Biography (read more)
Igor Stravinsky was a Russian-born composer and conductor whose career spanned the twentieth century, born near Saint Petersburg and later a naturalized citizen of France and then the United States, where he settled in Los Angeles. His vast output of ballets, operas, and orchestral and chamber works moved through distinct Russian nationalist, neoclassical, and serial periods, encompassing landmark scores such as The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring, whose 1913 Paris premiere provoked a near-riot. He died of pulmonary edema in New York City in 1971 at the age of 88.
Widely regarded as one of the most important and influential composers of the twentieth century, Stravinsky fundamentally reshaped modern approaches to rhythm, harmony, and orchestral color, particularly through The Rite of Spring. His restless stylistic evolution across nationalist, neoclassical, and serial idioms influenced generations of later composers, and he was named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of the century, securing his place as a central figure in the history of Western music.
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