Lifar, Serge, 1905-86, Russian dancer, choreographer, director, teacher, and dance historian, b. Kiev. Lifar studied briefly with Bronislava Nijinska, but he was primarily self-taught. In 1923 he joined the Diaghilev Ballet Russe in Paris, for which he became premier danseur in 1925. He created the title role in George Balanchine's The Prodigal Son (1929). Lifar choreographed and staged Stravinsky's Le Renard (1929), and after Diaghilev's death in 1930 he joined the Paris Grand Opéra as principal dancer and ballet-master (1930-44). Celebrated for having revolutionized the French ballet, he is best known for his ballets Lucifer (1948), Phèdre (1950), Romeo and Juliet (1955), and Daphnis and Chloë (1958). Lifar is the author of many books on the dance.

Koussevitzky, Serge (Sergei Aleksandrovich Koussevitzky), 1874-1951, Russian-American conductor, studied in Moscow. He began his career as a double bass player. In 1908 he made his debut as a conductor in Berlin. In 1910 he and his wife, Natalie, formed an orchestra that Koussevitzky conducted until 1918. In 1917 he was made conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra in Petrograd. Leaving Soviet Russia (1920), he stayed mainly in Paris until coming to the United States in 1924, becoming a citizen in 1941. He was conductor (1924-49) of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and also directed (from 1936) the Berkshire Symphonic Festivals, today known as the Tanglewood Music Festival. A champion of new music and the first important maestro to emphasize modern American music, he created (1942) the Koussevitzky Foundation to commission and perform new works by American composers.

(born April 2, 1905, Kiev, Ukraine, Russian Empire—died Dec. 15, 1986, Lausanne, Switz.) Russian-born French dancer, choreographer, and ballet master. In 1923 he joined the Ballets Russes, where he became lead dancer in 1925 and created h1 roles in several of George Balanchine's ballets. He worked at the Paris Opéra Ballet as lead dancer and ballet master (1929–45, 1947–58), choreographing more than 50 works, including Prometheus (1929), Icarus (1935), Les Mirages (1947), and Les Noces fantastiques (1955). He rebuilt the company as a separate performing group, emphasizing the importance of male dancers. He retired as a dancer in 1956 but continued to choreograph for various European companies.

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orig. Sergey Aleksandrovich Kusevitsky

(born July 26, 1874, Vyshny Volochyok, Russia—died June 4, 1951, Boston, Mass., U.S.) Russian-born U.S. conductor. A virtuoso double-bass player, he was self-taught as a conductor. With his father-in-law's financial help, he debuted with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1908. In the following years he founded his own orchestra, which toured the Volga by riverboat. After leaving the Soviet Union in 1920, he established the Concerts Koussevitzky series in Paris before becoming permanent conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1924–49). He gave about 100 premieres there, including commissioned works such as Igor Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, and many works by U.S. composers, inspiring his musicians to legendary performances by the force of his personality. The Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Mass., was established during his tenure in Boston.

Learn more about Koussevitzky, Serge with a free trial on Britannica.com.

(born April 2, 1905, Kiev, Ukraine, Russian Empire—died Dec. 15, 1986, Lausanne, Switz.) Russian-born French dancer, choreographer, and ballet master. In 1923 he joined the Ballets Russes, where he became lead dancer in 1925 and created h1 roles in several of George Balanchine's ballets. He worked at the Paris Opéra Ballet as lead dancer and ballet master (1929–45, 1947–58), choreographing more than 50 works, including Prometheus (1929), Icarus (1935), Les Mirages (1947), and Les Noces fantastiques (1955). He rebuilt the company as a separate performing group, emphasizing the importance of male dancers. He retired as a dancer in 1956 but continued to choreograph for various European companies.

Learn more about Lifar, Serge with a free trial on Britannica.com.

orig. Sergey Aleksandrovich Kusevitsky

(born July 26, 1874, Vyshny Volochyok, Russia—died June 4, 1951, Boston, Mass., U.S.) Russian-born U.S. conductor. A virtuoso double-bass player, he was self-taught as a conductor. With his father-in-law's financial help, he debuted with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1908. In the following years he founded his own orchestra, which toured the Volga by riverboat. After leaving the Soviet Union in 1920, he established the Concerts Koussevitzky series in Paris before becoming permanent conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1924–49). He gave about 100 premieres there, including commissioned works such as Igor Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, and many works by U.S. composers, inspiring his musicians to legendary performances by the force of his personality. The Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Mass., was established during his tenure in Boston.

Learn more about Koussevitzky, Serge with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Serge is a type of twill fabric that has diagonal lines or ridges on both sides, made with a two-up, two-down weave. The worsted variety is used in making military uniforms, suits, great and trench coats. Its counterpart, silk serge, is used for linings. French serge is a softer, finer variety. The word is also used for a high quality woolen woven.

Etymology and history

The name is derived from Old French serge, itself from Latin serica, from Greek σηρικος (serikos), meaning "silken" . The early association of silk serge, Greece, and France is shown by the discovery in Charlemagne's tomb of a piece of silk serge dyed with Byzantine motifs, evidently a gift from the Byzantine Imperial Court in the 8th or 9th century AD.

From early Saxon times, most English wool ("staples") was exported. In the early sixteenth century it went mainly to a Royal monopoly at Calais (then an English possession) and was woven into cloth in France or the Low Countries. However, with the capture of Calais by the French on 7 January 1558, England began expanding its own weaving industry. This was greatly enhanced by the European Wars of Religion (Eighty Years' War, French Wars of Religion); in 1567 Calvinist refugees from the Low Countries included many skilled serge weavers, while Huguenot refugees in the early eighteenth century included many silk and linen weavers. Denim is a cotton fabric with a similar weave; its name is believed to be derived from "serge de Nîmes" after Nîmes in France.

See also

• Tweed
• Red Serge

References

• Images from World History: Early Byzantine history (7 - 11th c. A.D.)
• A Brief History of Southampton