Ivan Vsevolozhsky

[2] In 1888, he duly instructed the Imperial Balletmaster Marius Petipa to choreograph a full-length ballet to the story "The Sleeping Beauty" for a premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Among his sweeping administrative changes as Director was the formation of a committee to determine repertory, salary raises for artists and workers (some of which were increased as much as sevenfold) and a rise in authors' fees to 10% (from 2%).

Most widely contested was their cost; the reforms increased spending by 10 times that of his predecessor, Baron Kister, and attempts to raise ticket prices was 'universally condemned'.

This relationship, however, worked both ways; the demand for new music well overshadowed supply and it was this permanent pressure that drove Tchaikovsky back to ballet after the lukewarm reception of Swan Lake, as well as Vsevolozhsky's generous facilitation of his resumed efforts.

The composer's diary suggests a close relationship between himself and the Director; he recounts rushing to the former's house for urgent creative meeting that included Marius Petipa and Alexandre Petrovich Frolov.

[5] Vsevolozhsky similarly championed Marius Petipa, with whom he had a fruitful relationship culminating in productions of 'L'Ordre du roi', 'Les Ruses d'amour' and 'Sleeping Beauty' that echoed the French golden age of ballet.

His views on the state monopoly on theatrical productions are unknown, though contemporary critics appreciated its role in maintaining highbrow, high quality performances (for example, as opposed to Opera in Paris).