The last performance of Nijinski in Sankt Moritz (1919). He does not appear in the costume that was specially designed for that day, but in his practice clothes. He walks twice across the stage and then speaks: “Today I am going to show you what it means to create. To make something out of nothing. I give you a glimpse into our soul. For once I will show you how we live, how we suffer, how an artist creates” (Japin, 2010, p.342). A deathly silence follows as Nijinski stares at the audience. He then takes a chair, smashes it to pieces, and starts to dance.
Sources:
– Houppermans, S., De Kroon, J., & Verstraten, P. (2014). Psychose en de kunsten. Maklu.
– Japin, A. (2010). Vaslav. Singel Uitgeverijen.