In ”100 years ago today, ‘The Rite of Spring’ incited a riot in a Paris theater” by Amar Toor, he seems to agree and believe that a riot did indeed occur 100 years ago when the Rite of Spring premiered. He talks about how many of the Parisians in the crowd that watched the play started to throw vegetables on the stage and the crowd got so loud that even the dancers couldn’t hear the music. He does say that perhaps the story was exaggerated over time, but a riot did indeed occur after the release of the ballet. Toor talks about how the riot was between two factions in the crowd, one that liked “The pretty and tamed” and the other that liked “new exciting things”. He goes to explain that this was a riot between traditionalists vs modernity, and people that supported this novel form or ballets and the ones that didn’t.
In “Did Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring incite a riot at its premiere?” the author explains that the riot is must another classical music myth that far too many believe in. He sources Tamara Levitz, “Racism at The Rite” in The Rite of Spring at 100 (Indiana University Press, 2013), 146-78 and Ian Hewett, “The riot at the Rite: the premiere of The Rite of Spring” for the British Library. The author explains that much of the ”riot” are sourced from people that had a limited understanding of the ballet and from people that wanted to lash out because they didn’t support the new type of ballet. Furthermore that day there was another play at the theater that happened right after the release of ” The Rite Of Spring”, which wouldn’t be possible if the crowd had became violet and throw vegetables on to the stage. The author explains that the riot was a narrative that was exaggerated and carried on from article to article about the ballet. it was simply a over the top story about a play that many were confused about. In addition the story became popular because it was essentially a huge game of telephone. People that heard the story wanted to believe it because it was exciting, a ballet that caused a riot in one of the largest booming metropolises during this time period.
Personally I think i would have enjoyed it quite a lot. I loge horror modern horror and thriller movies, snd “The Rite of Spring” was essentially the horror film of ballets during this time. The acting and dancing of the dancers would have probably mesmerized me. The music also fit perfect with the dancing, and fit the scenario perfectly. So yes i probably would have loved the ballet.
