How did Serge Diaghilev help launch Igor Stravinsky’s international career?

Serge Diaghilev was instrumental in launching Igor Stravinsky’s international career by recognizing his potential and providing him with a global platform through the Ballets Russes in Paris.12

The collaboration began after Diaghilev attended a 1909 concert in St. Petersburg where Stravinsky’s Scherzo fantastique was performed. Impressed by the young composer's promise, Diaghilev commissioned him to create orchestral arrangements for the Ballets Russes' summer season.2

This partnership quickly evolved into a series of landmark productions that established Stravinsky as a major figure in 20th-century music:

• The Firebird (1910): This commission for a full-length ballet was a massive success, making Stravinsky famous overnight.12
• Petrushka (1911): At Diaghilev’s insistence, Stravinsky transformed a piano concerto into a mimed ballet, demonstrating the significant psychological influence Diaghilev exerted over his collaborators.32
• The Rite of Spring (1913): This production became a defining moment in musical history, cementing Stravinsky's reputation as a leading modernist despite the famous riot it provoked at its premiere.132