Displaying items by tag: THE JOFFREY BALLET

This winter, The Joffrey Ballet presents Golden Hour, a radiant mixed repertoire program of warmth and splendor. Featuring world premieres by Yuri Possokhov and Dani Rowe, the return of Cathy Marston, and an audience favorite by Nicolas Blanc, the curated program welcomes audiences in from the cold to experience the light of these four immersive works. Golden Hour will be presented at the historic Lyric Opera House, 20 North Upper Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, in ten performances only, from February 20 to March 2, 2025. 

Yuri Possokhov, frequent choreographer at the Joffrey whose most recent productions include the highly praised adaptation of Anna Karenina, in addition to The Miraculous Mandarin and Don Quixote, returns with Andante, an intimate world premiere created for three dancers, set to a score by Dmitri Shostakovich. Inspired by the word “andante,” which describes slow, evenly paced music, Possokhov creates a moving meditation on the intricacies of human relationships, from tension to elation.

In her first-ever collaboration with The Joffrey Ballet, Australian choreographer Dani Rowe will present an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless fairy tale, Princess and the Pea, in a dynamic and modern re-envisioning. Set to a new score by Jim Stephenson, the work follows the young Penelopea as she embarks on a daring quest for justice in the authoritarian world of Pea Town. As she battles the oppressive Master Pea to regain her fathers’ freedom, Penelopea discovers the power of individuality and growth, leading to a revolution that transforms Pea Town into something no one could have ever expected.

The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE said, "Dani's reimagining of the Princess and the Pea carries wisdom from one generation to the next, broadening our perspectives of the human experience. Providing a platform for new works and retelling classic tales to resonate with contemporary themes is what the Joffrey does best." He added, "We are thrilled to welcome back frequent Joffrey collaborator Yuri Possokhov for the world premiere of Andante, a moving new work reflecting on the complexity of relationships and our yearning for connection."  

"On the heels of the most-attended season of The Nutcracker in Joffrey history, Golden Hour will meet our audiences' growing demand while remaining authentic to Robert Joffrey's founding mission to communicate life through dance," said President and CEO Greg Cameron. "Dani Rowe's world premiere of Princess and the Pea reminds us to stand up for our beliefs in the face of adversity. Meanwhile, works by Yuri Possokhov, Cathy Marston, and Nicolas Blanc invite us to consider the power of the arts to bring us together. There is a story for everyone."

Golden Hour continues with Cathy Marston’s Heimat, a dance interpretation of the glorious symphonic poem Seigfried Idyll. Composed by Richard Wagner in Switzerland after the birth of his son, Heimat paints a halcyon picture of a family in the Swiss countryside. Marston defines the German word “heimat” as the feeling of home, which is not necessarily where one lives or was born, but rather a place of spiritual and creative familiarity. Following the critically acclaimed US premiere of her feature-length ballet Atonement in October, Marston said that “heimat” is a tender description of her personal feelings about Chicago and The Joffrey Ballet.

Lastly, Nicolas Blanc’s Under the Trees’ Voices examines the persistence of community and connection in the age of distance and isolation. Set to Bosso’s Symphony No. 2, Blanc’s choreography arose from his observations of the nuances of people’s temperaments during the spring of 2020 as the weather became warmer and the chill of pandemic restrictions thawed. In four distinct sections, Under the Trees’ Voices imagines a future of hope and unity, reminding us that we are better together than alone.

Golden Hour features live music performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Scott Speck, Music Director of The Joffrey Ballet.

Tickets and Schedule
The Joffrey Ballet presents Golden Hour from Thursday, February 20 to Sunday, March 2, 2025; the full performance schedule is as follows: Thursday, February 20 at 7:30PM; Friday, February 21 at 7:30PM; Saturday, February 22 at 2:00PM and 7:30PM; Sunday, February 23 at 2:00PM; Thursday, February 27 at 7:30PM; Friday, February 28 at 7:30PM; Saturday, March 1 at 2:00PM and 7:30PM; and Sunday, March 2 at 2:00PM.

Single tickets start at $36 and are available for purchase at Lyric Opera Box Office located at 20 N. Upper Wacker Dr. and by telephone at 312.386.8905, or online at joffrey.org.

About The Joffrey Ballet 
The Joffrey Ballet is one of the premier dance companies in the world today, with a reputation for boundary-breaking performances for 69 years. The Joffrey repertoire is an extensive collection of all-time classics, modern masterpieces, and original works.  

Founded in 1956 by pioneers Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, the Joffrey remains dedicated to artistic expression, innovation, and first-rate education and engagement programming. The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE and President and CEO Greg Cameron. 

The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the support of its 2024-2025 Season Sponsors: Abbott Fund, Alphawood Foundation Chicago, Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, The Florian Fund, Gallagher, Anne L. Kaplan, and Live Music Sponsors: Sandy and Roger Deromedi, Sage Foundation, Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, and The Marina and Arnold Tatar Fund for Live Music. The Joffrey also acknowledges Season Partners: Chicago Athletic Clubs, and Athletico Physical Therapy, official provider of physical therapy for The Joffrey Ballet. 

Special thanks to Princess and the Pea Commissioning Sponsors Courtney C. Shea and Mary Jo and Doug Basler, an Anonymous Princess and the Pea Commissioned Score Sponsor, and Under the Trees’ Voices Sponsor Mary Jo and Doug Basler.

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its programs, visit joffrey.org. Connect with the Joffrey on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

There is something magical about Chicago at Christmastime. Even if there is no snow on the ground, there is an energy in the atmosphere, peaceful and whimsical. Whether you take in the colorful zoo lights at The Lincoln Park Zoo, or stroll the Christkindl markets downtown, or ice skate in the shadow of Wrigley Field, there is magical nestled in every corner of the city. December winds bring a chill to The Windy City and signals the arrival of the holiday season with lights, cozy fires, warm drinks, and the most cherished of holiday traditions, The Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker, now playing at the Lyric Opera.

For those who are unfamiliar with The Nutcracker, the fairy-tail-like ballet follows the story of a young girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve from a magical guest at the party. Clara's reality and dreams merge as she and her nutcracker embark on a magical adventure. The nutcracker transforms into a prince, and Clara and the prince travel to the Land of Sweets, where they meet the Sugarplum Fairy.

Joffrey’s Nutcracker follows a similar storyline with a magical Chicago twist. On a magical Christmas Eve, mere months before the opening of Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair, Marie and her mother, a sculptress creating the fair’s iconic Statue of the Republic, partake in a festive celebration with a surprise visit from the mysterious Great Impresario. That evening, after awakening to an epic battle between Toy Soldiers and The Rat King, Marie is swept away by a Nutcracker Prince on a whirlwind journey to the dreamlike fairgrounds of the World’s Columbian Exposition with sprawling attractions represented by countries from around the globe. Set to Tchaikovsky’s classic score, The Nutcracker features a celebrated creative team, including two-time Tony Award®-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, Tony Award®-nominated set and costume designer Julian Crouch, Caldecott Medal Award-winning author Brian Selznick, Obie and Drama Desk award-winning puppeteer Basil Twist, Tony Award®-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz and Tony Award®-winning projection designer Ben Pearcy. 

I have been seeing The Nutcracker every holiday season, moving from dancing in the ballet and watching in the wings, to the balcony seats to enjoy the performance. There is nothing quite like The Joffrey’s rendition of the classic ballet. The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 storyline works incredibly well with the production, from the humble beginnings of fair workers and their families, a kind and wealthy benefactor bequeathing the nutcracker doll, and a dreamlike world with Clara exploring the World’s Fair and all it had to offer. The 1893 World’s Fair inspired Frank E. Baum, utilizing the famed White City of the fair to inspire the Emerald City of Oz in The Wizard of Oz. The fair introduced the world to the Ferris Wheel, brownies, cracker jack popcorn, and the zipper. There were countries and states represented that visitors could only dream to have visited, right in their own backyard. Historical documents and first-hand accounts mention how magical and awe-inspiring the fair was, it’s easy to see how The Joffrey could look at the fair as a backdrop to The Nutcracker and see magic.

But even with the artistic direction The Joffrey took, it still begs the question of why do we see the same performance year after year after year? Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, MBE pondered the same thing. “I have asked myself, ‘How can we make this a special experience for people who have seen the Nutcracker before and for those attending for the first time?’,” says Wheater. “Part of the beauty of this Nutcracker: it is a Chicago story! We set the scene during an important time in the history of our city: the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1892. We identify with the working spirit of the people. We understand that joy can be found in simple things. We appreciate that magic is all around us, if only we look. The real “magic” of this Nutcracker, though, is that it changes every time we watch it. Each of us in the audience is different. We have loved, lost, struggled, succeeded, grown. We bring our own story to the theater. The beauty of live theater is that no two performances will be the same.”

The year’s opening night of The Nutcracker was nothing short of magical. Joffrey’s current company has to be one of their best in years with outstanding principles including Amanda Assucena, the mother and sculptress for the Fair (the Sugar Plum Fairy) and Alberto Velazquez, the Great Impresario of the Fair, and the darling Anabelle de la Nuez as Marie (Clara) and Maxwell Dawe as The Nutcracker. Each scene is a feast for the eyes with the entire company dancing exquisitely amount wreaths, glittering snow, and before giant Ferris wheels. Whether this is your first time seeing The Nutcracker, or your hundredth, there is nothing in the world like Joffrey’s Nutcracker. It is truly one of a kind and the perfect addition to any holiday plans. But much like The World’s Fair of 1893, the magic won’t be here forever, so don’t delay and get your tickets today.

The Nutcracker is now playing at The Lyric Opera House, (20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago) through December 28^th. The Performance run time is 2 hours, includes one 20-minute intermission. Tickets are available at www.joffrey.org.