In my pursuit of Kalmakov, I came across a costume design by Goncharova for the character 'Sirin' in the Ballets Russes production of the Rimsky-Korsakov opera Tsar Saltan.

Has anyone really studied the meaning(s) and implication(s) of VN's choice of nom de bird? The Wikipedia article on the subject of the sirin is full of intriguing possibilities. At the very least, I should have thought someone would have addressed the sexual implications - I searched the archives and found nothing. Can anyone suggest a book where this might have been discussed?

Related to Sirin are Alkonost and the Swan Queen - like 'Sirin' the Swan Queen plays a role in Tsar Saltan. According to Richard Taruskin these are "realtives and ancestors" of the Firebird/Zhar ptitsa. Taruskin further writes that there developed amongst Russian artistic emigre circles a cult of the Firebird, which reached its apogee in the eponymous book of poems (1907) by Bal'mont but was reflected in the literary/art review Zhar ptitsa*, published much later (1921-1923). It seems possible that in choosing the name 'Sirin,' VN intended to affiliate himself with this cult.