Christchurch Symphony Orchestra/Benjamin Northey
11 November, 2023, Douglas Lilburn Auditorium, Christchurch Town Hall.
Igor Stravinsky portrait Photo: Jacques-Emile Blanche, Public Domain
Igor Stravinsky’s vibrant and dynamic ballet score ‘Petrushka’ was a composed in 1911 for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, and it premiered in Paris to great acclaim. The innovative use of rhythm and orchestration in ‘Petrushka’, and Stravinsky’s use of Russian Folk themes marked a significant departure from traditional ballet music and had a lasting impact on classical music.
The ballet tells the story of three puppets brought to life by a magician during the Shrovetide Fair in Saint Petersburg. The main characters are Petrushka, the Ballerina, and the Moor. Petrushka, now alive with human emotions, falls in love with the Ballerina, but she is attracted to the Moor. Overcome with jealousy, Petrushka confronts the Moor, who ultimately kills him. The crowd is initially shocked, but the magician reassures them that Petrushka is just a puppet.
As the fair ends and night falls, Petrushka’s ghost appears, shaking his fist at the magician, leaving a haunting impression of his enduring spirit.
