Arthur Saint-Leon in the mirror of the “Musical and theater bulletin” (1856–1860)

Abstract

The article is devoted to a review of critical reviews about Arthur SaintLeon, published in the magazine «Muzykal’nyj i teatral’nyj vestnik» (“Musical and Theater Bulletin”), published in 1856–1860. Saint-Leon was interesting to critics not only as a choreographer. He was mentioned in the magazine as a teacher and dancer. In the “Musical and Theater Bulletin”, many lines are dedicated to Saint-Leon as a musician. They wrote about him not only as a violin virtuoso, but also as a composer (in Russia in 1859 the ballet “Saltarello” was staged with his music). The combination of so many talents in one artist was a rare and therefore surprising phenomenon. The history of the brief appearance of Saint-Leon in the reviews of a particular journal is interesting not only for the vastness of the material and the detail of the analysis, but also for the charm of its immediacy. By virtue of these short lines, we get the opportunity to plunge into the atmosphere of the musical and theatrical life of the mid-19th century.