Riot at the Rite (pt.1 of 6)

Movie by the BBC documenting the 1913 debut of Igor Stravinsky's masterpiece "The Rite of Spring" and the ballet choreographed to it by Vaslav Nijinsky both so far advanced for the time that the Parisian audience rioted in its inability to grasp the event.

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[eclecticdufus]

I don't really know from choreography but 'Rite of Spring' itself is much more famous in the concert hall and the dancing only remembered by aficionados. Stravinsky himself said he preferred the work as a symphonic piece, the action left to the imagination, and he was right. If the music had been on the order of Firebird or even the more daring Petrushka there would have been no riot. The dancing in the long run was beside the point. Sorry.

[Fatova Mingus]

Are you quoting Stravinsky when you say "the dancing, in the long run, was beside the point"? Because if it is only your opinion, may I remind you that you "really don't know from choreography".

[Mark Shulgasser]

absurd piece of gay kultur kitch from start to finish

[Fatova Mingus]

The story of what really happened in 1913 with these people is so vague, left to such conjecture. This movie is certainly nothing of merit. But for those of us who are compelled by the debut of The Rite and Nijinsky's ground breaking choreography, this fills in some spaces.

[Mark Shulgasser]

Of course. Pardon my reckless driving. Is it at all true that the dancers hated the choreography -- and that Nijinsky was tyrannical?

It's a pity that Diaghilev and Stravinsky carry on like characters in Blackadder.

[Fatova Mingus]

The reconstruction of Nijinsky's choreography happened, in main part, with the help of his still-living assistant, Marie Rambert. She implied the Maestro was a tyrant but not so of Nijinsky. However with a schizophrenic diagnosis only a couple of years down the road, I imagine he must of sucked to work with. And the dancers did not like the choreography - but no one argued with Diaghilev. The acting in this movie was almost Vaudevillian though.

[AbuseDaForce]

hate to be "that guy" but rite of spring starts on C. Stravinsky in the film starts on A#

[Richard Holden]

This is a remarkable re-creation of that evening that we've read so much about. BBC should be congratulated. Why don't we have anything like this produced in this country (USA). Oh, I know. They can't find sponsors. The general America public would have never heard of Stravinsky, Nijinsky or even Diaghilev. They also think ballet is only for little girls. I know; it's sad.

[Louis Navarrete]

@Mark....and yet Chinchilla and his gay kitsch sensibilities changed the world.....what have you done lately?

As for the choreography, it's of it's time...in retrospect...the music is still modern.....dancers hate lot's of choreography, lots of choreographers are tyrants....that means nothing. The terrible beauty of nature renewing itself....they are merely the vessels thru which it passes......and there you have it.

[Digi Rob]

Happy Birthday Rite of Spring! One hundred years old on May 29th. Love to be at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées for the anniversary performance.

[Androphiles]

Au contraire, it can be and still is performed as a ballet. Please don't make statements about things you obviously don't know.

[SCgameplays]

Stravinsky wrote this as a Ballet, not as a Symphonic Piece and it was considered the hardest ballet to play in any orchestra after the premiere and it wasn't played for a while. Now it's one of the most famous ballets, though it's played without the dancers, this masterpiece cannot be performed as a ballet because it's VEERYY hard for the dancers, but yes, Stravinsky wrote it as a ballet, but it's not considered as one for many people.

[cmaster0007]

not sure if anyone has posted this yet, but a great book on this performance & others is "First Nights" by Thomas Forrest Kelly. A detailed account, well researched.

[Ben Kearvell]

Cool to see this. Love the history and the Rite, but the script is terrible.

[eclecticdufus]

But, as you quote, Igor did. I'm enjoying the program though.

[stavitoff]

The choreography was a stark enough break from tradition that many of the dancers initially disliked it, but Nijinsky wouldn't budge; by the time the piece premiered, most of the dancers believed in the work, ballsy as it was.