{"id":2237,"date":"2013-05-29T22:54:59","date_gmt":"2013-05-29T14:54:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stuif.com\/blog\/?p=2237"},"modified":"2022-12-27T12:54:57","modified_gmt":"2022-12-27T04:54:57","slug":"le-sacre-du-printemps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stuif.com\/blog\/?p=2237","title":{"rendered":"Le Sacre du Printemps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today, 29-5-2013<\/span>, it is exactly 100 years ago that in Paris the world premiere took place of Le Sacre du Printemps<\/a> (the Rite of Spring), a ballet written by the young Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. This first performance caused a scandal, the fashionable Parisian audience almost rioted and made it nearly impossible for the dancers to hear the music. Here is a report in the New York Times, a week later<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Russian_Ballet_in_Paris_-_New_York_Times_1913-06-07\"<\/a>
Now the “Sacre” is widely considered as one of the most influential musical works of the 20th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ballet has as subtitle: “Pictures of Pagan Russia in Two Parts<\/span>“. The first part, named  L’Adoration de la Terre<\/span> (Adoration of the Earth), is about the celebration of spring. In the second part, “Le Sacrifice<\/span> (The Sacrifice)”, one girl is selected by fate as the one who will be sacrificed.  In a dramatic finale she dances herself to death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To give an impression of this first performance, here is a  photo of the dancers in the 1913 premiere. The choreography was by the famous dancer Vaslav Nijinsky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RiteofSpringDancers\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A few years ago an attempt has been made to recreate the original Nijinsky choreography. Even after hundred years it is easy to understand the shock this kind of dancing must have given to an audience used to classical ballet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n