Prepare to be enchanted as Harris Theater in Chicago sets the stage for an extraordinary lineup of performances that celebrate the beauty of music, dance, and storytelling. This season, world-class artists like Kaki King, Joyce DiDonato, and Isaiah Collier, alongside renowned ensembles like the Ragamala Dance Company, bring their unique talents to life in a series of captivating events. From Baroque music and holiday classics to contemporary jazz and immersive dance experiences, there's something for everyone to enjoy in this vibrant cultural celebration.

A Symphony of Diverse Arts: Celebrating Creativity at Harris Theater

From orchestral masterpieces to vibrant dance performances, the Harris Theater in Chicago is hosting a spellbinding lineup of events that spans diverse genres and artistic expressions. Featuring acclaimed artists such as conductor Marc Minkowski, jazz vocalist Dee Alexander, and choreographer Twyla Tharp, this series of performances promises to captivate audiences with unique interpretations and dynamic creativity. Join us as we delve into these artistic events that celebrate the talent and cultural richness at the Harris Theater.

A Cultural Symphony: Diverse Artistic Expressions at the Harris Theater

Immerse yourself in a world of artistic brilliance with Harris Theater's upcoming lineup for 2025, featuring an array of captivating events. From the enchanting opera 'Beyond the Aria' to the dynamic 'Children of Dharma,' each performance promises a unique experience. Noteworthy performances include Handel's 'Theodora,' Isaiah Collier's avant-garde jazz, and Schubert's mesmerizing 'Trout Quintet.' Whether you're a fan of classical music, contemporary dance, or rock legends like Pink Floyd, there's something for everyone in this cultural extravaganza.

A Cultural Extravaganza: Celebrating Music and Dance at Harris Theater

Prepare to be enthralled as the Harris Theater hosts an exceptional array of performances this season in Chicago. From classic oratorios like Handel's 'Theodora' to innovative dance by the Ragamala Dance Company, the theater promises a diverse blend of music, dance, and storytelling. Featuring acclaimed artists like Nicole Cabell, Iestyn Davies, and the legendary Twyla Tharp, each event offers a unique experience. Whether you're a fan of classical music, jazz, or contemporary ballet, there's something for everyone. Join us in exploring this cultural feast that promises to captivate and inspire.

A Cultural Feast: Harris Theater's Celebrated Lineup

Six string players join forces in the Chamber Music Society’s final Harris Theater performance of the season. After beginning with Bach, who used six voices to compose his fugue-on-demand for Frederick the Great, the group divides in two for string trios by Haydn and Schubert, before re-combining in two blockbuster works for sextet by Strauss (the opening from his opera Capriccio) and Tchaikovsky (Souvenir de Florence).

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Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence

Harris Theater

Experience “The Music of Hans Zimmer and Others – A Celebration of Film Music”! Enjoy iconic scores from Top Gun, Dune, James Bond, The Lion King, and more in a stunning concert event with The Hollywood Film Orchestra, choir, soloists, and immersive visuals. Dive into Hans Zimmer's musical cosmos!

The Music of Hans Zimmer & Others - A Celebration of Film Music

Experience “The Magical Music of Harry Potter” with the Magical Film Orchestra, featuring iconic soundtracks by John Williams and more. Enjoy magical illusions and a special guest from the movies in an unforgettable evening that will enchant every Harry Potter fan!

The Magical Music of Harry Potter

Experience the musical world of J.R.R. Tolkien in “Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit In Concert,” a stunning concert featuring music from these epic tales. With a film orchestra, choir, star guests, and Sir Christopher Lee's dark voice as “Saruman,” immerse yourself in this legendary journey!

Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit in Concert

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon In Concert" with original band members and special guests. Experience timeless hits like "Money" and "Time" in a tribute featuring musicians from Pink Floyd and Roger Waters tours. Immerse yourself in the rock phenomenon. Get your tickets now!

Dark Side of the Moon in Concert

The Wall in Concert

The legendary Twyla Tharp celebrates her 60th anniversary as a choreographer with a coast-to-coast diamond jubilee tour that includes two performances at the Harris Theater. Each performance features Tharp’s Diabelli Variations, set to Beethoven’s masterpiece of the same name, and a new work set to a reimagining of Philip Glass’s iconic Aguas da Amazônia, arranged and performed live by Chicago’s own Third Coast Percussion. Showcasing Tharp’s uncanny and witty use of music to create work of startling originality and beauty, the two dances once again ensure Tharp’s place as one of the great artists of our time.

Twyla Tharp Dance

Artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center perform one of the most beloved works of the chamber repertoire, Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet. Written when the composer was only 22, the piece demonstrates his genius for melodic composition, and also features unique instrumentation; unlike other piano quintets, it has only one violin and adds a double bass, giving the ensemble a rich, sonorous texture. Also on the program are works by Mozart and W. F. Bach.

Schubert’s Trout Quintet

Ragamala Dance Company returns to the Harris Theater with Children of Dharma, a new evening-length piece that builds upon decades of the company’s pioneering work. Centering ancestral wisdom, artistic excellence, and creativity to contextualize the immigrant experience, Ragamala Dance Company continues to uphold dance as a spiritual practice that can inspire, heal, and transform communities.

Children of Dharma

Multi-instrumentalist, composer, curator, activist, and educator Isaiah Collier has established himself as a musical force in Chicago and nationally. Cosmic Transitions, his 2021 release with his band the Chosen Few, earned a five-star review from Downbeat and multiple Album of the Year accolades, among other praises.

Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few

Handel's beautiful retelling of the story of the virtuous martyr Theodora and her Roman protector Didymus. A world-renowned cast—Sherezade Panthaki, Iestyn Davies, Allyson McHardy, David Portillo, and Jonathan Woody—joins the Chorus and Orchestra for a rare performance of the composer's personal favorite oratorio.

Handel's Theodora

Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Beyond the Aria returns for its 10th anniversary season and welcomes back Artistic Director, Craig Terry with four specially curated concerts.

Beyond the Aria: Nicole Cabell, Lucy Baker

Millennium Park

Chicago jazz vocalist Dee Alexander and tap dancer Jumaane Taylor collaborate, bringing Alexander's "It's All About Love" and Taylor's "Supreme Love" to audiences for the first time on the Harris stage — just in time for Valentine's Day.

Dee Alexander and Jumaane Taylor

Renowned French conductor Marc Minkowski makes his Music of the Baroque debut with music by three orchestral gods—Handel, Rameau, and Mozart. Handel’s concerto grosso originally belonged to a lost “magic opera,” while the Greek god Apollo is the hero in Rameau’s Suite from Les Boréades. And the sheer power of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony—his final orchestral work—prompted the connection to the Roman god of the sky.

Minkowski Conducts

Through its inspiring story, beautiful music, and charming choreography, “The Nutcracker” celebrates the joyous holiday season. Ballet Chicago's “The Nutcracker” takes us on an unforgettable journey with young Marie as she travels from her home on Christmas Eve. She ventures to the Kingdom of Snow and the Land of the Sweets, featuring George Balanchine’s Sugar Plum Fairy Pas De Deux. It is a time to relive cherished memories of childhood. It is the opportunity to create new memories for children filled with anticipation for the holidays. And it is an experience for everyone to share with friends and family.

The Nutcracker

Experience the magic of the Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato — named as “the most potent female singer of her generation” by The New Yorker and “one of the most delightful artists of our time” by Gramophone — as she joins forces with the dynamic four-piece a cappella group Kings Return and the brilliant pianist Craig Terry in KINGS ReJOYCE! This special festive program promises a delightful blend of sacred and popular repertoire, celebrating the unique way music can bring us home for the holidays and transporting listeners to a world of joy and wonder.

Joyce DiDonato + Kings Return present KINGS ReJOYCE! with Craig Terry

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center brings its annual holiday tradition to Chicago. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, each written for a different collection of instruments, show off the composer’s endless inventiveness and the musicians’ virtuosity—perfectly encapsulating all that Baroque music can achieve. Celebrate the holiday season with us while taking in all six of these unique, exuberant works.

Brandenburg Concertos

Guitarist and composer Kaki King, named as one of Rolling Stone’s “250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” in 2023, brings a fun-filled story of bugs, beetles, critters, and all things sugar to the Harris Theater with BUGS. This new work has been created specifically for young audiences to bring together music, design, and technology in a live performance that is accessible for children of all ages.

BUGS

Embark on an unparalleled journey into the heart of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, "The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark," as legendary director Robert Lepage and the acclaimed dancer/choreographer Guillaume Côté reunite in a spellbinding collaboration. Following the resounding success of their previous triumph, “Frame by Frame,” these two visionary artists have once again joined forces to bring you an extraordinary rendition of Hamlet like never before.

The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark

Recognized internationally as a home for creation, innovation, and inclusion, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary ballet company, BalletX, inspires human connection through extraordinary dance experiences. Hailed as an “epicenter of creation” by Dance Magazine and a “place of choreographic innovation” by The New Yorker, the trailblazing company makes its Harris Theater debut with a groundbreaking program that expands the vocabulary of ballet.

Mixed Repertoire

Beyond the Aria: Ying Fang, Kayleigh Decker, Ian Rucker

Classical Arts Entertainment is delighted to present the magical holiday tradition of The Nutcracker, performed by the world-renowned State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine! Follow Clara on her enchanting journey as her beloved Nutcracker comes to life and battles the Mouse King, whisking her to the dazzling Land of Sweets. Experience the wonder of Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, featuring timeless pieces like “Waltz of the Flowers,” “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” and “Waltz of the Snowflakes.” With mesmerizing choreography, stunning costumes, and the beauty of hand-painted sets, this production promises a festive spectacle for the entire family.

The Nutcracker - A Magical Holiday Tradition

Join the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for their first Harris Theater appearance of the season. Acclaimed pianist Anne-Marie McDermott takes the stage with a group of world-class wind players, offering classics written for various combinations of instruments. To close the program, the full cast gathers for Poulenc’s effervescent Sextet for Winds and Piano, which the composer described as “an homage to the wind instruments I have loved from the moment I began composing.”

Virtuoso Winds

Grammy Award-winning musical ensemble and social organization Silkroad works to inspire collaboration in innovative ways that add more equity and justice into the world through the power of the arts. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens, Silkroad reaches new heights through a commitment to new music, a reignited mission towards cultural collaboration, and a reinvigorated focus to high-quality arts education that both reflects its mission and the times in which we live.

American Railroad

Hot off its Off-Broadway premiere, ‘A Taste of Ireland―The Irish Music & Dance Sensation’ hits stages across the USA this fall, performing the show that has entertained thousands around the globe. Laugh, cry and jig into the night with a production that is Celtic, for this generation.

A Taste of Ireland - The Irish Music & Dance Sensation

This year, the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance is thrilled to present "La Magia del Cuatro y Güiro" (The Magic of the Cuatro and Güiro) for its 26th Annual National Cuatro Festival. This unique concert will highlight the enchanting sounds of Puerto Rico’s cuatro music while also showcasing the güiro, a traditional percussion instrument integral to various Latin American music styles, particularly Puerto Rican folk genres like plena and salsa.

26th Annual National Cuatro Festival

LADAMA is a group of three virtuosic musicians and educators from different countries and cultures of the Americas who are sisters in song, rhythm, and spirit. As LADAMA, Lara Klaus, Daniela Serna, and Mafer Bandola harness music from their respective countries of origin (Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela), utilizing traditional and non-traditional instruments from across the Americas with a modern twist to produce Latin Alternative music. Reimagining South American and Caribbean styles like cumbia, maracatu, onda nueva, and joropo and blending them with soul, R&B, and pop, LADAMA has created a new sound all their own.

Ladama

Laurence Cummings, music director of the Academy of Ancient Music, explores life’s basic building blocks—earth, air, fire, and water. The watery Neptune splashes through Rameau’s Suite from Naïs and Ebb und Fluth, Telemann’s own “Water Music.” Vivaldi leads the earthly charge in “Autumn” from The Four Seasons. All the elements dance and twirl in Rebel’s shocking Les Elémens.

The Elements

Giordano Dance Chicago, America’s original jazz dance company enters their 62nd season SOARING! It is a season of celebration and new possibilities highlighting Artistic Director Nan Giordano’s 40th Anniversary at the helm. SOARING includes a world premiere by “Dancing with the Stars” choreographer Ray Leeper who returns for his third exhilarating work, the exciting return of Emmy award-winning Al Blackstone’s masterful one-act, Gershwin in B, and the stunningly dramatic, Flickers, choreographed by Marinda Davis.

SOARING Season 62

Carnival of the Animals, an evening-length work written and conceived by spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph in response to the events of January 6, 2021, navigates the reality of today’s political jungle through music, poetry, and dance, embodying our shifting societal values and our relationship to democracy. Anchored in Joseph’s powerful words, the work is choreographed and directed by Francesca Harper and performed by Wendy Whelan and Marc Bamuthi Joseph. The collaboration between these renowned artists crosses the boundaries of traditional genres and produces a unique and moving performance.

Carnival of the Animals

Ta-Nehisi Coates: The Message

Get ready for a special World Premiere experience as Sleeping At Last, the mastermind behind soul-stirring melodies including “Saturn”, “Turning Page”, and “You Are Enough”, joins forces with the Chicago Philharmonic for an immersive orchestral performance of the artists’ beloved songs reimagined with symphony orchestra.

Chicago Philharmonic presents an evening with Sleeping At Last

MEX talks is an annual speaker showcase created by Latinos Progresando to give Mexican and Mexican American leaders the platform to reflect on a shared identity and tell stories to inspire positive change.

MEX talks

Step into La Llorona, where Julianna Rubio Slager tenderly reinterprets the classic Mexican myth. Through poignant choreography, she navigates Maria's postpartum depression journey, shedding light on the silent struggles faced by many new mothers, particularly within minority communities. La Llorona is a heartfelt exploration of maternal pain, a call to action for greater awareness, support, and hope.

La Llorona

The Chicago-born pianist, vocalist, and composer’s mission is to keep the “soul” in music alive —and her 2017 debut album, Southside Sounds, does just that. The album, released in 2017, is a soulful, straight-ahead reflection of Lombre’s upbringing on Chicago’s South Side, a homage to the area’s lively artistic and cultural heritage. Lombre’s 2021 single, “Come Find Me,” is a song created without any borders, described by Lombre as “lyrically, a gospel song; harmonically, a jazz song; and rhythmically, a hip-hop/R&B song.” As JazzTimes put it, Lombre “realized early on that by refusing to be constrained by convention — whether so called ‘jazz’ or otherwise — she’d be honoring, rather than defiling, the rich heritage she’d come to embrace.”

Alexis Lombre

The newly formed Dubhe Ensemble aims to shine a spotlight on the most influential chamber and orchestra musicians in the world. Led by bassist Joseph Conyers (The Philadelphia Orchestra, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center), the Ensemble makes its Chicago debut with an exceptional roster including violinist Melissa White, violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez, and cellist Yumi Kendall — all celebrated musicians whose work extends beyond the stage and into the communities where they perform through advocacy and education.

With its focus on creating performances that center on authentic community connection, inclusivity, and long-lasting impact, the Dubhe Ensemble is a natural fit for the Harris Theater’s Chamber Music Series, inviting both seasoned listeners and the next generation of young musicians to engage with classical music like never before. The Ensemble's Chicago debut will feature a program pairing works from the traditional chamber canon paired with a new work by Stefan Smith, commissioned by National Orchestra Institute and Savannah Music Festival.

Dubhe Ensemble, featuring Joseph Conyers

We are thrilled to announce that Beyond the Aria will return to the Pritzker Pavilion stage with four intimate performances this 2023-24 season.

There is something magical that happens on the stage at Beyond the Aria, between the irreplicable combination of the Millennium Park backdrop, the intimate cabaret setting on the Pritzker Pavilion stage, and the brilliantly engaging repertoire curated by each artist. Each performance is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Operatic luminaries Tomasz Konieczny, Tamara Wilson, Ronnita Miller, Whitney Morrison, Eric Owens, and Will Liverman will be joined by artists from the Lyric's Ryan Opera Center in four celebratory evenings exploring what opera singers sing on their night off!

Beyond the Aria: Program IV

Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Co-created and narrated by Deke Sharon, the heralded “Father of Contemporary A Cappella” and music director of “Pitch Perfect,” this concert will take you on a whirl through the story of vocal harmony from 1900 to today. From barbershop quartets through doo-wop and boy bands, these textured sounds have permeated pop music and our entire culture.

History of Harmony

In the borderland where El Paso and Ciudad Juárez converge, thousands of women have tragically vanished, commuting between their homes and neighboring sweatshops. These women are more than statistics—they are cherished mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and wives. Their absence demands that their voices be heard, and their names remembered.

Their lives, filled with richness, beauty, tragedy, and chaos, were abruptly cut short by nameless malevolent forces. We stand witness to their stolen dreams and unfinished stories. Let us honor their memory, not only by acknowledging their haunting fate but also by celebrating the brilliance with which they illuminated the world while they lived.

Ballet 5:8 Lost Women of Juárez

The animal kingdom comes alive through charming works for orchestra under the direction of Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer. Dogs bark in Vivaldi’s “Spring” Concerto from the famous Four Seasons. Crickets chirp in Telemann’s unusually scored Cricket Symphony, while frogs ribbit in his virtuosic concerto for violin. Delight in the “clucking” and “scratching” in Haydn’s Hen Symphony, which closes the program on a wonderfully humorous note.

Birds, Frogs, Crickets, & Dogs

Mozart learned a great deal from talented musicians around him. Dame Jane Glover explores symphonies by two of his most admired mentors—Josef Myslivecek and Johann Adolph Hasse. Imogen Cooper returns to Music of the Baroque for Mozart's playful and virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 13.

Mozart & His Mentors

Emmy Award Winning Choreographer Al Blackstone joins forces with Giordano Dance Chicago to create a World Premiere theatrical one-act extravaganza. Blackstone is known for his work on both stage and screen, and he became a household name with his success on So You Think You Can Dance. With a deep love for jazz dance, Al’s character-driven choreography seeks to remind us of the beauty and fragility of being alive.

UNLIMITED Season 61

The Harris Theater's 2006 presentation of New York City Ballet (NYCB), one of the foremost ballet companies in the world, marked the beginning of Harris Theater Presents. Now under the leadership of Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, NYCB returns to Chicago as part of its 75th anniversary season in two distinct programs celebrating past, present, and future. 

21st Century Choreography

Masters at Work: Balanchine Robbins

Beyond the Aria: Ailyn Pérez, Pene Pati, Daniel Espinal

An intimate and deeply human account of Christ’s betrayal, suffering, and death, Bach’s Passion According to St. John sets scripture and poetry in emotionally moving, expressively beautiful music. Dame Jane Glover leads the chorus, orchestra, and a roster of internationally renowned soloists in one of the greatest sacred works of all time. 

The St. John Passion

New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance company comes to Chicago for the first time.

Founded by Neil Ieremia, ONZM, Black Grace performs works that draw from Ieremia’s Samoan and New Zealand roots, reaching across social, cultural, and generational barriers. Rich in the storytelling traditions of the South Pacific, the works are highly physical and expressed with raw finesse, unique beauty, and power.

Black Grace features some of New Zealand’s finest dancers. The company has toured internationally to Europe, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Australia, and New Caledonia. In 2004, Black Grace made its debut in the United States, performing a sold-out season at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, with a subsequent return in 2005. Since then, the company has performed regularly throughout North America, earning audience and critical acclaim.

Black Grace Family Matinee

Black Grace

Called a “perennially superb ensemble” by The New Yorker, the Los Angeles Master Chorale makes its Harris Theater debut with Music to Accompany a Departure, staged by acclaimed theater director Peter Sellars. In this staging — described as “transcendent” by the Los Angeles Times — twenty-four singers from the Chorale breathe life and movement into this deeply personal meditation on death and what it means to say goodbye in times of struggle.

Together, the Chorale and Sellars have created a stirring, searing, and thoroughly contemporary work from an ancient source: composer Heinrich Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien (Funeral Music) is a musical response to the plagues of his time. Considered to be the first known requiem composed in the German language, the Musikalische Exequien stands as Schütz’s most extensive funerary composition. The work, composed during the ravages of the Thirty Years’ War, anticipates the great oratorios of Bach while synthesizing the major traditions of sacred orchestral and choral music from past composers and Schütz’s own era.

Music to Accompany a Departure

Jazzmeia Horn is a vocalist and composer, author, activist, educator, multi-GRAMMY Award nominee, and winner of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition. Praised by The New York Times as “among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz, with a proud traditionalism that keeps her tightly linked to the sound of classic figures like Nancy Wilson and Betty Carter, but a vivacity of spirit and conviction that places her firmly in the present,” Horn makes her Harris Theater debut with performances on the Mix at Six and Family Series in 2024.

Jazzmeia Horn Family Matinee

Vocalist and composer Jazzmeia Horn has been praised by The New York Times as “among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz, with a proud traditionalism that keeps her tightly linked to the sound of classic figures like Nancy Wilson and Betty Carter, but with a vivacity of spirit and conviction that places her firmly in the present.”

For her Harris Theater debut in the Mix at Six series, the trailblazing performer presents new work from her forthcoming album, Messages, alongside songs from her GRAMMY Award-nominated 2021 record Dear Love. Horn is joined by an all-star jazz band featuring Sean Mason (piano), Jason Clotter (bass), Michael Reed (drums), Jason Marshall (baritone and tenor saxophone), and Josh Evans (trumpet).

Horn on Dear Love: “I tried to figure out how the songs can be in alignment with what's true to me and what's true in my reality as a Black woman, but then also be relatable to anyone who’s not part of my culture. I went through my list of charts and said, ‘OK, which of these songs really speaks to love in multiple ways—love for my community, love for my culture, love for my partner, love for my children, love for myself. Which one of these songs is going to speak on all of those different things?’ These songs are love letters to everyone.”

Jazzmeia Horn

There is something magical that happens on the stage at Beyond the Aria, between the irreplicable combination of the Millennium Park backdrop, the intimate cabaret setting on the Pritzker Pavilion stage, and the brilliantly engaging repertoire curated by each artist. Each performance is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Operatic luminaries Tomasz Konieczny, Tamara Wilson, Ronnita Miller, Whitney Morrison, Eric Owens, and Will Liverman will be joined by artists from the Lyric's Ryan Opera Center in four celebratory evenings exploring what opera singers sing on their night off!

Beyond the Aria: Program III

Baroque riches abound as internationally acclaimed violinist Viktoria Mullova joins forces with guest conductor Jonathan Cohen, the newly appointed music director of Boston’s Handel & Haydn Society. Mullova’s unparalleled affinity for Bach shines in his Violin Concertos in A Minor and E Major. Wildly colorful suites by French Baroque composers Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau add a dash of French flair. 

Mullova Plays Bach

In a concert celebrating the range of the cello-piano duo repertoire, Debussy’s groundbreaking late sonata—the first truly modern work on the genre—leads seamlessly to the dreamy opening of Bruce Adolphe’s Couple, composed for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s own David Finckel and Wu Han. Mendelssohn’s Second Sonata, a masterpiece of his extensive instrumental output, is a prime example of everything we associate with Mendelssohn, from racing, virtuosic outer movements to a magical scherzo and a slow movement based on a Christian hymn.

An Evening with David Finckel and Wu Han

Through its inspiring story, beautiful music and charming choreography, “The Nutcracker” is a celebration of the joyous holiday season. “The Nutcracker” takes us on an unforgettable journey with young Marie as she travels from her home on Christmas Eve to the Kingdom of Snow and the Land of the Sweets, featuring George Balanchine’s Sugar Plum Fairy Pas De Deux. For adults, it is a time to relive cherished memories of childhood. For children who wait with breathless anticipation for the holidays to arrive, it is the opportunity to create new memories. For everyone, it is a time for sharing and giving among family and friends.

Ballet Chicago: The Nutcracker

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) returns in December 2023 with Bach’s complete Brandenburg concertos, performed in their original instrumentation – each year in a different order with an evolving roster of the finest CMS musicians.

If Johann Sebastian Bach had only left the world his six Brandenburg Concertos, he would still reside in the pantheon of the great composers. One memorable tune is heard after another; uplifting energy abounds; feats of virtuosity for violins, violas, cellos, oboes, trumpet, horns, and harpsichord leap from the stage. With their novel instrumentation and irresistible energy, the six concertos are uplifting to all who hear them and have become an annual tradition at the Harris.

Shostakovich’s absurdist masterpiece makes its long anticipated Chicago debut in a new production by legendary director Francesca Zambello. Kovalyov wakes up one morning to discover his nose has not only taken on a life of its own, but is a high-ranking government official. Kovalyov chases his nose around the streets of St. Petersburg in a hilarious series of events, encountering many quirky characters along the way. With an electrifying avant-garde score by legendary Russian composer Dmitiri Shostakovich, it is sure to appeal to your scents of humor.

The Nose

Experience unforgettable moments with your loved ones this holiday season by attending The Nutcracker. The timeless tradition is a captivating classic that will warm your heart. You'll be transported to a winter wonderland filled with vibrant characters and toy soldiers with the State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine's enchanting production. Tchaikovsky's iconic score includes instantly recognizable melodies like "Waltz of the Flowers," "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," and "Waltz of the Snowflakes." This must-see performance is suitable for all ages, ensuring a magical experience for everyone.

Politics may have prompted Chicago’s nickname, but wind and water are at the heart of its identity. Dame Jane Glover leads a program impishly inspired by our hometown, including a suite from Handel’s grand Water Music. Music of the Baroque's wind and horn principals move center stage in Hummel’s Bassoon Concerto and Mozart’s fourth Horn Concerto. Symphonies by Joseph Bologne and Joseph Haydn, both members of the mysterious Freemason Society, add to the intrigue.

Windy City

The Emmy Award-winning Annual National Cuatro Festival (NCF) is a unique music event that brings the best Cuatro musicians “cuatristas” from Puerto Rico and the mainland to Chicago for a one-of-a-kind concert experience. This cultural event highlights the national instrument of Puerto Rico as an important part of our heritage and history. It is more than a concert, it as a gathering of Chicago’s most long time Latino residents, the Puerto Rican community, and an opportunity to join together with pride to celebrate the beauty of the Chicago’s diversity.

25th Annual National Cuatro Festival

Venezuelan singer Nella has quickly become acclaimed for her powerhouse voice and her undeniable stage presence. Called a “genre-bending singer/songwriter with bell-toned vocals” by Billboard, Nella merges the folklore roots of Venezuela, modern production, and Andalusian inspirations to create a sound that resonates across the globe.

After skyrocketing to international renown with her debut album Voy (I Go) and earning the 2019 Latin GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist, Nella’s latest album, Doce Margaritas (Twelve Daisies), finds her reuniting with acclaimed Spanish producer and songwriter Javier Limón. The album explores independence, desolation, and finding a sense of self, with Nella’s ethereal vocals set against a beguiling mix of pop, jazz, Spanish flamenco and tropical clave rhythms.

Nella

Welcome to the first in-person 3Arts Awards celebration since 2019, For the Love of Artists, a homecoming celebration that applauds the artists at the heart of our city.

Join us as we honor ten new 3Arts awardees who have been selected by national jury panels to receive $30,000 awards, ten Make a Wave artists who have been selected by past 3Arts awardees to receive $2,000 surprise grants for their indispensable contributions to our city, and five Next Level $50,000 award recipients, who are receiving a second award from our organization.

3Arts Awards: For the Love of Artists

Akram Khan on Jungle Book reimagined: “We are now living in unprecedented and uncertain times, not only for our species but for all species on this planet. And the root cause of this conundrum is because we have forgotten our connection to our home, our planet. We all inhabit it, we all take from it, and we all build on it, but we have forgotten to return our respect for it. So I believe that we must make changes from the grassroots up if we are to see a brighter future. And so I feel compelled to share the story — lovingly known as The Jungle Book — with children and adults from all cultures, in order to re-learn what we, as a species, have so conveniently forgotten. And I believe that the strongest and deepest way to tell this story is through the magic of dance, music, and theater.”

Jungle Book reimagined

Beyond the Aria: Program II

As HSDC's season opener, Fall Series: Of Peace welcomes audiences back to the Harris Theater with a triptych of sweeping, celebratory works to lift your spirits and warm your soul. Darrell Grand Moultrie's Dichotomy of a Journey, called "exhilarating" by WTTW, is followed by the joyful Coltrane's Favorite Things by Lar Lubovitch. The program closes with the lyrical and moving return to patience by Hubbard Street's Resident Artist Aszure Barton. 

Fall Series: Of Peace

An extraordinary core creative team of Black women artists, brought together by Volcano, a Toronto-based production company whose work transcends borders of all kinds — international, artistic, and cultural — gives the U.S. premiere to Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, an inventive reimagining of the composer’s often-overlooked 1911 opera and one of The New York Times’ top classical music performances of 2023.”

Harris Theater

2 - 4 May, 2025

Scott Joplin's Treemonisha — A Musical Reimagining

Apr 23, 2025

Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence

Apr 16, 2025

The Music of Hans Zimmer & Others - A Celebration of Film Music

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