Tonight鈥檚 Prom marks the first instalment of all three of Stravinsky鈥檚 landmark ballets for the Ballet Russes company, all performed this weekend by Scottish orchestras. In the vivid folk tale of a puppet springing to life, Stravinsky had the starting point for his stylistic breakthrough, Petrushka, a ballet that would depict Russia with 鈥榪uick tempos, smells of Russian food, sweat and glistening leather boots鈥�.

The first part of a new work from major talent Helen Grime (see also Prom 30) prefaces this concert鈥檚 arrival in Russia via all the despair, passion and determination of Tchaikovsky鈥檚 heart-rending Violin Concerto.