Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring (Official Score Video w/ Live Chat Commentary)

Composed between 1911-1913, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris on May 29, 1913. Its opening performance is remembered as one of the most scandalous premieres in history, inciting a near-riot so loud that the dancers were unable to take their cues from the orchestra. Stravinsky’s ground-breaking approach to tonality, brutal rhythms, and treatment of barbaric themes had never before been witnessed by audiences. Today, The Rite of Spring is celebrated as one of the greatest and most influential works of the 20th century. I. Adoration of the Earth - Introduction - The Augurs of Spring: Dances of the Young Girls - Ritual of Abduction - Spring Rounds - Ritual of the Rival Tribes - Procession of the Sage - The Sage - Dance of the Earth II. The Sacrifice - Introduction - Mystic Circles of the Young Girls - Glorification of the Chosen One - Evocation of the Ancestors - Ritual Action of the Ancestors - Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One) Ballet Synopsis: PART I: In a village in the hills, the ritual celebration of Spring begins. An old woman enters and foretells the future. Young girls arrive from the river in single file and begin the “Dance of the Abduction.” Next, the young girls dance the Khorovod, the “Spring Rounds.” The people divide into two opposing groups and begin the “Ritual of the Rival Tribes.” A holy procession of wise elders enters, headed by the Sage who brings the games to a pause and blesses the earth. The section draws to a close as people break into a passionate dance to sanctify the earth. PART II: The young girls engage in mysterious games, walking in circles. The moment arrives for choosing the sacrificial victim: One of the young girls is selected by fate to be the “Chosen One,” having fallen out of the circle twice. In a brief martial dance, the young girls invoke the ancestors. The Chosen One is entrusted to the care of the old wise men, and the ancestors rise from where the maidens stood. The Chosen One dances to death in the presence of the old men, in the great “Sacrificial Dance.” The elders hand over the sacrifice to the sun god Yarilo.