but the signal to make them gleam forth on the western sky. At the same time a marvellous dancer is discovered--Nijinsky. And, as a will is needed to give life to all these latent forces, behold, Michael Fokine presents himself,--Fokine, a young master of [Illustration: XXXVII STAGE DECORATIONS FOR ACT 3rd OF VERHÆREN’S “HELEN OF SPARTA”. (GOUACHE)] [Illustration: XXXVIII STAGE DECORATIONS FOR THE “CLEOPATRA” BALLET. (GOUACHE)] [Illustration: XXXIX COSTUME FOR TCHEREPNINE’S “ADORATION”] [Illustration: XL COSTUME FOR STRAVINSKY’S “BIRD OF FIRE”] [Illustration: A WANDERING MUSICIAN’S COSTUME. (“WOMEN OF GOOD HUMOUR”)] the ballet, a rebel at the hundred=year=old tradition in vogue in the imperial theaters, who is ready to offer himself body and soul to the cause of the painters who take possession of the theater as masters. Into this renunciation of tradition he puts all the fervor of a neophyte and an infinite measure of talent. What was there that one could not dare to undertake with such a band of the élite? What followed is well known: fifteen times the celebrated “Russian Seasons” have already borne in upon Paris like shining waves breaking into foam. It is not for me here to trace in detail the fate of the “Seasons”,--the transformations which they underwent, their successes as well as their [Illustration: FACING THE MONT-BLANC. DRAWING] failures, the latter oftentimes being more creditable than the successes. Whatever else may have been their mission, certain it is that they brought two men forth into fame and glory: Stravinsky the musician and Leon Bakst the painter. “Cleopatra” had caused extraordinary surprise. “Sheherazade” in 1910 surpassed everything. In recalling the annals of the modern theater, it is scarcely possible to recollect any production that was given a similar reception. I had intended to sum up the successive stages of the fifteen years of productive work accomplished. Yet here I find myself, as I face my sources and my documents, overwhelmed with the almost magic