description Stravinsky: Pulcinella Overview
Pulcinella is a neoclassical ballet by Igor Stravinsky, premiered in 1920 by the Ballets Russes under Sergei Diaghilev. Stravinsky based the score on commedia dell'arte and reimagined Baroque music that was originally attributed to Giovanni Pergolesi. The piece signaled a major stylistic shift for Stravinsky, moving away from his earlier Russian period toward neoclassicism.
help Stravinsky: Pulcinella FAQ
What is the story of Stravinsky's Pulcinella?
The ballet follows Pulcinella, a stock character from Italian commedia dell'arte, through disguises, jealous lovers, and a staged death. Its comic scenario was created for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.
Did Stravinsky actually use music by Pergolesi in Pulcinella?
Stravinsky reworked 18th-century melodies then attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. Later scholarship reassigned some source pieces to other composers, including Domenico Gallo and Carlo Ignazio Monza.
Who created the original Pulcinella production?
Sergei Diaghilev commissioned the ballet, Léonide Massine choreographed it, and Pablo Picasso designed its sets and costumes. The Ballets Russes premiered it in Paris in 1920.
How is the Pulcinella Suite different from the complete ballet?
The concert suite selects instrumental numbers from the longer stage score and omits the original vocal parts. Stravinsky also made other arrangements, including Suite italienne for violin and piano and for cello and piano.
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