Music TheoryPrint

Igor Stravinsky

Scherzo à la Russe (ballet)

Scherzo à la Russe is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Stravinsky's music of the same name. The ballet was created for New York City Ballet's Stravinsky Festival, a tribute to the

Production#

Stravinsky and Balanchine collaborated for many years until the former’s death in 1971. The latter then decided to have the New York City Ballet hold the week-long Stravinsky Festival to honor the composer. There were at least 20 premieres, One of the ballets made for the festival is set to Scherzo à la Russe, which Stravinsky wrote in 1925, for a film project that was abandoned.

Performances#

Scherzo à la Russe premiered on June 21, 1972, at the New York State Theater.

Critical reception#

Following the premiere, New York Times critic Clive Barnes commented that the ballet “is a slight joke but warm one.” He added, “Balanchine has taken this easy, almost succulent music, and made, slightly irreverently, the kind of Nursemaids’ Dance that he feels that Fokine should have contributed to Petrushka. It is brief, clever and lightly betwitching.”

  • Scherzo à la Russe on New York City Ballet’s website
  • Scherzo à la Russe on George Balanchine Trust’s website
Composer
Igor Stravinsky