The Rite of Spring

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-rite-of-spring

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the premiere date?May 29, 1913
2. What is the premiere location?Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris, France
3. Why did people shout and fight at the premiere?The music was loud and strange, and the dancing was heavy and not graceful. Many audience members expected a gentle ballet and were surprised by the new style. Some people liked it and others did not, which caused a big argument.
4. Who made the music for The Rite of Spring?The composer was Igor Stravinsky. He used unusual rhythms, strange chords, and loud instruments to make the music feel wild and ancient.

Avant-garde: New and experimental ideas and methods in art, music, or literature.
Dissonance: A combination of musical notes that sound harsh or unstable together, often creating tension.
Polyrhythm: The use of two or more conflicting rhythms played simultaneously.
Ostinato: A continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm.