What is "petrushka"

Petrushka (; ) is a ballet burlesque in four scenes. It was composed in 1910–11 and revised in 1947. Igor Stravinsky composed the music, and, with Alexandre Benois, fashioned the libretto. Michel Fokine choreographed the ballet; Benois designed the sets and costumes. Petrushka was first performed by Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 13 June 1911. Vaslav Nijinsky portrayed Petrushka with Tamara Karsavina as the Ballerina. Alexander Orlov portrayed the Moor, and Enrico Cecchetti the Charlatan.

Petrushka tells the story of the loves and jealousies of three puppets. The three are brought to life by the Charlatan during 1830 Shrovetide Fair ( Maslenitsa) in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Petrushka loves the Ballerina, but she rejects him. She prefers the Moor. Petrushka is angry and hurt, and challenges the Moor. The Moor kills him with his scimitar. Petrushka's ghost rises above the puppet theatre as night falls. He shakes his fist at the Charlatan, then collapses in a second death.

Petrushka brings music, dance, and design together in a unified whole. It is one of the most popular of the Ballets Russes productions. It is usually performed today using the original designs and choreography. Grace Robert wrote in 1946, "Although more than thirty years have elapsed since Petrushka was first performed, its position as one of the greatest ballets remains unassailed. Its perfect fusion of music, choreography, and décor and its themethe timeless tragedy of the human spiritunite to make its appeal universal".

Petrushka is a stock character of Russian folk puppetry ( rayok) known at least since 17th century. Petrushkas were used as marionettes, as well as hand puppets. Traditionally he was a kind of a jester distinguished by red dress, red kolpak, and often a long nose.

Petrushka is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in Ireland and trained in the United Kingdom during a racing career which lasted from October 1999 to June 2001. She was named European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly at the 2000 Cartier Racing Awards. In her championship season she won four times from seven starts including Group One races is three countries. She won the Irish Oaks against other three-year-old fillies, before beating older fillies and mares in the Yorkshire Oaks in England and the Prix de l'Opéra in France. Petrushka was retired to stud after a single, unsuccessful run as a four-year-old.

Petrushka is a Russian puppet.

Petrushka may also refer to:

• Petrushka (ballet), a ballet by Igor Stravinsky
• Petrushka (horse), a racehorse