Pierre et le Loup
In 1936, Sats commissioned a work that was to change the history of performance for children. As the director of the Moscow Theater for Children, Sats wished to produce a play which would introduce children to the instruments of the orchestra. She commissioned Sergei Prokofiev to compose "Peter and the Wolf" and worked closely with him on its creation, contributing many ideas to the libretto. "Peter and the Wolf" premiered at the Moscow Philharmonic on 2 May 1936. Due to illness, Sats was not able to attend this premiere, which according to Prokofiev was not a success. However, three days later, Sats narrated "Peter and the Wolf" at its first performance in the Moscow Theater for Children. This second performance proved a huge success and effectively launched the work. "Peter and the Wolf", dedicated to Sats, went on to international success. It has been recorded over 400 times, and translated into many languages. Sats continued to narrate performances of "Peter and the Wolf" through the rest of her career.