Two important ballet premieres took place on this day, just over 100 years ago.
First the ballet version of "L'après-midi d'un faune" - with Nijinsky. Stravinsky was in the audience. Exactly one year later, again May 29, was the premiere of the "Rite of Spring", and again with choreography by Nijinsky. Though many musicians like to mention the "riot" that followed the "Rite of Spring", the truth is on both occasions the "scandal" was caused mostly by the choreography, not really by the music. Actually most reviews barely mentioned the music at all. In fact "L'après-midi d'un faune" had caused a "riot" just the year before the "Rite of Spring", after Nijinsky ended it by simulating masturbation in front of a full house.
First the ballet version of "L'après-midi d'un faune" - with Nijinsky. Stravinsky was in the audience. Exactly one year later, again May 29, was the premiere of the "Rite of Spring", and again with choreography by Nijinsky. Though many musicians like to mention the "riot" that followed the "Rite of Spring", the truth is on both occasions the "scandal" was caused mostly by the choreography, not really by the music. Actually most reviews barely mentioned the music at all. In fact "L'après-midi d'un faune" had caused a "riot" just the year before the "Rite of Spring", after Nijinsky ended it by simulating masturbation in front of a full house.
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