Chicago, IL is set to become a haven for classical music aficionados with a series of captivating events celebrating the genius of Dmitri Shostakovich. From the gripping Symphony No. 5 performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to evocative chamber music at the University of Chicago, an enthralling mixed repertoire by the Joffrey Ballet, and more, these events promise an immersive dive into Shostakovich's enduring legacy.

Celebrating Shostakovich: Chicago's Musical Tribute to a Legendary Composer

### Event Description: Atonement by Joffrey Ballet

**Event:** Atonement  
**Dates:** October 17-27, 2024  
**Location:** Lyric Opera House  
**Choreography:** Cathy Marston  
**Music:** Laura Rossi  

Witness the U.S. premiere of renowned choreographer Cathy Marston's "Atonement," a re-imagining of Ian McEwan’s 2001 novel-turned Academy Award-winning film. This poignant ballet follows Briony Tallis, portrayed as a celebrated choreographer, as she grapples with the haunting echoes of her past through a breathtaking dance of redemption.

Marston’s adaptation unfolds the tragic love story of Briony’s older sister, Cecilia, set against the historical backdrop of 1935 England. The performance explores the intricate layers of societal norms and the enduring impact of a single lie. Enveloped in Rossi’s evocative musical score, the dynamic choreography portrays the complexities of self-deception, the transformation of memory, and the weight of guilt. "Atonement" promises an emotionally charged experience with a startling twist finale that will linger in the soul.

**Choreographer:** Cathy Marston, an award-winning choreographer and Artistic Director of Ballett Zürich.  
**Composer:** Laura Rossi, known for her hauntingly atmospheric music with emotional depth and beauty.

**Sponsorship:**
- **Commissioning Producing Sponsor:** Anne L. Kaplan, Denise Littlefield Sobel
- **Commissioning and Presenting Sponsors:** Lorna Ferguson and Terry Clark, Rudolf Nureyev Fund at The Joffrey Ballet, Mr. and Mrs. Joel V. Williamson
- **Production Sponsors:** Holly Palmer Foundation

Join us for this extraordinary ballet that intertwines powerful storytelling with exquisite dance and music.

EPSG:4326

Atonement

Lyric Opera House

Ballet Sun Valley

Sun Valley Pavilion

One of the premier dance companies in the world today, The Joffrey Ballet boasts a reputation for boundary-breaking performances for more than 65 years. The company’s blockbuster, Anna Karenina, won the 2019 “Oscars of Dance” Benois de la Danse International Prize for Best Choreography. Love is all-consuming for the beautiful but married Anna, who, in the pursuit of passion, finds herself caught in a life-changing affair with the dashing Count Vronsky. Set in late 19th-century Imperial Russia, this adaptation unravels the profound power, desire and possession that shapes Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel. A breathtaking cinematic production with stunning costume design and captivating choreography, this famed psychological drama—set to an original composition—makes its debut at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

'Anna Karenina' at The Music Center

Los Angeles Music Center

Far from a Shakespearean tale, Ekman’s 'Midsummer Night’s Dream' is a mind-bending trip to a surreal realm of unearthly delights. Set during the traditional Scandinavian summer solstice festival, dancers celebrate a day of revelry and romance under the maypole, which soon unravels into an otherworldly dream. Ekman’s picturesque fusion of classical and contemporary ballet blurs the line between the real and the imagined and makes us wonder, is it all a dream?

Midsummer Night's Dream

Love is all-consuming for Anna, who is married but finds herself caught in the maelstrom of a life-changing love affair with the dashing Count Vronsky. The stunning dancers of the Joffrey Ballet return with Anna Karenina, a ravishing full-length story ballet by Yuri Possokhov based on Tolstoy’s timeless novel and featuring an original score by award-winning composer Ilya Demutsky, performed live by the Berkeley Symphony. When it premiered in 2019, the ballet won the “Oscars of Dance,” the Benois de la Danse International Prize for Best Choreography. Set in the late 19th century, the production styles Anna’s tragic tale as a psychological thriller, weaving together themes of love and loss, violence and betrayal. “A sweeping, cinematic and sometimes heart-pounding take with unfailingly superb dancing throughout” (Chicago Sun-Times).

Cal Performances Presents 'Anna Karenina'

University of California, Berkeley

The Joffrey celebrates a mixed rep program featuring deeply moving works by choreographers Liam Scarlett and Andrew McNicol, and an innovative world premiere by emerging artist Stina Quagebeur.

Studies in Blue

Witness the magical 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with young Marie and her Nutcracker Prince in two-time Tony Award® winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s holiday masterpiece. It’s a celebratory Christmas Eve, and thanks to a surprise visit from the enchanting Great Impresario, Marie embarks on a spellbinding adventure into a realm of spectacle and wonder. Experience our holiday magic in this must-see tradition boldly reimagined for a new generation.

The Nutcracker

### Event Description: The Nutcracker by Joffrey Ballet

**Event:** The Nutcracker  
**Choreography:** Christopher Wheeldon  
**Music:** Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky  
**Dates:** December 6-28, 2024  
**Location:** Lyric Opera House  
**Running Time:** 2 hours  

**Description:**
Experience the magic of the holiday season with the Joffrey Ballet's enchanting production of "The Nutcracker," choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon. Set against the backdrop of Chicago's 1893 World's Fair, this beloved version of the classic ballet brings to life a festive celebration on a magical Christmas Eve.

Join Marie and her mother, a sculptress working on the fair’s iconic Statue of the Republic, as they partake in a joyous celebration with a surprise visit from the mysterious Great Impresario. The night unfolds with an epic battle between Toy Soldiers and The Rat King, leading Marie on a whirlwind journey with the Nutcracker Prince to the dreamlike fairgrounds of the World’s Columbian Exposition, featuring sprawling attractions from around the globe.

The production is set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and features a celebrated creative team, including:
- **Julian Crouch:** Tony Award-nominated set and costume designer
- **Brian Selznick:** Caldecott Medal Award-winning author
- **Basil Twist:** Obie and Drama Desk award-winning puppeteer
- **Natasha Katz:** Tony Award-winning lighting designer
- **Ben Pearcy:** Tony Award-winning projection designer

**Sponsors:**
- **Presenting Sponsor:** Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company
- **Commissioning Sponsors:** Margot and Josef Lakonishok, Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Hancher Auditorium, University of Iowa

Celebrate the holiday season with this heartwarming and visually stunning production that redefines holiday magic in Chicago. Whether it's your first time or your 51st, "The Nutcracker" by the Joffrey Ballet promises to tug at your heartstrings and leave you in awe.

### Golden Hour by Joffrey Ballet

**Event Overview:**
Bask in the glow of "Golden Hour," a radiant mixed repertoire program presented by the Joffrey Ballet. This captivating event will take place from February 20 to March 2, 2025, at the Lyric Opera House. The program promises an evening of warmth and splendor, featuring a blend of world premieres and audience favorites.

**Performance Details:**

1. **Princess and the Pea**
   - **Choreography:** Dani Rowe
   - **Music:** Jim Stephenson
   - **Description:** Australian choreographer Dani Rowe, known for her rich, flowing, and contemporary style, presents a modern re-envisioning of Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless fairy tale, "Princess and the Pea."

2. **Heimat**
   - **Choreography:** Cathy Marston
   - **Music:** Richard Wagner
   - **Description:** Cathy Marston’s "Heimat" is a dance interpretation of Wagner's symphonic poem "Siegfried Idyll." It paints a serene picture of a family in the Swiss countryside and explores the concept of "heimat," a term that suggests a place of spiritual and creative familiarity.

3. **Under the Trees' Voices**
   - **Choreography:** Nicolas Blanc
   - **Music:** Ezio Bosso
   - **Description:** Set to Symphony No. 2 by Bosso, Nicolas Blanc’s "Under the Trees’ Voices" examines the persistence of community and connection in the age of distance and isolation. The piece imagines a future of hope and unity, reminding us that we are better together than alone.

4. **Andante**
   - **Choreography:** Yuri Possokhov
   - **Music:** Dmitri Shostakovich
   - **Description:** Renowned choreographer Yuri Possokhov returns with an intimate world premiere set on three dancers. Possokhov is celebrated for his critically acclaimed works, including "Anna Karenina," "The Miraculous Mandarin," and "Don Quixote."

**Choreographers:**
- **Dani Rowe:** Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre, known for her works with San Francisco Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and more.
- **Cathy Marston:** Award-winning choreographer and Artistic Director of Ballett Zürich.
- **Nicolas Blanc:** Chicago-based choreographer and Rehearsal Director at The Joffrey Ballet, with works created for New York City Ballet, Rome Opera Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet.
- **Yuri Possokhov:** Renowned dancer and choreographer with creations for The Joffrey Ballet, The Australian Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet.

**Venue:**
- **Location:** Lyric Opera House
- **Dates:** February 20 - March 2, 2025

Join the Joffrey Ballet for an unforgettable evening of dance that celebrates the beauty of human connection and artistic expression.

Golden Hour 

### Event Description: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Joffrey Ballet

**Event:** Alice's Adventures in Wonderland  
**Dates:** June 5-15, 2025  
**Location:** Lyric Opera House, Chicago  
**Choreography:** Christopher Wheeldon  
**Music:** Joby Talbot  

#### Event Overview:
Experience the Chicago premiere of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" with the Joffrey Ballet, the first American ballet company to bring Christopher Wheeldon’s imaginative interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale to life. This production plunges audiences down the rabbit hole into a fantastical world filled with whimsical characters and extraordinary adventures.

#### Artistic Highlights:
- **Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon:** Two-time Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon brings a modern twist to this beloved story, creating a visually stunning and emotionally engaging performance.
- **Music by Joby Talbot:** The hallucinatory soundscape composed by Joby Talbot features sweeping melodies and ticking clocks, enhancing the magical atmosphere of Wonderland.
- **Design by Bob Crowley:** Tony Award-winning designer Bob Crowley’s vibrant stagecraft and puppetry make Wonderland wonderfully real, adding layers of humor, eccentricity, and fantasy to the performance.

#### Characters:
- **Alice and the White Rabbit**
- **Mad Hatter**
- **Queen of Hearts**
- **Caterpillar**

#### Sponsors:
- **Presenting Sponsor:** Ethel Gofen
- **Major Sponsors:** Mary Jo and Doug Basler, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald V. Waters
- **Costume Sponsor:** Jane Ellen Murray Foundation

Join us for a seamless fusion of dance, storytelling, and visual artistry as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland takes you on a magical trip through an extraordinary realm. Don’t miss this audience-favorite dance adventure at the Lyric Opera House from June 5-15, 2025.

Joffrey Ballet

6 - 28 Dec, 2024

The Nutcracker

Feb 20 - Mar 2, 2025

Golden Hour

5 - 15 Jun, 2025

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

17 - 27 Oct, 2024

Atonement

29 - 30 Jun, 2024

Ballet Sun Valley

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