Stravinsky

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971) was a Russian-born composer widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century music. Born in Oranienbaum near Saint Petersburg, he pursued music after an early path in law and studied with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and other teachers in Saint Petersburg.

Stravinsky achieved international fame with a series of ballets composed for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, including The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913). The Rite's Paris premiere in 1913 sparked a famous audience disruption and marked a turning point in modern music with its bold rhythms and orchestration.

Following World War I, he developed a neoclassical style, producing works such as Pulcinella (1920) and the Octet (1923) for winds and strings, as well as the Symphony of Psalms (1930). The Rake's Progress (1951) is a major later work, a chamber opera with a libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman.

In 1939 Stravinsky settled in the United States, living in the Los Angeles area before moving to New York, and he became a U.S. citizen in 1945. He remained active as a composer and conductor, writing for concert hall and opera, and in his later years he incorporated elements of twelve-tone techniques in some scores.

Stravinsky's music had a lasting influence on classical music and on modern ballet; his collaborations with the Ballets Russes, his synthesis of tradition and innovation, and his stylistic versatility left a lasting legacy across orchestral, choral, and stage works.