Stravinsky’s ‘The Rake’s Progress’: An Opera That Surprises

When most people think of Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) they think of harsh rhythms and screeching strings in “The Rite of Spring,” alongside the infamous riot at its Parisian premiere brought on by the ballet’s depiction of pagan Slavic rites. But by the midpoint of the composer’s career he had shifted away from the brashness of his Russian period and into the ordered “neoclassical” style. Unlike “The Rite,” which was an explosion of unrestrained emotion, this 20th-century movement prioritized clarity and restraint while mining Handel, Bach and Mozart for sonic nuggets. In 1913 “The Rite” took inspiration from Russian folk music. Less than four decades later, the music of Stravinsky’s opera “The Rake’s Progress” looked to the classical and baroque canon instead.