What role did Serge Diaghilev play in Sergey Prokofiev’s career?

Serge Diaghilev, the influential founder of the Ballets Russes, played a pivotal role in Sergey Prokofiev’s career as a mentor, commissioner, and promoter for over 15 years.1

After they met in 1914, Diaghilev became one of Prokofiev’s most significant advisers. Their professional relationship included several key interactions:1

• Commissions: Diaghilev commissioned works such as the ballet The Tale of the Buffoon Who Outjested Seven Buffoons (later known as The Buffoon). While Diaghilev rejected Prokofiev’s earlier ballet Ala and Lolli, the composer successfully reworked that music into the Scythian Suite.1
• Career Advancement: In 1920, Diaghilev helped secure Prokofiev’s reputation in Western Europe by facilitating meetings and producing his works, including the 1921 production of The Buffoon in Paris and London.2
• Collaborations: During the 1920s, the two worked closely on new one-act ballets, most notably Le Pas d’acier (1927) and The Prodigal Son (1929).2

Diaghilev’s support was instrumental in consolidating Prokofiev’s status as a brilliant innovator on the international stage during his "foreign period".2