Three ballets composed by Stravinsky, all written for Sergei Diaghilev’s Paris ensemble for the seasons 1910, 1911 and 1912 (in that order). I’ve written about most of these, except Petrushka. So let’s take a look at this story about the Russian version of Punch (and Judy).
Petrushka is about a puppet of the same name. It was given life by someone called the Charlatan, together with two other puppets: the Ballerina and the Moor. Petrushka and the Moor both try to court the Ballerina, and alas for Petrushka, she only has eyes for the Moor. Enraged, Petrushka challenges the Moor and loses. He is killed by him. When the Charlatan is called to the scene, he breaks the magic by telling the assembled crowd that they’re all just puppets, they never were alive to begin with! The ballet ends however with Petrushka’s last revenge: as a ghost he chases away the Charlatan, before succumbing to his second death.
Petrushka plays were popular in Russia from the 18th century onwards. He is a trickster and beats his wife with a wooden club. Just like Punch and Judy, or in Dutch Jan Klaassen en Katrijn.
I didn’t actually write about the Sacre, but that comes later.