Italy was one of Diaghilev’s favorite destinations for inspiration, and the ballet Pulcinella was the second that resulted from his visits. Léonide Massine had also visited Italy, and, after reading through commedia dell’arte scripts, he based his choreography on the story of The Four Pulcinellas. The original cast included Massine and Tamara Karsavina. (Pulcinella: music by Igor Stravinsky, after Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and other composers; sets, costumes, and curtain by Henri Matisse; premiere on May 15, 1920, Théâtre National de l’Opéra, Paris.)