The Afternoon of a Faun

The Afternoon of a Faun is a 12-minute film that showcases Rudolf Nureyev performing as the faun during the Nureyev Festival at the London Coliseum in July 1983. This performance is part of a tribute to Diaghilev and includes a mixed bill of ballets, highlighting the importance of Nureyev's artistry.

The film presents a reconstructed version of the ballet, developed by dance notation specialists Ann Hutchinson Guest and Claudia Jeschke in the late 1980s. They utilized Nijinsky's notebooks, dance notation, and photographs taken by Baron Adolph de Meyer shortly after the original performance.

This film is often paired with Nijinsky's other works, making it a valuable piece for those interested in the history of ballet and its preservation through film. Collectors of dance and music films will find this short work an intriguing exploration of a pivotal moment in ballet history.