Sergei Prokofiev

Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953) was a Russian and Soviet composer, pianist, and conductor known for music that joined sharp rhythms, modern harmony, and memorable melodies.

Ballet: A theatrical art form combining dance, music, and staged action. Several of Prokofiev’s best-known scores were composed for ballet.
Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev): Prokofiev’s ballet, composed in the 1930s, sets Shakespeare’s tragedy through orchestral dance music. Its dramatic dances and themes became among his most widely recognized music.
Saint Petersburg Conservatory: A music conservatory in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1862 and among Russia’s oldest. Prokofiev studied composition and piano there before establishing his career.
Igor Stravinsky: A Russian-born composer whose ballets and orchestral works transformed twentieth-century music. Stravinsky and Prokofiev were rival contemporaries who pursued distinct forms of rhythmic modernism.
Mira Mendelson: A Soviet librettist and writer who became Prokofiev’s second wife and a close collaborator. She helped shape librettos and worked with him on several late operatic projects.
Opera: A staged drama in which singing is central to the musical action. Prokofiev wrote operas that range from comic fantasy to historical tragedy.
Cinderella (Prokofiev): Prokofiev’s ballet score, composed during the 1940s, retells the Cinderella story through orchestral music and dance. Its lyrical orchestration shows a different side of his ballet writing.
Alexander Glazunov: A Russian composer and conductor who directed the Saint Petersburg Conservatory during Prokofiev’s studies. Glazunov’s conservative leadership contrasted with the young composer’s modernist experiments.
Dmitri Shostakovich: A Soviet composer known for symphonies, string quartets, and music shaped by political pressure. His later Soviet career offers a revealing comparison with Prokofiev’s changing relationship to official culture.
Lina Prokofiev: A Spanish-born singer who was Prokofiev’s first wife. Her life was bound to his years abroad and the difficult transition after his return to the Soviet Union.

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