[Ballets Russes] Stravinsky, Igor. (1882–1971); Balanchine, George. (1904–1983); Lifar, Serge. (1905–1986). Annotated Proof Copy of "Appolon Musagète.". A stunning and important proof of Stravinsky's ballet Apollon musagète, annotated throughout by Stravinsky, Balanchine and Lifar. A list of Stravinsky's annotations, in the hand of Serge Lifar, appears on the front free endpaper, initialled by Lifar. Stravinsky's annotations in ink and pencil appear throughout, concerning mostly aspects of staging ("preduprezhdenije zanaves [curtain pre-alert]...terpsikhora [Terpsichore]...mamasha [mummy]...loshadi [horses]...zanaves [curtain]"). Balanchine's entries also in pencil. 32 pages, folio (34.5 x 27cm), the proofs printed on blue negative paper with white notes and margins, ownership label to upper cover ("Col. Serge Lifar"), original green cloth, c.1928, tears to some pages, some repaired, affecting text, slight loss of text to p.22, light browning.


Written in 1927-1928 as a show case for Serge Lifar - the latest of Diaghilev's amours - its Paris performance on 12 June 1928, with choreography by Georges Balanchine, was a landmark event. Stravinsky later described this collaboration with Balanchine as one of the most satisfying of his artistic life (TNG) and the present annotated proofs are a stunning testimony to that famous collaboration.