Thread: Which of the 3 great Stravinsky ballets is your favorite... and why?

The title says it all.

There were only 3 great Stravinsky ballets?

I immediately liked Apollon musagète from the first time I heard it and it continues to resonate with me. Agon has quite an appeal, too, but I don't know it that well. Also, as Weston mentioned, Jeu de cartes is great. [Maybe I should stop using the word 'great'? ] Feuervogel, too. I have a love/meh relationship with Sacre: sometimes I love it; other times, I find all of the stamping and thumping to get on my nerves.

Originally Posted by brotagonist

There were only 3 great Stravinsky ballets?

I immediately liked Apollon musagète from the first time I heard it and it continues to resonate with me. Agon has quite an appeal, too, but I don't know it that well. Also, as Weston mentioned, Jeu de cartes is great. [Maybe I should stop using the word 'great'? ] Feuervogel, too. I have a love/meh relationship with Sacre: sometimes I love it; other times, I find all of the stamping and thumping to get on my nerves.

Good point. Of the 3 early ballets, Firebird is still complete enchantment for me, Petrushka less so, and Rite striking but just a bit too much of whatever it is (stamping, thumping, etc.). LIke you, however, I find Apollon beautiful and would probably put it right after Firebird in my affections.

Petrouchka was the probably the last one I really began liking, but "the three" are equal to me now.

I presume you mean Le Sacre, Petrushka and Firebird? I think the one I like the most is the one I used to hate, Le Sacre du Printemps.

Petrushka, because I've never been into virginal sacrifice. Also, I like puppets and the music is Stravinsky at his most beguiling.

Originally Posted by LancsMan

3 Great Stravinsky Ballets? I have a soft spot for Orpheus but I suspect you don't count that!

I need to edit the title, but I CAN'T!!!

Originally Posted by hpowders

Petrushka, because I've never been into virginal sacrifice.

Virgins are too scarce these days to waste casually.

The Firebird and Petroushka are my favorites.

1.) Les Noces

The rest, really not in any particular order of 'favorite,'

Petrushka, the full length score, and in addition as a total work. The libretto, (original) choregraphy, costumes and sets -- are altogether about the most perfect marriage of music to dance (in a story ballet) yet to come our way.

Le Sacre du Printemps

Apollo

Orpheus

Pulcinella

I also have an occasional love affair with Le baiser de la fée, his "Tchaikovsky Tribute," a classical story ballet based upon Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen.

WHY? A completely subjective answer: I find them astonishingly beautiful.

I prefer, always, the full-length pieces and the later revised versions of any of those which were revised. (I have 0 interest with the suites extracted for concert presentations.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All thirteen* Stravinsky ballets in chronological order of composition:

L'oiseau de feu (1910, rev. 1919/1945)
Petrushka (1911, rev. 1947)
Le sacre du printemps (1913, rev. 1947/1967)
Les noces, for soloists, choir, four pianos and percussion (1914–17; 1919–23)
Pulcinella, for chamber orchestra and soloists (1920)
Apollo, for string orchestra (1928, rev. 1947)
Le baiser de la fée (1928, rev. 1950)
Jeu de cartes (1936)
Danses concertantes for chamber orchestra (1942)
Scènes de ballet (1944)
Orpheus, for chamber orchestra (1947)
Agon (1957)
Ode

*Thirteen!? Schoenberg would've been spooked :-)