To coincide with the release of ‘Diaghilev. Ballets Russes’, a 22-CD set from Warner Classics marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian impresario (on March 31, 1872), an 11-part weekly series of podcasts has been produced by Jon Tolansky.

Episodes 1 and 2, now available (see below), preview the series and look at Diaghilev's life before the Ballets Russes was formed and covers the years 1972 to 1909. Contributors to the podcasts include Dame Marie Rambert, the celebrated dancer and member of the Ballet Russes company, as well as several eminent academics (Roger Nichols of The Harlequin Years, Suzanne Massie of Land of The Firebird, Lynn Garafola of La Nikinska – Choreographer of the Modern) and dance experts (Baroness Deborah Bull, former principal dancer with the Royal Ballet; Jane Pritchard, curator of dance at the V&A; and Jean-Christophe Maillot, Artistic Director of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo).

‘Diaghilev. Ballets Russes’ is a near-complete collection of the compositional collaborations of Sergei Diaghilev’s company from 1909-29, which arguably changed the course of classical music with music by Debussy, Dukas, Fauré, Milhaud, Schumann, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Weber and many more. It’s possibly the most complete single set ever made and is presented season by season. Lavishly illustrated with striking archive photographs and artwork, the set includes numerous CD premieres and landmark performances, including the first-ever recording of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, conducted by Pierre Monteaux in 1929; Igor Markevitch’s recording of Satie’s Parade and Feodor Chaliapin’s recording of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov. All have been newly remastered.

The Diaghilev anniversary is also being celebrated on LP with 'Hommage à Diaghilev' featuring Igor Markevitch and the Philharmonia Orchestra in scores either written for the Ballets Russes or used for choreography by the company. The three-LP set is out now, and it's also available to stream (see below to listen on Apple Music).