In 1909, when Stravinsky was 27, he was commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev to write a ballet based on the Russian legend, the Firebird. The work was completed in 1910 and premiered at the Paris Opera. Stravinsky attended the rehearsals, and actively helped in the preparation of the production. The ballet turned out to be a huge success and marked a major step in his career. The ballet was first performed in the United States in 1944 with costumes and sets designed by the famous artist Marc Chagall.
The melodies of The Firebird are influenced by Russian folk songs. The ballet is a succession of five dances. The movement, Berceuse (or Lullaby) and Finale is the last dance.
Leon Bakst's costume design of The Firebird.
Story of the Firebird- Synopsis
Prince Ivan appears in the king’s garden pursuing the Fire Bird. The Fire Bird dances while plucking golden apples from a magic tree in the garden. Suddenly, the dance breaks off when the prince catches her. They struggle, and the Fire Bird gives in to the prince. The Fire Bird offers a feather to the prince as a pledge that she will help him if he were ever to need it. He accepts it, and she flies off. Soon, 13 captive princesses of the king appear in the garden playing a game with the golden apples. The prince appears, and the princesses dance with him. However, the prince becomes enchanted with the leader of the princesses- the one who is to be his bride. In a panic, the princesses scurry back to the king’s castle so as not to arouse his anger for their being late. The prince decides to rescue his bride and free the captive princesses. So Ivan goes to the castle, opens the gates and attempts to start the rescue. The king is so infuriated that he begins to cast a spell which would turn Ivan to stone. But Ivan remembers his magic feather from the Fire Bird. No sooner does he wave it above his head that the king’s spell is rendered powerless by the appearance and the magic of the Fire Bird. Ivan and the princess may. The Fire Bird leaves with a feeling of hope and joy.
The Phoenix Like the Firebird, the phoenix is a bird with beautiful gold and red plumage. At Painting of the Firebird the end of its life-cycle the phoenix builds itself a nest of cinnamon twigs that it then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix arises. The new phoenix is destined to live, usually, as long as the old one, and continue the cycle. Due to this, the Phoenix has become a symbol of rebirth.