Stravinsky's Firebird with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Stravinsky, and more

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was a Russian-born composer and conductor who became a naturalized French and American citizen. Widely considered one of the most influential and revolutionary composers of the 20th century, his career is traditionally divided into three stylistic periods: Russian, Neoclassical, and Serial. He achieved international fame through a series of groundbreaking ballets commissioned by impresario Sergei Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes, most notably The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913), the latter of which caused a famous near-riot at its Paris premiere due to its avant-garde rhythms and dissonant harmonies. He later lived in Switzerland and France before moving to the United States in 1939, where he settled in Los Angeles and eventually New York City.

Christopher Dragon, an Australian conductor from Perth with Singaporean roots, is known for his charismatic and energetic style. He excels in classical, film, and contemporary orchestral genres, including live-to-picture performances. Dragon is Music Director of the Philly Pops and Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, and Resident Conductor of the Colorado Symphony. He won an ARIA award for his Sydney Opera House debut with Josh Pyke. Collaborations include Wu-Tang Clan, Joshua Bell, and Danny Elfman.

The Firebird is a 1910 ballet and orchestral concert work by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, composed for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes with choreography by Michel Fokine. Based on Russian folktales, the story follows Prince Ivan as he battles the evil sorcerer Koschei the Deathless to free imprisoned princesses with the assistance of a magical, glittering Firebird. The score is celebrated for its dazzling orchestral colors, rhythmic vitality, and innovative use of contrasting diatonic and chromatic musical scales to distinguish human and supernatural characters.