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Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Live Concert Stream

Calling all classical music fans - watch the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra live from the comfort of your own home. Available now in cinematic quality

On Air presents Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, performed by the world-renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Peter Breiner, and recorded at BBC Television Centre. Expertly brought to life by some of the world's most sought-after classical musicians, the ensemble comprises 93 instruments: 51 string, 16 woodwind, 20 brass and 6 percussion. The full performance is available to watch on demand in cinematic quality.

The Rite of Spring is a ballet and orchestral concert work first performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées on 29 May 1913.  The concept for The Rite of Spring, based on Stravinsky's initial idea, outlines primitive rituals that celebrate the arrival of spring. Following these ceremonies, a young girl is selected as a sacrificial victim and dances to her death.

Containing many novel features for its time, including experiments in tonality, metre, rhythm, stress and dissonance, the music achieved equal if not greater recognition as a concert piece and is widely considered one of the most influential musical works of the 20th century.

A cinematic live stream of the highest quality, the show is available to watch in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound. The show can be streamed on demand with unlimited replays through the On Air website, mobile and TV apps.  

The perfect evening for fans of high-quality classical music - start streaming now!

Rite Of Spring square artwork featuring a ballet dancers leg advertising the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's global livestream performance of Igor Stravinsky The Rite Of Spring with conductor Peter Breiner - no date

Quote from the orchestra

Ian Mackay, RPO Artistic Manager

"It was a wonderful opportunity to record the three great Stravinsky ballets and to have them presented in such an exciting and imaginative way. Working with On Air was a fantastic chance for us to continue on our journey to make orchestral music accessible for all, placing it at the heart of contemporary society."

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Stream worldwide through our website, mobile and TV apps

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Watch the show on demand with unlimited replays

Cinematic experience

Available in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

May contain flashing lights

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About the orchestra

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s (RPO) mission to enrich lives through orchestral experiences that are uncompromising in their excellence and inclusive in their appeal, places it at the forefront of music-making in the UK and internationally. Typically performing approximately 200 concerts a year and with a worldwide live and online audience of more than 60 million people, the Orchestra play a broad repertoire that enables it to reach the most diverse audience of any British symphony orchestra. Whilst artistic integrity remains paramount, the RPO is unafraid to push boundaries and is equally at home recording video game, film and television soundtracks and working with pop stars, as it is performing the great symphonic repertoire.

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Conductor Peter Breiner holding an On Air neon sign with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra behind him at the recording of the global livestream performances of Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird, Petrushka and the Rite Of Spring at BBC Television Centre

About the composer

Igor Stravinsky

About Igor StravinskyIgor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who is considered one of the most influential and groundbreaking composers of the 20th century. He was born in Oranienbaum, Russia (now Lomonosov), and studied music under renowned composers such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

Stravinsky's early works, such as The Firebird and Petrushka, were highly successful and propelled him to international fame. However, it was his ballet The Rite of Spring, which premiered in Paris in 1913, that became a cultural sensation and revolutionised music composition with its innovative rhythms, harmonies, and tonality. Some of his other notable works include Symphony in Three Movements, Oedipus Rex, and The Rake's Progress.

Stravinsky's contributions to music have been recognised with numerous awards and honours, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Royal Philharmonic Society's Gold Medal.

Igor Stravinsky sat at a piano with sheet music in front of him

Quote from the conductor

Peter Breiner

 “One can hardly think of a better way to start an endeavour in classical music than these three Stravinsky’s major works that form a foundation of every orchestra’s repertoire. Collaboration of the brilliant RPO and top of the line producers resulted in a recording that is visually and aurally quite extraordinary.”

About the conductor

Peter Breiner

Peter Breiner is one of the world’s most recorded musicians with over 260 CDs released and millions of albums sold. A conductor, pianist, arranger and composer, he has conducted, often doubling as a pianist, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Mozart Orchestra, the Hungarian State Radio Orchestra, the Nicolaus Esterházy Orchestra, Budapest, among many others.

Peter Breiner began to study the piano in early childhood (1961) and his exceptional artistry led to his early acceptance at the conservatory in Košice in 1971. He studied piano with L. Kojanova and composition with J. Podprocky, as well as conducting and percussion. In 1975–1981 he studied composition at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava with Prof. Alexander Moyzes, one of the most significant figures in modern Slovak music. Peter Breiner lived in Toronto, Canada, from 1992 to 2007, when he moved to New York. During the 2020 lockdown Peter moved from New York to London and began collaborating with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Conductor Peter Breiner leading the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the recording of global livestream performances of Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite Of Spring under blue lights

Your front row seat awaits...

Performed by the world-renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Rite of Spring is available to stream now.

On Air have two further Igor Stravinsky compositions by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Peter Breiner available on demand - The Firebird and Petrushka. We are proud to add this trio of performances to our repertoire of orchestral live concert streams on demand: Mozart Symphony No. 41 in C major, Dvořak Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor, and Beethoven Symphony No. 9.

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