ABSTRACT
Sergey Sergeyevich Prokofiev was introduced to Sergey Pavlovich Diaghilev in July 1914 during the Ballets Russes' London season. Prokofiev asked Andreyev to find out Walter Nouvel's address as he was a member of Diaghilev's circle and a useful conduit to the great impresario. In mid-1914 Diaghilev had come under the spell of the Italian futurist movement; in June he had attended Luigi Russolo's "Grand Futurist Concert of Noises," which was doing "turns" at the London Coliseum. Diaghilev warmly welcomed the 24-year-old Prokofiev to Italy and introduced him to his inner circle of confidants and collaborators. On 8 March Diaghilev, accompanied by Massine and Prokofiev, headed south to Naples to see the sights and to talk with the futurists about a proposed ballet depicting the Neapolitan national holiday. The trio returned to Rome on 19 March for a couple of days so that Diaghilev could attend to some business matters surrounding an upcoming American tour.
