A PHOTOGRAPH,
of Ingmar Bergman and Igor Stravinskij, in 1961.
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A PHOTOGRAPH, of Ingmar Bergman and Igor Stravinskij, in 1961.
Igor Stravinskij was in Stockholm in 1961 when setting up his opera "The Rake´s Progress". This photograph was most likely taken at the opening night at the Swedish
Royal Opera, on April 22nd 1961.
"The Rake's Progress" is an opera in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings: "A Rake's Progress" (1732-1735) of William Hogarth
, which Stravinsky had seen on May 2, 1947, in a Chicago exhibition. The first performance was given in Venice in 1951. The story is about the decline and fall of a certain Tom Rakewell, who deserts Anne Trulove for the delights of London in the
company of Nick Shadow, who turns out to be the Devil. After several misadventures, all initiated by the devious Shadow, Tom ends up in Bedlam, a psychiatric hospital south of London. The moral of the tale is: "For idle hearts and hands and minds
the Devil finds work to do." The Swedish opening performance took place on April 22, 1961 at the Swedish Royal Opera in Stockholm. The production was directed by Ingmar Bergman and turned out to be a success that attracted much attention.