Petrushka is a ballet about a puppet of the same name created by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and choreographer Mikhail Fokine. The ballet was first performed in 1911 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
It follows the story of Petrushka, a puppet who falls in love with the Ballerina and is later killed by the Moor. The ballet has been performed often since its creation, and has been frequently featured in film, television, and other media.
Igor Stravinsky was born on June 17th 1882 in Oranienbaum, Russia. He was an acclaimed Russian composer of classical music who wrote extensively for the stage, including ballets such as The Firebird and Petrushka.
He also composed symphonies, concertos, chamber music, sacred choral works, opera and other works of orchestral music. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1902-1910 where he wrote his first major works for orchestra including The Firebird and Petrushka.
Mikhail Fokine was a Russian dancer and choreographer born on April 23rd 1881 in St. Petersburg (now Leningrad). He trained at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg before joining the Mariinsky Theatre where he became one of its leading dancers in 1903-1908.
As a choreographer he created new ballets that rejected traditional academic conventions while still using classical techniques such as Petrushka (1911). Fokine also introduced elements from popular dance styles into his work such as jazz and folk dance which helped to make his ballets more accessible to audiences outside of traditional circles.
The collaboration between Igor Stravinsky and Mikhail Fokine resulted in one of the most iconic ballets from modern times: Petrushka. Together they created a unique piece that combined traditional Russian folk elements with modern composition techniques to tell an emotionally powerful story about love, betrayal and death through music and movement that has captivated audiences for over a century now.
In conclusion, Igor Stravinsky composed the music for Petrushka while Mikhail Fokine designed its choreography – together their collaboration created one of the most beloved ballets of all time.