Stravinsky - Petrushka

'Petrushka' was premiered on June 13, 1911, by Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The production featured choreography by Mikhail Fokine and Vaslav Nijinsky in the title role.

The ballet depicts a Russian Shrovetide fair where three puppets—Petrushka, a Ballerina, and a Moor—are brought to life by a magician. Petrushka loves the Ballerina, but she prefers the Moor, who ultimately kills Petrushka in a jealous rage.

The 'Petrushka chord' is a famous bitonal passage where two major triads—C major and F-sharp major—are played simultaneously, creating a striking dissonance. This chord, heard when Petrushka appears, became one of the most iconic sounds in early 20th-century music.

'Petrushka' is the second of Stravinsky's three great Ballets Russes ballets, composed between 'The Firebird' (1910) and 'The Rite of Spring' (1913). While 'The Rite' is the most radical, 'Petrushka' represents a crucial middle step in Stravinsky's rapid stylistic evolution during that period.