Riot at the Rite

Time was if the BBC wanted to put on The Rite Of Spring they would simply have done so. That kind of unashamed highbrow viewing for minority audiences has become decidedly unfashionable, however, as the Beeb scrambles for ratings to help justify its ever-increasing demands for public funding. But this is a good try with a difficult work. Even today, most people would find Stravinsky's harmonic language in the Rite rather tough going, and Nijinski's violent fractured choreography still challenges expectations nurtured on the conventions of classical ballet. But by setting a performance of the whole ballet in the dual contexts of its preparation and notorious reception, the Beeb manages to smuggle through a performance of the Rite in the guise of TV drama. To be sure the settings are not entirely satisfactory. There are too many posturing luvvies, Stravinsky might as well have been played by Ronnie Corbett, and the audience jeers and catcalls are small beer compared to the actual event at which the police had to be called in to restore order. For quite long sections of the ballet however the audience is almost completely quiet, and it can be enjoyed in peace. In particular the closing sections of the sacrifice are (a few cutaways aside) almost audience-free - and apparently the audience, perhaps stunned by the scene, behaved tolerably well at this stage.

As drama it is above average, though perhaps not by much. As a presentation of the original performance of the Rite, it is magnificent. I only wish they had created a straight performance as a by-product for DVD release. Perhaps they will....