Which ballet caused a riot in Paris, France at its debut?

Knowledgeable critics have said that almost no musical work has had such a powerful influence or evoked as much controversy as Igor Stravinsky's ballet score 'The Rite of Spring' (1913). This is the ballet that caused a riot when the premiere occurred in Paris, France. The British music journalist, classical music critic, academic, and radio and TV presenter, Ivan Hewitt, described the ballet on its premiere in May 1913 in the follolwing words. "The premiere of Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring' is perhaps the most famous scandal in the history of the performing arts."

'The Rite of Spring', original French — 'Le Sacre du printemps: tableaux de la Russie païenne en deux partie', English — 'The Rite of Spring: Pictures from Pagan Russia in Two Parts', is a ballet by Russian modernist composer Igor Stravinsky that premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris on May 29, 1913. It is a ballet that is considered one of the first examples of Modernism in music. It is noted for its brutality, its barbaric rhythms, and its dissonance. This is why its opening performance provided one of the most scandalous premieres in history, with pro and con members of the audience arguing so volubly that the dancers were unable to take their cues from the orchestra.

At the time and still today (2020) 'The Rite of Spring' strikes many listeners as a startlingly modern work. This fact is very evident with its chaotic percussive momentum.