Ustyluh National Museum of Igor Stravinsky

About

Igor Stravinsky was born on June 17, 1882, in Oranienbaum near Saint Petersburg. He became one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century and a pioneer whose work helped shape the development of musical modernism. Stravinsky died on April 6, 1971, in New York and was buried in Venice at the cemetery of San Michele.

The Ukrainian Period

An important chapter of the composer’s life is connected with Ukraine. The Stravinsky family estate in Ustyluh, in the Volyn region, served as his summer residence between 1907 and 1914. It was here that he created a significant part of his early works, including portions of the ballets The Rite of Spring and Petrushka.

Researchers have identified echoes of Volyn folk motifs and traditional spring songs in The Rite of Spring. A substantial part of Petrushka was also composed in Ustyluh. In the ballet Les Noces (The Wedding), Stravinsky employed techniques of polyphony characteristic of Ukrainian folk singing, while the song cycle Pribaoutki (“Nursery Rhymes”) contains textual and stylistic parallels with Ukrainian folklore.

International Career and Emigration

After the outbreak of World War I, Stravinsky lived in Switzerland, including the town of Morges, where the waterfront Quai Igor-Stravinsky now bears his name. He later lived in France and the United States.

In Paris, the famous Place Igor-Stravinsky near the Centre Pompidou commemorates the composer. In Amsterdam (Netherlands), the major avenue Strawinskylaan runs through the Zuidas business district. Streets named after Stravinsky can also be found in Berlin, Hamburg, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. In total, more than twenty active place names around the world honor the composer.

Stravinsky maintained friendships with many prominent cultural figures. Among them were Coco Chanel, who supported the composer, and Charlie Chaplin, with whom he developed a friendship during his American years.

Creative Legacy

Stravinsky’s output is extensive and covers a wide range of genres. His body of work includes:

• 14 ballets

• 4 operas

• about 30 orchestral works

• more than 20 piano works

• around 25 chamber compositions

• about 15 choral works

• approximately 30 vocal works

Over the course of his career, his style evolved through several distinct periods—from the vibrant “Russian period” to neoclassicism and later serialism—demonstrating a lifelong commitment to artistic innovation and experimentation.

Honors and Recognition

On February 8, 1960, Stravinsky received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The asteroid 4382 Stravinsky was also named in his honor, reflecting the global recognition of his achievements.

Weekends - Saturday, Sunday.