The Soldier's Tale

Stravinsky's legendary fable comes alive in this Emmy-winning animated program. When the common man is faced with the devil's temptation, can he make a deal with the devil and win? The soldier in this tale believes so, and tragically spends his life learning otherwise in this legendary fable. Igor Stravinsky's masterpiece, an adaptation of a story told by a popular Russian folklorist of that era, was penned in 1918 as a commentary tainted by the climate in Russia at the time of the Revolution. In 1980, illustrator R.O. Blechman signed on to collaborate with PBS' Great Performances series to adapt the composition to celebrate the centennial of Stravinsky's birth. This program went on to win the Emmy Award that year for Outstanding Individual Achievement, Animated Programming and is still celebrated as a visionary triumph.