The Rite of Spring in the Ballet Russes
Ballet has been recognized worldwide for its magnificent way of portraying art and speech with the body’s movement.
Like music, it has gone through different eras and changes, and it has also proven to have the power to convey messages and inspire and touch people.
Alternatively, ballet has had controversies and variations. When someone thinks of this art, it is easy to think of a delicate, harmonious, and elegant dance form. Many classical ballets come from endless and romantic tales such as Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella, but not all ballet practice has the same background and style.
Among the most epic and revolutionary ballets in history is “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky, which seems to have taken a life of its own and changed a whole new generation. The production was a shock to many because of its exotic movements, extravagant choreography, unusual and agitating music, etc. The premiere was a surprise to many and could not handle it, but others found it promising and futuristic.
“The Rite of Spring” alongside other works were commissioned by Serge Diaghilev, an outstanding individual who changed the course of ballet and founded the “Ballets Russes”.
The article “Ballet” by Rebecca Harris-Warrick talks more about this impresario. Diaghilev began by sharing exhibitions and other art productions, and later on, as dancers were getting more attention, he made plans to spread the Russian ballet to the West. This ballet was widely accepted in other regions and made a huge impact in the artistic world.
He learned a lot about this art form and collaborated with musicians, choreographers, and costume designers. Along the way, he realized that there were many more ways to include music than he had previously thought, so he used pre-existing music and adapted it to his collection of dances.
In the beginning, Diaghilev approached music in three different ways to incorporate it into the dance. One of the styles was in the form of an anthology, in which he used a collection of works by a famous composer, such as Les sylphides, a ballet that features music by Chopin. Another approach was using “a miscellany of works by different composers for the same ballet,” and the third one was “the association of a new balletic narrative or theme with a single work.”
Later on, he continued his practice by working with distinct composers of the time who would create the music for his ballets, and among the most notable composers was Stravinsky.
Before The Rite of Spring (1913), Stravinsky wrote other pieces commissioned by Diaghilev. He had composed The Firebird (1910) and Petrushka (1911), but The Rite of Spring is the one that had the most significant impact and most transcendental influence in the history of ballet, music, and art.
The innovation of the Ballet Russes is something remarkable, and it goes in hand with The Rite of Spring, ballet which captured the relationship of humankind, nature, and culture in a very graphic way. The freshness and intensity of this original production made history and created a whole broader and inclusive representation of what ballet is and what it can become.
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