The Rite of Spring (French: Le Sacre du printemps; Russian: Весна священная, translit. Vesna svyashchennaya, lit. ' sacred spring ') is a ballet and orchestral concert work by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1913 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev 's Ballets Russes company; the original choreography was by Vaslav Nijinsky with stage designs and costumes by Nicholas Roerich. When first performed at the Théâtre des Champs - Élysées on 29 May 1913, the avant - garde nature of the music and choreography caused a sensation and a near - riot in the audience. Although designed as a work for the stage, with specific passages accompanying characters and action, the music achieved equal if not greater recognition as a concert piece and is widely considered to be one of the most influential musical works of the 20th century.
at its first performance the rite of spring produced
a near - riot in the audience