This event is part of a series – please visit main page for full details
.A riot in the concert hall: we bring our award-winning exploration of Stravinsky’s groundbreaking work to Snape Maltings.
Our landmark ‘Orchestral Theatre’ production of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in 2023 was one of the most talked-about classical music events of recent years, described by The Times’ Richard Morrison in his five-star review as “Simply one of the boldest and most breathtaking achievements I have witnessed”. Experience this extraordinary dramatic and musical adventure as it returns for one night only at Snape Maltings.
The premiere of the Rite in 1913 was the scandal that sounded the beginning of modern music – a riot onstage, as well as off. In the first half of this concert, we invite you under the skin of the iconic score with a specially-created theatrical introduction, introduced by conductor Nicholas Collon alongside actors voicing the words of the composer and his collaborators. Jane Mitchell’s script illuminates the context and ideas behind the piece’s creation, its unprecedented use of rhythm, harmony and dissonance, and the story of its notorious premiere.
This unique living programme sets the stage for a performance of the whole score entirely from memory, without sheet music, stands or chairs. With barriers between the performers and audience completely removed, the visceral thrill of that famous 1913 performance has never felt closer: it’s easy to see why the production has won international plaudits including the Grand Prix in 2024’s Golden Prague Television Festival.