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The Firebird Suite

Composed by: What inferences can we make? Where is he from? (Country) What do we know about "Firebirds"?

What is "Mythology"?

Igor Stravinsky

● Was a Russian (and later, a naturalized French and American) composer, pianist and conductor. ● Born on June 17th, 1882, and was brought up in Saint Petersburg. ● 2015-1882 = 133 years ago Igor Stravinsky ● His father was a bass singer at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and his mother was an amateur singer and pianist. ● His parents wanted him to study law, but Igor wanted to be a musician (like Tchaikovsky) Igor Stravinsky

● He is widely considered to be one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century, but he wasn’t extremely popular at first becaaaauuusee…. ● His music was considered very “avante garde”. What’s “Avant Garde”

a·vant-garde ˌaväntˈɡärd/ noun 1. 1. 2. new and unusual or experimental ideas, especially in the arts, or the people introducing them. 3. "works by artists of the Russian avant- garde" adjective 1. 1. 2. favoring or introducing experimental or unusual ideas. 3. "a controversial avant-garde composer"

Igor Stravinsky

● Stravinsky was a young, virtually unknown composer when Diaghilev ( director) recruited him to create works for the Russes. ● was his first project. Ballet

Podcast Ballet Igor Stravinsky ● This ballet is important not just because it was Stravinsky's breakthrough piece, but also because it was the beginning of the collaboration between Diaghilev and Stravinsky that would also produce the ballets and .

The Ballet ● written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's ● When the ballet was first performed on 25 June 1910, it was an instant success with both audience and critics.

○ The ballet is based on Russian folk tales of the magical glowing bird that can be both a blessing and a curse to its owner. ○ The hero of the story is Prince Ivan, who enters the magical realm of Kashchei the Immortal. ○ While wandering in the gardens, he sees and chases the Firebird (Phoenix). The Firebird, once caught by Ivan, begs for its life and finally agrees to assist Ivan in exchange for freedom. Next, Prince Ivan sees 13 princesses, and he falls in love with one of them. ● The next day, Ivan confronts Kashchei to ask to marry one of the princesses; the two talk and eventually begin quarreling. ● When Kashchei sends his magical creatures after Ivan, the Firebird keeps its pledge and intervenes, bewitching the creatures and making them an elaborate, energetic dance (the "Infernal Dance"). ● The creatures and Kashchei then fall asleep; however, Kashchei awakens and is then sent into another dance by the Firebird. ● While Kashchei is bewitched, the Firebird tells Ivan the secret to Kashchei's immortality – his soul is contained inside an enormous, magical egg. ● Ivan destroys the egg, killing Kashchei. ● With Kashchei gone and his spell broken, the magical creatures and the palace all disappear. All of the "real" beings, including the princesses, awaken and with one final hint of the Firebird's music celebrate their victory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yh3IvQ-o-I Cassics for kids Podcast