Carolyn Kunin [ on "VN's references to
Arcadian faunlets & nymphets, catamites and his Lolita "brood"...
Diaghilev's very real ones caused, apparently, less
scandal... In both cases we find pedophilia but the destinies of
young boys and girls seem to arouse different reactions
from spectators."] No pedohilia in L'apres
midi d'une faune - - [...]. The papers were also in an uproar over the
scandalous "filthy, bestial and indecent eroticism."
JM: I had in mind the
reviews I read about the film, "Nijinsky" - built on biographical
information about Diaghilev, Nijinski and some other young dancers the
impresario had chosen after Nijinski became to old to dance as
"Joseph" - with the reception of VN's fictional
Lolita in novel and movies. I forgot to add that Nabokov's
fiction appears to be "more real than life" in its effects.
In relation to "L'apres midi d'un faune" ( une
faune?), I praised George de la Pena's astounding re-impersonation* and
quoted some of VN's references to faunlets. Excluding these items, you are right: there is no hint
of pedophilia in this ballet, only a disappointed faun copulating with
a scarf, instead of a nymph.
.............................................................................................................................
* - One of the reviewers mentioned that de la Pena,
when asked about how he approached the bisexuality
of the Nijinsky role, answered"When you read Greek literature, you come across
many examples of the liaison of an older man teaching a younger man about life
-- it was very common then and has been throughout the ages, so for me there was
nothing unusual in it."