Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky, a Russian composer and conductor, was born 5 (17) June 1882 in Oranienbaum (a town near Saint-Petersburg). He had a musical upbringing and attempted some music compositions. However, Stravinsky began his professional education by taking composition lessons from Rimsky-Korsakov only at the age of 20. Influenced by Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky became interested in Russian culture and folklore. The first major composition was created after Stravinsky’s acquaintance with Sergei Diaghilev. The Firebird, written on Diaghilev’s request in 1910, is celebrated as one of the most brilliant Stravinsky’s compositions. Petrushka, another ballet that was created a year later, is a bright and lively description of the Russian Maslenitsa festival. The third Stravinsky’s ballet, Le sacre du printemps, was written in 1913 and marked a new music tradition that is dramatically different from the style of the previous Stravinsky’s compositions in its audacious dissonances and kaleidoscopically alternating rhythms. Before the World War I Stravinsky left Russia, lived in France till 1939 and then moved to the USA. It is impossible to overestimate Stravinsky’s impact on the music of the 20th century. His works, such as, for example, Le sacre du printemps, has become a classic piece for the orchestras all around the world. His music was used in the Y.Lyubomov’s play The Possessed staged at The Vakhtangov Theatre. Igor Stravinsky died 6 April, 1971 in New York.