In celebration of its one hundredth anniversary, a new production of Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring’ (Le Sacre du printemps) opened at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris on to critical acclaim.
The Rite of Spring by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky is both a ballet and an orchestral concert work. It was composed in 1913 specifically for the Russian Ballet’s Paris summer season at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées; the choreography was the work of Vaslav Nijinsky.
The performance was too much for Parisians of that time and resulted in a riot. More accustomed to elegant and graceful conventional ballets such as Swan Lake, the audience was shocked at Stravinsky’s creation. The audience began to boo within minutes of the opening chords finding the music in-harmonic and harsh. But it wasn’t just the music that displeased them; it was also the dancing and choreography. Rather than the elegance of conventional ballet the dancers jump around with their arms and legs which bends akin to traditional Russian folk dances.
Not everyone agrees with the dissenters. Some in the audience were happy to enjoy this avant garde work and began arguing with those who were opposed to it. Before too long the harsh words turned to actions and brawls broke out and ladies started tearing the cushions form the choirs to use as weapons.
The police arrived during the interval and were successful in calming down the crowd but once the performance resumed the rioting resumed and the police proved to be unable to regain control. Stravinsky himself, no doubt in fear of his life, fled the theatre and didn’t see the end of the show,
The critics were savage. Even Puccini the composer said that it was simply cacophony and the work of a mad man. However the composition changed the whole face of operatic composition and in retrospect it is seen as being a major milestone in the history of opera; opera would never be the same again.
The new production is performed by the Mariinsky Ballet and conducted by Valery Gergiev; the first night’s audience were somewhat more receptive than the original one and the critics loved it giving it an average of four stars.
An evening at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris is the perfect way for ballet lovers anywhere to spend a summer evening in the City of Light. The next production is the Benvenuto Cellini by Hector Berlioz and this is a rare chance to see this rarely performed opera which is deemed to be very difficult to produce. Benvenuto Cellini was an Italian sculptor and the opera tells the story of his life.
Visiting Paris has never been easier. There is no longer any need to face the horrors of getting there by air. Taking Eurostar is fast and comfortable though fairly pricey, though a much cheaper alternative is to go there by bus. Buses from London to Paris leave frequently through the day, and there is even a night bus; a great way to get to the opera.
This is a guest post by Claire Chat a new Londoner, travel passionate and animal lover. She blogs about Pets and Travelling in Europe. If you want Claire to write you specific content, you can find email her here or contact her on Twitter (Claire_Chat).
