Ballet
Les Noces
This is a Russian peasant wedding, but do not expect anything sentimental about it. Nijinska made the dancers move like a single mechanical block, and Stravinsky scored it for four pianos, percussion, and voices, which gives it a hard, pounding drive. It is short, strange, and completely unlike any wedding ballet you are picturing.
Fast facts
- Composer
- Igor Stravinsky
- Choreographer
- Bronislava Nijinska
- Premiere
- 1923, Ballets Russes, Theatre de la Gaite-Lyrique, Paris
- Structure
- One act (four scenes)
- Running time
- approx 25 minutes
The story
A ritual depiction of a traditional Russian peasant wedding told across four scenes: the blessing of the bride, the blessing of the groom, the bride leaving her home, and the wedding feast. Rather than individual romance, it shows marriage as a communal rite, with the dancers moving in tight, sculptural, almost architectural groupings. The sung text and relentless percussion give it the feel of a solemn, driving ceremony.
What Les Noces is famous for
- Nijinska's stark, geometric group choreography
- Stravinsky's scoring for four pianos, percussion, and voices
- Treating a wedding as a communal ritual rather than romance
- Its landmark modernist design
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Les Noces depict?
A traditional Russian peasant wedding, shown as a communal ritual across four scenes rather than as a personal love story.
Who choreographed it?
Bronislava Nijinska, the sister of dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, for the Ballets Russes.
What is unusual about the music?
Stravinsky scored it for four pianos, percussion, and voices, giving it a percussive, ritualistic sound.
Who composed Les Noces?
Les Noces was composed by Igor Stravinsky.
How long is Les Noces?
Les Noces runs approx 25 minutes.