Joffrey Ballet 'The Little Mermaid' performing final shows this weekend. What Should I Look for? While the ballet and the Disney film share certain narrative landmarks, you wont find thingamabobs or dancing lobsters here. The Joffrey Ballet. Much more in keeping with the darkness of Hans Christian Andersens 1837 fairy tale, this nearly 2-hour adaptation is meditative, intense, unsettling and sometimes even grim. The Joffrey premiere continues through April 30 at the Lyric Opera House. 1920 South Wabash Avenue . And about these two men? To understand and appreciate the Joffrey Ballets new production of The Little Mermaid, its important first of all to understand that it has little to do with Walt Disneys hugely successful if anodyne animated version from 1989. They are onecreator and creation. Category But not all arts organizations are feeling Wheaters confidence in audiences. Where: Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Running time: 2.5 hours with one intermission. A gripping tableau of shadows and colors, Neumeier's world-renowned production of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 tragic folktale follows the tormented mermaid heroine on a journey between the divergent worlds of land and seaone . The ballet company is reporting a strong season so far and hopes the massive production brings in pre-pandemic level audiences. Look for how perfectly matched the Poet and the Mermaids movements are. The Little Mermaidruns now-April 30 at the Lyric Opera House. With sets and costumes of the grandest scale and an original score by composer Lera Auerbach, this heartbreaking tragedy, based on Andersens original and complex themes, makes its long-awaited Chicago debut. As it turns out, deals with the devil rarely pan out. April 29, 2023 / 9:36 AM Mourning his separation from Edvard, a tear rolls slowly down the Poets cheek, falling into a sea of memories and fantasies. However, instead of happily ever after, she now has a front row seat to watch his developing relationship with the Princess. And finally, Joffrey looks to Hans Christian Andersen with the company premiere of The Little Mermaid, John Neumeier's spellbinding, unflinching adaptation of the fairy tale that features music by contemporary composer Lera Auerbach. Joffrey Ballet Mounts Chicago Premiere Of John Neumeier's THE LITTLE Joffrey Ballet: The Little Mermaid . The Joffrey Ballet The Little Mermaid' When: 7:30 p.m. April 21, with eight more performances through April 30 Where: Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive Tickets: $36-$200 Info: joffrey.org So, as much as the ballet is a story of a mermaid who longs for love and pines to be human, it is also about the power of fantasy, imagination and words. The Joffrey Ballet mounts largest production ever: John Neumeier's 'The The Joffreys move in 2020 from the Auditorium theater to the larger stage at the Lyric Opera House opened up the possibility of a grand production with 46 dancers spread across two casts, and enormous set designs including a boat with a 28 foot chimney. / CBS Chicago, CHICAGO (CBS) -- Time is running out to watch the Joffrey Ballet's performance of "The Little Mermaid.". This hauntingly beautiful production blends dance, dramatic storytelling and. The Joffrey's 'Little Mermaid' reaches for audience with its largest But the creative mind of John Neumeier, truly, is like no other; iconoclastic to the core, Neumeier is consistently weird and wonderful but not everyones cup of tea. Joffrey's release emphasizes that . The Story of John Neumeier's 'The Little Mermiad' A Tale of Memories, Fantasies, and Longing PROLOGUE During a sea voyage, a Poet remembers the wedding of his dear friend Edvard to Henriette. Joffrey Ballet's 'The Little Mermaid' final shows - CBS Chicago Claire Rice, executive director with Arts Alliance Illinois, told WBEZs Reset theaters business models are facing fundamental challenges and the words fiscal cliff are not unfamiliar to the areas performing arts organizations. Live music will be performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Scott Speck, Music Director of The Joffrey Ballet. The Joffrey Ballet caps a spectacular 2022-23 season with the long-awaited Chicago premiere of John Neumeier's "The Little Mermaid." Those headed to the Lyric Opera House hoping to. After treading water since 2021 in response to pandemic concerns, The Little Mermaid will finally be on stage through April 30th in what the Joffrey Ballet says is one of the biggest non-Nutcrackerproductions in the companys history. This ballet could not exist without the rich, deeply expressive score by Lera Auerbach, a Soviet-born Austrian American composer who shows herself to be every bit a successor in this realm to Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. Joffrey Ballet: The Little Mermaid Visit the ballet performance calendar to view dates of all showings of this program. This time, the Prince finds the Mermaid washed up on the shore and takes her onboard his ship. 'The Little Mermaid' Program Book | Joffrey Ballet THE LITTLE MERMAID Choreographer: John Neumeier Joffrey Ballet + Add to Google Calendar + iCal / Outlook export Tags: Joffrey Ballet, Joffrey Ballet 2022-2023 Season, John Neumeier, Lyric Opera House, The Little Mermaid With sets and costumes of the grandest scale and an original score by composer Lera Auerbach, this fantastical love story, based on Andersens original and decidedly complex themes, makes its long-awaited Chicago debut. This production also would not have been possible without the milestone, career-defining performances of the principals, starting with Jaiani, who is onstage for nearly the entire ballet in the title role and displays extraordinary endurance and commanding and unwavering stage presence. Expanded Educational Programs. During their farewell, the little Mermaid wonders whether the Prince feels, just for a moment, the depth of her passion. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. Conductor Scott Speck is in top form, propelling the ballet forward and drawing the absolute best from the Lyric Opera Orchestra, which delivers in-the-moment playing that piercingly conveys the musics turbulent, ever-changing flavor. Skonie Skoop on Twitter: "RT @cbschicago: Joffrey Ballet's 'The Little Its really going to take a confluence of both audiences coming back, but then additional government support for this important work, philanthropic support and reexamination of the business model, said Rice. Tickets start at $36. Adorned in an aquatic-hued bodice and extra-long, silky Hammer pants, Jaiani swims through an undulating, underwater playground with the assistance of three tall men dressed like Samurai. The Story of John Neumeier's 'The Little Mermiad' | Joffrey Ballet Then theres Victoria Jaiani, who just two months ago was dancingthe lead role in Anna Karenina. I didnt think she could get better than that, but here we are. Jaiani falls in love with him and seeks to be part of his world. She barters for human legs with the Sea Witch and is dropped on the beach to figure the rest out on her own. He settled on long pants that seem to flow as if in water. The Plot:We meet the Poet at the bottom of the sea, where his desire for Edvard takes shape as a mermaid who dreams of visiting the human world. A renaissance artist for modern times, Auerbach is a widely recognized conductor, pianist, and composer. Then there was Joffreys 2017debut collaborationwith the Lyric Opera, in Neumeiers Orphee et Eurydice., 'Chicago Tribune' Review: Enchanting Little Mermaid is one of Joffrey Ballets most ambitious projects yet. The Joffrey Ballet caps a spectacular 2022-23 season with the long-awaited Chicago premiere of John Neumeiers The Little Mermaid. Those headed to the Lyric Opera House hoping to encounter a certain seafaring ginger princess are in for a surprise. Magical sets. I cant explain the Samurai and wont try. Carolyn McCabe / Courtesy of the Joffrey Ballet, Spring 2023 art and culture guide: Find nearly 60 concerts, plays and more, Nine great ways to see the best of Chicago dance this spring, Edgewater man started creating crossword puzzles to ward off pandemic boredom, gets published by The New York Times, How Chance the Rappers Acid Rap changed an industry and Chicago, Illinois assault weapons ban enforcement blocked by federal judge in southern Illinois, West Side travel agent takes Chicago youth on field trips at home and abroad. All of her work is interconnected as part of a cohesive and comprehensive artistic worldview. Notice how the Poets movements seem slower and more deliberate than those of Edvard and the wedding party, and how both groups have different stylized movements that convey their thoughts and emotions. Joffrey Ballet's 'Little Mermaid' unsettles as it entrances Choose another item. Victoria Jaiani and ensemble in "The Little Mermaid" by Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House. 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. Although he has done away with the pantomime and formalism of the great story ballets of the past, the movement, though utterly contemporary, remains rooted in classical ballet, and he achieves a similar level of emotional potency. What Should I Look For? Register or Buy Tickets, Price information. Jaianis shaking new legs collapse beneath her as she navigates a place she clearly does not belong. But many other arts organizations are still struggling and in fact facing increasing fiscal problems as pandemic relief funds expire. He gives the little Mermaid a lethal knife, promising that if she kills the Prince, her tail will be restored, and she will be able to return home in the deep sea. Did they nearly kiss? . The Little Mermaid | The Joffrey Ballet It is also unfailingly entrancing and beautiful. Performances & Tickets 22-23 Season 'The Little Mermaid' Program Book 'The Little Mermaid' Program Book Beyond Borders The Nutcracker Anna Karenina The Little Mermaid Winning Works 2023 Joffrey leadership welcomes you to 'The Little Mermaid', with additional notes and insights from the artists. Lyric Opera House. Their Captain, a Princestrongly resembling Edvardis absurdly playing golf. It is also unfailingly beautiful. 'The Little Mermaid' April 19, 2023 - April 30, 2023 A gripping tableau of shadows and colors, Neumeier's beautifully haunting interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairytale follows the tormented mermaid heroine on a journey between the divergent worlds of land and seaone utterly complex, the other magnificently serene. Although the Prince is unable to see the Mermaid, her presence embraces him. The Mermaidlike the Poetisnt going to take this lying down. Chicago is right to honor Neumeier, who marks his 50thand final season as head of Hamburg Ballet this year. Somehow, we voyage from a ships deck to an enchanted underwater sea world, to what looks like the French Riviera without leaving our seats. It is typical for Neumeier to tackle nearly every aspect of a production, as he does here, creating not only the dance but also sets, lighting (with support from master designer Jim French) and costumes. The Little Mermaid. It is the Poets love for his Mermaid that gives her the soul that will make her immortal, just as she, The Little Mermaid, will immortalize him. First published on April 29, 2023 / 9:36 AM. We know that people are really wanting to come back to the theater, said Wheater. A violent ritual results in the Mermaid gaining legs, but even a single step on land causes extreme pain. Joffrey Ballet's 'The Little Mermaid' final shows happening this weekend By Jeramie Bizzle April 29, 2023 / 9:36 AM / CBS Chicago CHICAGO (CBS) -- Time is running out to watch the Joffrey. Thats way below the $9 million in ticket sales reported in 2018-2019, but it is a bounce back from pandemic lows. CBS-Chicago . This ballet is dramatic, visually stunning, and ultimately heartbreaking. The Joffrey premiere continues through April 30 at the Lyric Opera House. They leave together. Deeply in love with the Prince, the little Mermaids desire to be loved in return is now clearly in vain; today he will marry the Princess. Continue Shopping Item details Date. The ballet, choreographed by world-renowned John Neumeier, is inspired by Hans Christian Andersens 1837 tragic love story in which a mermaid willing to sacrifice everything for love trades in her tail for legs to dance on land. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Joffrey Ballet's 'Little Mermaid' unsettles as it entrances Date April 20, 2023 Category In the News In keeping with the darkness of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairy tale, this adaptation is meditative, intense and sometimes even grim. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Instead of some kind of prosthetic fish tail, the Little Mermaid wore billowy blue pants with huge bell bottoms that trailed 2 or 3 feet beyond her feet. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Joffrey Ballet 'The Little Mermaid' performing final shows - YouTube What Will I See? Mourning his separation from Edvard, a tear rolls slowly down the Poet's cheek, falling into a sea of memories and fantasies. Because of that, and the sheer difficulty of everything about this production from Neumeiers unnatural movement language to undulating LED color-changing light tubes depicting the oceans surface to Auerbachs gorgeous, unforgiving (and nearly uncountable) score has to be perfect to be legible. WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. The Poet clearly thinks of Edvard as more than just a friend and is in despair over his wedding to Henriette. 'The Little Mermaid' | Joffrey Ballet Joffrey Ballet: The Little Mermaid The Little Mermaid | The Joffrey Ballet Season Performances. The Little Mermaid is currently at the historic Lyric Opera House (20 North Upper Wacker Drive) in downtown Chicago, only staying for ten performances (April 19-30th, 2023). One major complication for the choreographer in creating this ballet was how to make dancers look like they had fins, not legs. Notice how these costumes act almost like props and change the way the dancers move. Notice how people on landboth the Mermaid, once shes transformed, and the humansmove differently than the creatures under the sea. Chicago's Joffrey Ballet stages 'The Little Mermaid' | WBEZ Chicago (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT). The Little Mermaid runs April 19-30, 2023. by Blair Ingenthron Feb. 17, 2023. Magical sets. This Little Mermaid is a macabre deep-dive into Hans Christian Andersens 1837 literary fairy tale. 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The Joffrey Ballet presents John Neumeier's The Little Mermaid. Joffrey Ballet: The Little Mermaid, Civic Opera House, Chicago, April This prologue serves as a framing narrative for the rest of the ballet and introduces us to the Poet and Edvard. Darryl Kubian offers a virtuosic performance here. One of the girls, a Princesslooking very much like Henriettediscovers the Prince. In the News. While the ballet and the Disney film share certain narrative landmarks, you wont find thingamabobs or dancing lobsters here. Joffrey Ballet 'The Little Mermaid' performing final shows this weekend (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT). Jos Pablo Castro Cuevas, Anais Bueno and ensemble in "The Little Mermaid" by Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House. Visions of the sea cross through her dream. At the same time, Yoshihisa Arai (retiring at the end of the 2022-23 season) could hardly be more menacing as the Sea Witch, with his white-and-black face paint and his lurking, crouching and serpentine moves. Heartrending romance. As the Mermaid watches in despair, the Prince falls for the Princess. The little Mermaid is left alone. Everybody in the company says its an enormous amount of work.. Wheater said Joffrey is confident that large audiences are ready to come back out for live arts and support the production. 10 East Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601. To come and see these beautiful dancers that are at the top of their professional life deliver such extraordinary performances. Germane to Neumeiers aesthetic is an uncompromising commitment to the world he seeks to create often at the expense of what ballet audiences might typically consider beautiful. Theyve danced together earlier in the ballet, but not with this kind of uniformity, almost as if one is the shadow of the other. At the bottom of the sea, the Poets longing for Edvard takes the form of a little mermaid. Believing the Princess to be one who saved him, the Prince seems to fall in love with her. High drama. A tear rolls down his cheek and he follows that tear as it falls into the ocean. During the celebrations, the Sea Witch appears as part of a strange entertainment. The Plot:The ballet opens on a boat, where we see the Poet thinking about his best friend Edvard. Administrative Offices . This lovely sea creature watches a ship pass on the waters surface, and dreams of the earth world. Her body is crumpled into itself and she tentatively extends and examines her new legs and wobbles as she tries to stand up. Migrant children have been put to work in hazardous jobs, in violation of child labor laws, according to recent news reports. This act is all about the Mermaids psychology. Wheater hopes big productions like The Little Mermaid meet the audiences longing for live performances post-pandemic. By Kyle MacMillen, Chicago Sun-Times April 20, 2023 Stefan Goncalvez handily secures his place as one of Joffreys leading men as the Poet, presumably embodying Andersen himself as the empathetic architect of this story. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Neumeiers first professional gig was at the Lyric Opera in 1961, where he performed Ruth Pages choreography in the world premiere of Vittorio Gianninis English-language opera The Harvest. He trained at Chicagos revered Stone-Camryn School of Ballet and danced in the company of modern dance legend Sybil Shearer, but has spent the bulk of his life in Europe. See casting information for 'The Little Mermaid'. Your Ultimate Guide to 'The Little Mermaid' | Joffrey Ballet But most important is her ability to inhabit and project the feelings of the Little Mermaid, especially the characters fear, doubt and vulnerability when she arrives essentially naked onshore about being transformed into a human. Neumeiers beautifully haunting interpretation of Hans Christian Andersens 1837 tragic folk tale follows the tormented mermaid on a journey between the divergent worlds of land and seaone utterly complex, the other magnificently serene. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg) The Joffrey Ballet closes its 67th season with the long-awaited Chicago premiere of John Neumeier 's beautifully haunting interpretation of The Little Mermaid. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Chicago is right to honor Neumeier, who marks his 50thand final season as head of Hamburg Ballet this year. Audiences are craving the live experience in the theater, Wheater said. Intense theatricality. The Joffrey Ballet will close its 67th season with the long-awaited Chicago premiere of John Neumeier's hauntingly . So, as much as the ballet is a story of a mermaid who longs for love and pines to be human, it is also about the power of fantasy, imagination and words. Players wave their hands near two antennas to create wavering, otherworldly sounds that are ideally suited to this ballet. Joffrey Ballet Presents "The Little Mermaid" - Concierge Preferred We conducted a brief survey of the entire field showing 41% in November of 2022 are still seeing significant revenue loss for their organization, said Rice. For tickets, visit joffrey.org or call (312) 386-8905. She seeks out the Sea Witch for help. Bravura Ballerina Leads a Strange but Stunningly Performed Take on 'The Araceli Gmez-Aldana is a reporter and host at WBEZ. It is a huge, huge undertaking in terms of scenic and in terms of choreography, said Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet Ashley Wheater. The Little Mermaid | Joffrey Ballet Home Performances & Tickets 22-23 Season The Little Mermaid The Little Mermaid Performance Details When April 19-30, 2023 Where Lyric Opera House Choreography John Neumeier Original Score Lera Auerbach Running Time 2 Hours 25 Minutes She really does love him. The Joffrey Ballet ensemble in a production of "The Little Mermaid." (Credit: Cheryl Mann) The tale being told here is a very adult one, which is somewhat too long in its first act and not always easy to follow. Jos Pablo Castro Cuevas, Anais Bueno and ensemble in "The Little Mermaid" by Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House. Theyre just so incredibly moving and beautiful.. This Little Mermaid is a macabre deep-dive into Hans Christian Andersens 1837 literary fairy tale. 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. 'The Little Mermaid' The Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera of Chicago 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago Tickets: 312-386-8905 or Joffrey.org Runs: 2 hours, 30 minutes Closes: April 30. But it is clear to her that she could never harm him. The Little Mermaid | Civic Opera House | Chicago, IL | Theater in Chicago