Riot at the Rite

In the spring of 1913, Parisian businessman Gabriel Astruc opens a new theater on the Champs Elysées. The first performance is the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring', danced by the Ballet Russes. The rehearsal process is extremely fraught: the orchestra dislike Stravinsky's harsh, atonal music; the dancers dislike the 'ugly' choreography of Vaslav Nijinsky. The volatile, bisexual Nijinsky is in a strained relationship with the much older Sergei Diaghilev, the Ballet Russes' charismatic but manipulative impresario. Public expectation is extremely high after Nijinsky's success in 'L'apres-midi d'un faune'. Finally, 'The Rite of Spring' premieres to a gossip-loving, febrile, fashion-conscious Parisian audience sharply divided as to its merits.

Cast

Adam Garcia Vaslav Nijinsky Alex Jennings Sergei Diaghilev Emma Pierson Romola Griff Rhys Jones Astruc Jonathan Aris Jean Cocteau Christian McKay Pierre Monteux Richard Hope Grigoriev Philip Herbert Antoine André Schneider Ivory

Naomi Wattis Lydia

Peter Copley Patron Sara Dee Lady Hysteria

Metadata from the source database.