Petrushka (also spelled as Petrouchka) is a ballet with music by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky that premiered in 1911 to mixed reviews from audiences and critics. Though regarded now as one of the composer's greatest works, much of the music of Petrushka was considered to be far too radical and dissonant for audiences and orchestras of the time, with the Vienna Philharmonic initially refusing to perform the work, brushing it off as "schmutzige Musik" ("dirty music") in 1913. The story follows a traditional Russian puppet that comes to life and develops human feelings and emotions--a story which is reminiscent in many ways to the fairy tale Pinnochio. The music and choreography, similar to much of Stravinsky's artistic output during the period, were considered to be breakthroughs in the development of modern music and dance, particularly in the ballet's use of dissonant harmony and its exclusion of dances that were not directly involved with the plot.
