Special number of the Parisian cultural magazine, devoted to the Saison Russe of 1909. No. 249, Mai (I) 1909. The decorative cover features a color image of Nijinsky and Anna Pavlova in Le Pavillon d'Armide; featured inside are photographs of Feodor Chaliapin in Rimsky-Korsakov's Ivan the Terrible; Michel Fokine, Vera Fokina, Tamara Karsavina, Vera Karalli, Pavlova and Nijinsky, and other singers, actors, and dancers of the Russian companies; and set designs by Roerich and Golovine. 24 pp. Front wrapper detached with some edge wear; back wrapper lacking; internally in fine condition and overall very good. 11 x 14 inches (27.5 x 35.3 cm).

The 1909 season was, essentially, the premiere of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, although that name was not used until the following year. Most of the dancers were principals of the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg, hired by Diaghilev to perform in Paris during the Imperial Ballet's summer recess. The Saison Russe included Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Maid of Pskov, performed under the title of Ivan the Terrible and starring Chaliapin as the eponymous Tsar. Also featured were the Polovetsian Dances from Borodin's Prince Igor and Le Pavillon d'Armide, choreographed by Fokine to music by Nikolai Tcherepnin.