8 December 1917. Sergey Grigoriev

Non-fiction

Project 1917 is a series of events that took place a hundred years ago as described by those involved. It is composed only of diaries, letters, memoirs, newspapers and other documents

Lisbon, Portugal

The Lisbon theatre was huge and resembled a circus. It was even called a Colosseum. Diaghilev avidly disliked it. But it was our only option, as the former royal theatre had closed down.

The day following our arrival, Diaghilev and I left our hotel and headed towards the Colosseum, but the moment we were about to enter the theatre, we heard gunfire. People started running around, chased by police on horseback. People in the theatre told us, that a revolution had begun, and suggested we return to the hotel.

We reached the hotel, and the administrative staff advised us to get mattresses and to shield ourselves with them so that we don't get hurt by shattered glass. Noone knew what would come next. We were leading a strange and inconvenient life the following week. We had to sleep fully dressed on the floor or the stairs; there was very little food, as the hotel's stocked supplies were running out quickly; and we grew tired of it fairly soon. For Diaghilev, such inactivity was pure torture. At the same time, we heard the news about the Bolshevik revolt in Russia and Diaghilev started blaming all revolutionaries at once. Diaghilev believed that the October revolution would have horrible consequences for Russia, and was extremely distressed. Having distanced himself from politics, he took to heart everything happening in his homeland.

As for Portugal, the order in Lisbon was restored just as quickly as it was shattered: the victorious general pronounced himself President, and life resumed its natural course. Diaghilev even managed to stage two performances in the royal theatre San Carlos, and we succeeded in doing our best.

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