"Faun is dosen;
Nymphs trick him;
In the scarf left by them he finds
the fulfillment of his dream"
An immense public scandal and a police ban was the initial reaction to Nijinsky’s L’après-midi d’un faune when it premiered on May 29, 1912, opening a new page in the history of Les Saisons Russes. Sensual poetry by Mallarmé, impressionistic music by Debussy, gorgeous costumes by Bakst, innovative choreography by Nijinsky, and Diaghilev's unique serendipity, gave the world a captivating miniature which still touches the hearts of spectators and excites the imagination of those trying to stage the Faune anew. A brief story of the passion of a mythical deity for a beautiful nymph, this exquisite ballet was so brilliantly performed by Nijinsky hat it will remain forever an impossible standard for new generations of performers. As the laconic Nijinsky said, with his characteristic brevity: “I am the Faun".
