The 1913 Riot of Spring

Personally, I think one of the main reasons why the Rite of Spring was such a “riot” during it’s
premiere in 1913 was because of its deliberateness in removing itself from the norms of what was
perceived before in cultures society as music, or even as ballet. What with its rhythmic patterns—or lack
thereof—and percussive use of its orchestra, partnered by the visceral choreography which at that time
ballet was expected to be an elegant form of performance, the ballet commissioned by Diaghilev from
messieurs Nijinsky and Stravinsky was most assuredly to cause a ripple in the audience. There have been
many accounts of what happened that evening according to eyewitnesses although, obviously, none of
them can be verified. What is clear, though, is that the noise it caused reached the paper media that
newspapers all over Paris were talking about it. (Hewett, Did The Rite of Spring really spark a riot?)

And even before it premiered in the brand new Théâtre des Champs-Elysées people were
already expecting what it entails, another sort of revolution to the arts by the notorious Ballets Russes,
who became the talk of the town with their first appearance in Paris in 1909. The French dubbed them
then as “Northern Savages” (Hewett, The riot at the Rite: the premiere of The Rite of Spring) and as
such, rumored the new ballet from the company just as primitive as they presented their dances and
performances to be. But obviously, no amount of rumor or hearsay would prepare them for the ‘punch-
in-the-face’ way Rite of Spring has showed itself: loud, noisy, and disorienting. It was decidedly brassy,
dissonant, and the meter runs in two different speeds. Furthermore, the dance was jerky and awkward.
And if it doesn’t quite stir a revolution in the audience, I don’t know what will.

Bibliography
Hewett, Ivan. "Did The Rite of Spring really spark a riot?" 29 May 2013. BBC News Web site. October
2019.

—. "The riot at the Rite: the premiere of The Rite of Spring." 25 May 2016. British Library Web site.
October 2019.

—. The Rite of Spring 1913: Why did it provoke a riot? 16 May 2013. October 2019.
<https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalmusic/10061574/The-Rite-of-Spring-
1913-Why-did-it-provoke-a-riot.html>.