We brought our daughter for the first time when she was only 3 and were all completely enchanted by the talented company, brilliant choreography, the beautiful sets and costumes and the magical quality of the perfomance. Margot and josef lakonishok, searle funds at the chicago community trust, hancher auditorium, university of iowa, and the many believers, as well as 2017 the nutcracker production sponsor jewell events catering. Peter llyich tchaikovsky live music performed by the chicago philharmonic. Robert joffreys aweinspiring staging of the perennial classic boasts largerthanlife victorian america scenery and costumes, entrancing storytelling, tchaikovskys beloved score, and invigorating dancing that could only be found in a dream. The joffrey is grateful to the nutcracker commissioning sponsors. Anchoring the production is tchaikovskys timeless, evocative score. Tickets are no longer available online for this event. It is a permanent part created specifically for students with disabilities in christopher wheeldons version of the nutcracker at the joffrey ballet. The crowd pleasing young male soloist dancing as the snow prince, and. Joffrey ballets the nutcracker plays the auditorium theater. Joffrey nutcracker is a holiday tradition nutcracker 2012, chicago tribune. Many choreographers have worked with the joffrey, including paul taylor, twyla tharp, george balanchine, and founders gerald arpino and robert joffrey. The joffreys modernization premiered last year, choreographed and directed by christopher wheeldon reimagines the nutcracker set in a modest chicago home rather than in a wealthy familys mansion.
Joffreys chicagoset nutcracker has become truly alive. Christopher wheeldon creates a workingclass holiday ballet. Wheeldons new take, beautifully executed by joffrey ballet, is imaginative and thrilling, emotional and sweet but never saccharine, and a flawless. Documentary on joffrey ballets new nutcracker set for.
The nutcracker once again cast its magic spell when the joffrey ballet offered the new york premiere of its version of the holiday classic last night at the city center. A nonstop ballet spectacular blended with a bold and dramatic orchestra. Robert joffreys the nutcracker takes a final bow in its 60th season, the joffrey ballet performs its late founders beloved adaptation of the holiday classic one last time. Read what members are saying about the joffrey ballets the nutcracker and find tickets to upcoming. The magic of the season takes hold when a visit from the. Discover what makes tchaikovskys nutcracker sound like. The splendor, invention in joffreys nutcracker grows. In the joffrey ballets new nutcracker, the main characters arent wealthy but instead are working class immigrants living on the grounds of the 1893 chicago worlds fair before it opens. After nearly 19 years, joffrey ballet dancer fabrice calmels announced monday that hell take his final bow with the company after a performance of nutcracker on december 29. Joffrey ballets reimagined nutcracker continues to dazzle and.
It has been running at the same venue for 20 holiday seasons, but this is the last time robert joffreys nutcracker is being presented. Joffrey ballets ashley wheater honoured by her majesty queen elizabeth ii with mbe appointment. Joffrey ballets reimagined nutcracker inspired by chicago. He had been cast as fritz in sir peter wrights nutcracker at the royal ballet, but on this particular night in 1985, another boy was. The original company consisted of six dynamic and highly individual dancers. Pc quinn wharton twelveyearold christopher wheeldon was annoyed. Robert joffrey and gerald arpinos uniquely american vision of dance first took form in 1956. The joffrey ballet, based in chicago, illinois, is a premier dance company.
Joffrey ballets nutcracker cast stars children from. Galvin artistic director of the joffrey ballet, has announced the companys 20202021 inaugural season at lyric opera house, featuring a ballet masterpiece from. The joffrey ballet performs christopher wheeldons chicagothemed reinvention of the nutcracker. Pbs documentary of wheeldons nutcracker at joffrey. The joffrey ballet school is the only ballet school in new york city that offers a wellrounded dance curriculum that includes serious training in both classical ballet technique, pointe, variations, adagio, mens classes and contemporary ballet technique, improvisation, partnering, as well as modern, character, choreography, dance history, music, pilates and yoga. Photo by cheryl mann now in its third season, the joffrey ballets radiant and altogether ingenious production of choreographer christopher wheeldons chicagothemed reinvention of the nutcracker is more luminous than ever.
Its a christmas tradition so long and familiar that the new version produced in 2016 was a welcomed change of. Nutcracker childrens cast auditions joffrey ballet. Conductor scott speck, who coauthored classical music for dummies and leads the chicago philharmonic for performances of the nutcracker with joffrey ballet, explained what makes tchaikovskys score as addictive as your favorite holiday. Enhance your nutcracker experience by attending a nutcracker afternoon tea the day of your performance with our hotel partner jw marriott chicago. The joffrey ballets the nutcracker is a mustsee tradition boldly reimagined for a new generation. Beneath the beautiful ballet, a brutal toll on the body. Its not just ponies and butterflies anymore, dylan gutierrez, a dancer for the joffrey ballet said of their new nutcracker. Join narrator neve campbell and the creative team behind the joffrey ballets new production of chirstopher wheeldons the nutcracker, a bold reimagining of the christmas classic that. Joffrey artistic director ashley wheater, music director scott speck and dancers amanda assucena and yoshihisa arai discuss what makes robert joffreys the nutcracker magical.
The joffery ballet which is well known as being one of the first dance organizations to have had the honor of performing at the white house on the invite given to. The documentary will reveal how this new ballet was devised, and will introduce audiences to the exceptional team of creative talents assembled for the project by the joffreys artistic director. Yet when the joffrey ballet presented the world premiere of christopher wheeldons new nutcracker last year, audiences got a uniquely. The joffrey ballet is one of many dance companies to recognize and respond to this cultural need in its redesign of this treasured classic. Now in its second season with the kinks worked out, choreographer christopher wheeldons revisionist holiday ballet is wonderfully alive. Joffrey artistic director ashley wheater, music director scott speck and dancers amanda assucena and yoshihisa arai discuss what makes robert joffrey s the nutcracker magical.
The twoact ballet had its premiere at the maryinsky theatre in street petersburg, russia, on december 17, 1892. The joffrey ballet long had a traditional nutcracker by its founderchoreographer, robert joffrey, which it continued to perform after moving to chicago from new york in 1995. Featuring choreography by christopher wheeldon and an. Joffrey ballet school new york the nutcracker 2015 waltz of the flowers era jouralev artistic director robert ray choreography tchaikovsky.
Reviews of the joffrey ballets the nutcracker in chicago, il. Emma lookatch and larke johnson, both dancers in the adaptive dance program at joffrey academy of dance. The joffrey ballets nutcracker has a new role for dancers. The moment has finally arrived, and nothing about this nutcracker disappoints. Joffreys epic, reimagined nutcracker takes over hancher. Now in its third season, tony awardwinning choreographer christopher wheeldons nutcracker was envisioned specifically with chicago viewers in mind. How the joffreys new nutcracker chose chicagos worlds. One of chicagos favorite holiday traditions, robert joffreys the nutcracker has. Once the ballet company that bears joffreys name made chicago its home in 1995, it was inevitable that joffreys particular conception of the work would make its way into the already crowded local nutcracker marketplace. Featuring choreography by christopher wheeldon and an updated story and art by brian selznick, this nutcracker is set in chicago during the 1893 worlds fair. Wheeldons announcement that his nutcracker would be set in worlds fairera chicago only increased excitement. The ensemble of couples incorporated in the waltz of flowers and the snow scene. From the first notes of the familiar classical score, allow yourself to be transported to christmas 1892, just five months before the columbian exposition of 1893.
Let me start by saying we have seen the joffrey nutcracker every year for the past 10 years. Official school of the joffrey ballet, are alternating in the new role of worker girl. We recommend this production for children ages 5 and up. Wheeldon s acclaimed turnofthecentury tale opens on christmas eve, 1892, mere months before the grand opening of the 1893 world s fair, as young marie and her mother prepare for a christmas eve potluck celebration. When joffrey ballets nutcracker was revised for chicago, artistic director ashley wheater, choreographer christopher wheeldon and storyteller brian selznick choose to set it at the 1893 world. Joffrey cochoreographed it with the man who would become his successor at the company, gerald arpino.
Joffrey ballet the nutcracker auditorium theatre, chicago, il. Fabrice calmels on his decision to leave the joffrey. The must see tradition has been boldly reimagined for the new generation, with a revamped storyline taking our characters to. Wheeldons acclaimed turnofthecentury tale opens on christmas eve, 1892, mere months before the grand opening of the 1893 worlds fair, as young marie and her mother prepare for a christmas eve potluck celebration. This ones set at the worlds fair choreographer christopher wheeldon has a fresh take on the classic christmas tale. Joffrey ballets reimagined nutcracker continues to. Chicago the nutcracker is traditionally set in nuremberg, germany. This highly original reimagining of the classic holiday tale is a monumental production both. Revel in the aweinspiring nutcracker that has captivated audiences for 25 years with brilliant costumes, larger than life scenery, entrancing storytelling and tchaikovsky s famous score for a special discounted package offered by j. The joffrey is considered an allstar ballet, so there is not a strict ranking of dancers, like in the new yorks american ballet theater, where misty copeland made headlines earlier this year. The joffrey ballet will be performing the nutcracker through dec. Joffrey ballets the nutcracker plays the auditorium.
The nutcracker gets a spectacular update in choreographer christopher wheeldons world premiere for joffrey ballet. Travel to the 1893 worlds fair through a special conversation on the joffrey ballets 2018 production of the nutcracker, set during the columbian exposition in chicago. My professional life as an artist and as a person was shaped by the teachers, people and values of my home country, the place where i was first introduced to ballet and where i learned the uplifting. Joffreys the nutcracker wednesday, november 25, 2015 sunday, november 29, 2015. The joffrey ballet has announced their 20202021 season. A radiant moment in chicago history key to magic of joffreys. When we go to the nutcracker, we expect to be transported to a world thats both magical and familiar. Joffrey ballet school new york 2015 the nutcracker.
Christopher wheeldons the nutcracker, by the joffrey ballet, features two full childrens casts. The joffrey ballet tickets the joffrey ballet tickets the joffrey ballet started as the robert joffrey theater dancers in 1956. The joffrey ballet unveiled a daringly new chicagocentric version of the nutcracker in 2016, moving the action to five months before the worlds columbian exposition in 1893 a grand. While robert joffrey stayed in new york to teach ballet classes and earn money to pay the dancers salaries, gerald arpino led the troupe across americas heartland, in a station wagon that pulled a uhaul. The joffrey academy, located in the exelon education center at joffrey tower in chicago, illinois is the only school that follows the organizational mission. Christopher wheeldons 2016 adaptation of the nutcracker, staged one last time at the auditorium before joffrey ballet transfers to the civic opera house, is a. The world renowned joffrey ballet once again transforms the auditorium theatre into a winter wonderland full of magical toys and waltzing snowflakes during the annual production of robert joffreys the nutcracker. The joffrey ballet schools production of the nutcracker is a traditional holiday classic you wont want to miss. The joffrey ballet is not affiliated with any other dance training or school program, including the joffrey ballet school in new york. The rest, they say, is history, and the holidays wouldnt be the same without tchaikovskys nutcracker. Such is the case with this years production of joffrey ballets the nutcracker at the auditorium theatre. Joffreys the nutcracker puts the emphasis on mother love. It was a sixdancer ensemble that traveled from one place to another to spread the beauty of dance and ballet.
Joffreys the nutcracker gives children with disabilities a chance to dance. Set in chicago, the christmas ballet should soon top the list of mustsee. Please contact our box office to get uptotheminute ticket availability information. The joffreys special blend includes some creative choreography like. Joffrey ballets new nutcracker leaves some tradition.
1005 702 476 1323 758 356 630 1489 139 323 1396 487 361 204 972 837 1066 642 1436 1255 1037 1338 1384 1176 1496 1488 755 1037 1014 705 1251 79 1042 978 412 1379 1208 361 572 169 1222