“The mystery and great surge of the creative power of spring.” - Igor Stravinsky

Of all the scandals of the history of art, none is so scandalous as the one that took place on the evening of 29 May 1913 in Paris at the premiere of Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring. This spring, Deos Ballet Artistic Director Tess Sinke premieres her original version of The Rite of Spring accompanied by the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra. The Rite of Spring tells the story of an ancient pagan society performing necessary rituals for the coming of spring as an absolute means of survival each year. Stravinsky also described the work in a conductor note to Serge Koussevitzky in 1914 "as a musical choreographic work, representing pagan Russia unified by a single idea: the mystery and great surge of the creative power of spring."

Scenes in work depict various pagan rituals celebrating the coming of spring. These scenes are somewhat random and disconnected, more like a collection of primitive choreography and ceremonial acts. The culmination of this pagan display is the selection of a young girl to serve as the virgin sacrifice, as she is tasked with dancing herself to death.

Show Info

Spring 2025

Tour with Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra

Individual Tickets Not Yet Available

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