Wednesday in Arts & Letters
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
PIONEERS OF DANCE
The emigre companies that sprung up in the wake of Diaghilev’s death united the creative genius of, among others, Picasso, Stravinsky, Balanchine, and Matisse. A new documentary about the Ballets Russes, JOEL LOBENTHAL writes, offers priceless footage of the legends who popularized ballet in America.
THE WAR OVER CHRISTMAS
Conflicts over religious symbols in public places point to one of the biggest societal questions we face, DIANE RAVITCH writes: how to coexist in a society where there is no longer a dominant faith. A new book by Kevin Hasson suggests a compromise.
THE MYSTERY OF PETAIN
After World War I, Henri-Philippe Petain was loved as the hero of France. After World War II, he was reviled as his country’s betrayer. A new biography, CARL ROLLYSON writes, attempts to make sense of the man.
