Displaying items by tag: Tchaikovsky

Ashley Wheater MBE, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, today announces the Joffrey's 2026-2027 season at Lyric Opera House, featuring the North American premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's The Sleeping Beauty, set to Tchaikovsky's greatest score, and the Chicago premiere of John Neumeier's landmark narrative ballet Liliom. The Joffrey will be the first American company to bring both ambitious, larger-than-life productions to life.

The Joffrey Ballet begins its 2026-2027 season with the Chicago premiere of John Neumeier's Liliom, September 17–27, 2026. Inspired by Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play and later the basis for the musical adaptation Carousel, Liliom traces a haunting story of love and redemption set against the faded glamour of a Depression-era amusement park, featuring an evocative score by multi-Academy Award®-winning composer Michel Legrand. Soon after, two-time Tony Award®-winner Christopher Wheeldon's The Nutcracker returns with its unmistakable sense of magic, December 4–27, 2026, followed by Notes on Love, February 4–14, 2027, a program exploring love through four distinct lenses—with favored works by Liam Scarlett and Nicolas Blanc, alongside a world premiere by Winning Works alum Houston Thomas. Closing the season in glorious fashion is the North American premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's The Sleeping Beauty, a timeless fairy tale transformed into a theatrical spectacle, featuring Jerome Kaplan's lavish costume and set design and Tchaikovsky's greatest score. The beloved classic is a magical celebration for audiences of all ages, May 13–23, 2027.

"The 2026–2027 season places the Joffrey at the forefront of dance, with works of rare theatrical scale," says The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE. "We are proud to be the first American company to present the Chicago premiere of Liliom, John Neumeier's masterful, heartbreakingly beautiful narrative ballet rarely seen in the United States, as well as the North American premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's The Sleeping Beauty. Set to Tchaikovsky's greatest score, this magnificent season finale reminds us that light always prevails over darkness. Alongside these landmark productions is our winter program, which welcomes the return of Liam Scarlett's breathtaking Hummingbird, and a world premiere by Winning Works alum Houston Thomas—speaking to the Grainger Academy's lasting impact on artistic futures." Wheater continues, "This season brings the full breadth of the art form on one stage, performed by a Company dancing at the highest level."

"Following the Joffrey's 70th Anniversary, the 2026–2027 season sets the tone for the next 70 years," says President and CEO Greg Cameron. "With a Chicago premiere, a North American premiere, and a world premiere, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE has curated a season that reflects an organization operating at scale—investing in artists, pairing artistic ambition with structural strength, and asserting Chicago's role as a center for creative leadership. This season expresses the confidence and continuity of the Joffrey, with audiences at the center of it all."

All season performances take place at the Lyric Opera House in downtown Chicago at 20 North Upper Wacker Drive. All programs throughout the season feature live music performed by members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Scott Speck, Music Director of The Joffrey Ballet.   

About the 2026–2027 Season 

Liliom | September 17–27, 2026 

Choreographer: John Neumeier | Music: Michel Legrand

Chicago Premiere 

One of the most influential artists of our time, Neumeier brings his landmark narrative ballet, Liliom, to the Joffrey for its Chicago premiere. Inspired by Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play and later the basis for the musical adaptation Carousel, Neumeier's adaptation follows Liliom, the charismatic but self-destructive carnival barker whose fierce love for Julie is unraveled by pride, poverty, and rage. Set amid the dreamlike, faded glamour of an American amusement park during the Great Depression, passion turns toward crime—and ultimately, tragedy.

Granted a chance to return to Earth after death, Liliom confronts the consequences of his choices and attempts one final act of grace. What remains is a stark reckoning with guilt and the fragile possibility of redemption. Rarely presented in the United States, Liliom is among Neumeier's most profound artistic endeavors. Distinguished by his signature emotional depth and theatrical nuance, Liliom takes shape through multi-Academy Award®-winning composer Michel Legrand's evocative score, blending classical and jazz influences that echo a restless America.

From the choreographer of The Little Mermaid and other celebrated works, including Sylvia and the Lyric Opera's first collaboration with the Joffrey, Orphee, Neumeier's masterpiece Liliom makes its Chicago premiere with the Joffrey, the first American ballet company to bring the production to life. Learn more about John Neumeier here.

With gratitude to Liliom Presenting Sponsor Mr. and Mrs. Joel V. Williamson, Major Sponsor Pamela Crutchfield, and Production Sponsor Holly Palmer Foundation. 

The Nutcracker | December 4–27, 2026 

Choreographer: ©Christopher Wheeldon | Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky  

This holiday season, step into the spellbinding world where history and dreams intertwine. Join Marie and her Nutcracker prince on a fantastical adventure in Christopher Wheeldon's kaleidoscopic reimagining of The Nutcracker, set amid the wonder of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. On a magical Christmas Eve, after awakening to an epic battle between Toy Soldiers and the Rat King, a flurry of snowflakes sweeps Marie away on a whirlwind journey to the dreamlike fairgrounds of the World's Columbian Exposition. Set to Tchaikovsky's classic score, experience sprawling attractions from around the globe: the radiant Golden Statue, the mystique of an Arabian enchantress, vibrant Venetian masked dancers, Chinese dragons, and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Learn more about Christopher Wheeldon here.  

With gratitude to The Nutcracker Presenting Sponsor Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company.

Notes on Love | February 4–14, 2027

Notes on Love explores a word that refuses a single definition. Winning Works alum Houston Thomas, alongside choreographers Liam Scarlett and Nicolas Blanc, consider the feeling through four distinct lenses: love as place, as longing, as memory, and as nostalgia—each revealing love in all its depth and beauty.

The full program is as follows: 

Dear Chicago: A Love Letter

World Premiere

Choreographer: Houston Thomas | Music: Jonathan Bingham

This world premiere from 2024 Winning Works choreographer Houston Thomas places Chicago front and center. Conceived as a love letter to the city that shaped him, the work translates its rhythm and creative drive into movement. An original score by Jonathan Bingham with layered poetry adds emotional depth to this ensemble piece, capturing the scale, energy, and pulse of Chicago itself. Learn more about Houston Thomas here.

With gratitude to Houston Thomas's World Premiere Commissioned Score Sponsor Zell Family Foundation.

All that Remains

Chicago Premiere 

Choreographer: Nicolas Blanc | Music: Ezio Bosso  

Beneath an imagined sky of clouds and rain, three dancers move through cycles of attachment and separation, love, and the memories that linger between them. Set to music by Ezio Bosso, whose compositions have long inspired Blanc and are celebrated for their beauty, sensitivity, and emotional power, All that Remains extends a deep artistic bond, allowing Bosso's resonance to live on through dance. Learn more about Nicolas Blanc here.  

Hummingbird

Choreographer: Liam Scarlett | Music: Philip Glass 

Scarlett's Hummingbird is a breathtaking exploration of human connection, blending classical form with emotional immediacy. Set to Philip Glass's Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, the work articulates love and longing through a progression of three pas de deux. Sweeping ensemble patterns give way to a searing second movement that pushes the dancers to visible exhaustion, revealing the strenuous demands of intimacy. Framed by John Macfarlane's hand-painted stage designs, Hummingbird feels both expansive and intimate—a precise, powerful meditation on what it means to connect. Learn more about Liam Scarlett here.  

Les Boeufoons

Choreographer: Nicolas Blanc | Music: Darius Milhaud

In 1920s Paris, no place captured the city's flourishing, eclectic spirit more vividly than the cabaret bar Le Boeuf sur le Toit. A cultural crossroads, it drew artistic luminaries from Cole Porter to Igor Stravinsky and took its name from Darius Milhaud's theatrical, Brazilian-inflected composition. Les Boeufoons draws inspiration from the surreal, uninhibited world of Jean Cocteau's original choreography and from the famed Fratellini brothers, the circus clowns who first brought the work to life.

Les Boeufoons is a co-commission with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The Sleeping Beauty | May 13–23, 2027  

Choreographer: ©Christopher Wheeldon | Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

North American Premiere 

A timeless fairy tale transformed into a theatrical spectacle, The Sleeping Beauty conjures a world of grandeur and enchantment. The beloved classic frames the enduring struggle between good and evil, as Princess Aurora falls under a spell that threatens to still an entire kingdom—only to be awakened by true love's kiss. Upon her return, the realm is restored, and light prevails over darkness. Choreographed by two-time Tony Award®-winner Christopher Wheeldon, The Sleeping Beauty blends classical elegance with vivid, cinematic storytelling. With dazzling choreography, Jerome Kaplan's lavish costume and set design, and Tchaikovsky's unforgettable score, Joffrey's season finale blossoms into a magical celebration for audiences of all ages.  From the choreographer of the critically acclaimed Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker.

With gratitude to The Sleeping Beauty Presenting Sponsors Lorna Ferguson and Terry Clark, and Mr. and Mrs. Joel V. Williamson, Major Sponsor Mary Jo and Doug Basler, and Production Sponsor Holly Palmer Foundation.  

Other Engagements 

Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet: Fall Program | November 2026  

ART on THE MART | December 2026 

ART on THE MART celebrates Christopher Wheeldon's The Nutcracker. Figures of the re-imagined Chicago World's Fair-themed production will dance across the imposing facade of THE MART.   

Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet: Winning Works | March 2027 

The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet celebrates the Seventeenth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. The culminating performances follow a national call for emerging choreographers whose unique perspectives inspire creativity in the form of original works of dance.

With gratitude to Winning Works Sponsors Pritzker Foundation and Rita Spitz.

Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet: Spring Program | May 2027 

The Joffrey Ballet's touring dates are to be announced.

Tickets and Subscriptions for the Joffrey's 2026–2027 Season Performances  

Three-program subscriptions for the fall, winter, and spring season productions, which do not include The Nutcracker, start at $138. Subscriptions are available for purchase online at joffrey.org, by mail (Joffrey Ballet Subscriptions, The Joffrey Ballet, Joffrey Tower, 10 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601), by telephone at 312.386.8905, by fax at 312.739.0119 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Single tickets for the September, February, and May performances, as well as The Nutcracker, will be available starting this summer. Single tickets are available by telephone at 312.386.8905 or online at joffrey.org. Please visit joffrey.org for updates.  

All performances are subject to change.  

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 71 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 2026–2027 Season Sponsors: The Abbott Fund, Alphawood Foundation Chicago, Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, Gallagher, The Florian Fund, and Anne L. Kaplan. Live Music Sponsors: Sandy and Roger Deromedi, Sage Foundation, and The Marina and Arnold Tatar Fund for Live Music. The Joffrey also acknowledges our Season Partners: ATHLETICO and Chicago Athletic Clubs.

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

At this time of year, when Christmas lights begin to twinkle and colors of green and red illuminate throughout the city, I am nostalgically drawn to the ballet. To me, there is nothing so quintessentially magical as The Nutcracker ballet at Christmas time. I can hum, and chair compose the entirety of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece. I can mark every step to every number of the two-act ballet (shout out to Inland Pacific Ballet). I can picture my grandmother sewing the principal dancers into their tutus, and my mother managing ticket sales and donning the mother-ginger costume. For me, the holiday and the ballet are indivisibly interconnected. And now that I’ve lived in Chicagoland for longer than my childhood in Southern California, there is something nostalgically familiar and magical about Christopher Wheeldon's kaleidoscopic reimagining of The Nutcracker, now playing at The Lyric Opera House.

On a magical Christmas Eve, after awakening to an epic battle between Toy Soldiers and the Rat King, a flurry of snowflakes sweeps Marie away on a whirlwind journey to the dreamlike fairgrounds of the World's Columbian Exposition. Set to Tchaikovsky's classic score, experience sprawling attractions representing countries from around the globe: the dazzling Golden Statue, the mystique of an Arabian enchantress, vibrant Venetian masked dancers, Chinese dragons, and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. This holiday season, enter the spellbinding world where history and dreams intertwine.

The Nutcracker Amanda Assucena and Hyuma Kiyosawa in Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker at Lyric Opera House.

Wheeldon’s The Nutcracker is set against the majesty of the 1893 World’s Fair of Chicago. Though remnants of the fair can still be found in buildings like The Museum of Science and Industry, the true grandeur and spectacle is lost to photographs, sketches, and our imaginations. The magic and marvel of the fair’s White City is rumored to be the inspiration for the Emerald City in his best-selling children’s book of 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. While there is no solid evidence to support this claim, it would make sense that the fair, where Cracker Jacks, the Ferris wheel, and electricity itself were debuted and displayed, could inspire a magical city of Oz. It’s that same magic that Wheeldon captures in the Joffrey’s production of The Nutcracker. The uniquely Chicago-centric production of the ballet features the familiar storyline of Marie and her family, though it focuses on the love story between The Great Impresario of the Fair, performed by Stefan Gonçalvez, and Marie’s mother, the sculptress for the Fair and The Queen of the Fair, performed by Gayeon Jung. It shows the humble working-class families that built the city itself in the first act, juxtaposed against the vibrant and colorful world of the White City in the second act. The humility and simplicity of one act contrasted with the majesty of the second, coupled with journeys across Lake Michigan, make this production equally familiar and relatable. To date, it’s still one of my favorite productions of the ballet, quintessentially Chicago and absolutely magical.

What I wouldn’t give to be a snowflake in the core, a worker at the fair dancing beneath the first Ferris Wheel, or simply a watcher from the wings of this beautiful ballet. At this point, I have seen and reviewed the play more years than I performed in the ballet, and I still get goosebumps when the tree rises, and the snow falls. Whether you are seeing it for the hundredth time, the tenth time, or the first, every Chicagoan should experience the Nutcracker. Experience the magic for yourself. The Nutcracker is playing now through December 28^th at The Lyric Opera House (20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago). Do not overpay for Joffrey tickets! Beware of ticket resellers offering overpriced or invalid tickets. The Joffrey is the only official seller with the best prices, available at www.joffrey.org.

As someone who has seen Tchaikovsky’s timeless holiday classic, The Nutcracker, performed many times over, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect last night at the Cadillac Palace’s presentation of The Hip Hop Nutcracker.

But after experiencing the grandeur and soaring beauty of Tchaikovsky’s magical musical tale of a young girl and her Nutcracker prince reimagined as a modern-day love story set in a gritty urban backdrop and performed by a very talented and athletic ensemble of hip hop dancers, I was completely sold.

Yes, there still is Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker prince, the Mouse King and his gang, and the mysterious Drosselmeyer cast as a magical toymaker, but under the skillful direction and choreography of Tony and Olivier Award-nominated Jennifer Weber, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is completely turned on its head – figuratively, and to be honest, literally.

Rather than the breathtaking leaps and twirls of ballet dancers, the audience was riveted by the gravity-defying breakdancing moves with performers springing from one-handed handstands to another and then spinning on their heads. The choreography was so cleverly intertwined with Tchaikovsky’s familiar orchestration that you could almost imagine that he actually intended his famous opus for hip hop.

The tone of the evening was set by special guest MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, with a brief homage to this genre’s 50^th anniversary. Along with DJ Boo, a New York-based performance DJ, Blow masterfully invited the audience to sing and dance along as he moved through a mix of hip hop classics through the years. The audience loved it.

In this retelling, Maria-Clara (Halima Dodo) is upset by her parents’ constant bickering during the annual uptown holiday street party. Drosselmeyer (Tumelo “Melo” Khupe) appears, bringing magical toys to the party and introducing Maria-Clara to a street vendor (Anthony “Omen” Cabrera) selling roasted nuts, appropriately called the Nutcracker. The party breaks up, and while Maria-Clara is on her way home, she runs into the menacing Mouse Crew. Aided by a pair of magical red sneakers hanging on a lamp pole, the Nutcracker springs to her defense and the two enjoy winter’s first snowfall.

Drosselmeyer returns to magically take Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker back in time to the Land of Sweets nightclub, where the couple witness the New Year’s Eve revelers showing off the dance styles of that time. It’s then that Maria-Clara realizes that she is witnessing the night when her parents first met and fell in love. She is overcome by their love, and when they return to present day, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker – with a bit more magic – help her parents reconcile.

The story is brought to life not only through the performers’ incredible hip hop dancing and choreography, but also by their amazing acting ability. Through their gestures and facial expressions, the ensemble brought the audience along into the story.

For me, one of the evening’s highlights was the powerhouse violinist Marissa Licata, who introduces the familiar opening strains of The Nutcracker and then appears strategically throughout the performance to move the musical narrative forward. A star soloist, she has appeared with the likes of Alicia Keys, Ben Harper, Jethro Tull, H.E.R., Ringo Starr, and Gloria Estefan, to name a few.

The set design was minimal, but skillfully done with a huge video cast on the stage’s backdrop. We’re taken right into the street scene, walk into Drosselmeyer’s toy store, and then cast back into time appropriately via a time-traveling subway, all through the magic of video. At first, the scenes and costuming are all cast in shades of black and white with only Drosselmeyer’s magical touch in red. But when we go back in time, the past comes to life in a spray of colors.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is only at the Cadillac Palace for a limited engagement through Dec. 17, but tickets are still available. For families and children of all ages, this is a wonderful introduction to The Nutcracker, and even for those well acquainted with this holiday tradition, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is an imaginative and exuberant retelling of this classic worth seeing.

As MC Blow told the audience, “I’m sure Mr. Tchaikovsky would enjoy this performance.” I quite agree. 

What would the holidays be without “The Nutcracker”? No matter where you are in the world, chances are you don’t have to go far to catch a production of the yearly tradition. Joffrey Ballet pays homage to Chicago with their unique version staged by Christopher Wheeldon. This striking version remains just as thrilling year after year and works especially well on the stage at the Lyric Opera house accompanied by the Lyric Opera orchestra.

Instead of the opulence typically associated with the Tchaikovsky ballet, Wheeldon’s version moves the story to bustling 1892 Chicago, just before the 1893 World’s Fair. Visions of the impending World’s Fair dance in the children’s heads as their parents celebrate an evening off work. Coincidentally 1892 is also when the ballet first premiered in St. Petersburg.

Wheeldon’s version makes “The Nutcracker” an American fairy tale in the same vein as “The Wizard of Oz.” It’s an interesting choice to contextualize this normally European-depicted story in an emerging international city. Joffrey’s version is somewhat darker than standard productions but that’s what gives it an edge.

“The Nutcracker” can be a little dull for adults because after all, it is a ballet about dancing food. Upon a closer glance though there’s more than meets the surface. While the spectacle is certainly worth the ticket price alone, what this version does is create a more discernable purpose for Marie’s nocturnal space travel.

Marie, danced beautifully by Anabelle de la Nuez, is a young girl on her last Christmas Eve as a child. After watching her parents and other adults dance and share grown-up romance, she dreams her beloved nutcracker comes to life and whisks her away for an enchanting evening of dance and merriment. “The Nutcracker” can be an interpreted as a tale of young girl’s awakening.

However, you interpret this timeless ballet, Joffrey’s production is one of those staple Chicago holiday shows that seem to occupy our major theaters each December. It’s refreshing to see that our hometown production is unlike anything audiences will see throughout the world.

'The Nutcracker' The Joffrey Ballet Ensemble

As a ballet, the focal point of the performance is the dance and Joffrey’s talented company of dancers from all over the world do an incredible job bringing this story to life. The choreography is transfixing for both children and adults. In fact, adults might even find some of choreography a bit saucy.

Joffrey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” is a treat for audiences of all ages, and that starts in the pit. By drawing upon Chicago’s rich cultural heritage, this version can find places for instruments not typically heard on recordings of the Tchaikovsky masterpiece. Perhaps Chicago is the only production of “The Nutcracker” in which you’ll hear an accordion.

Americanizing things isn’t always a bad thing and Christopher Wheeldon’s “The Nutcracker” is proof of that. The adaptation is so seamless you’ll wonder why it hasn’t always been presented like this. Because it’s never been staged like this anywhere else, it makes Joffrey Ballet’s production all that much more exciting to look forward to each year.

Through December 27 at Lyric Opera House. 20 North Wacker Drive. 312-386-8905.

Some reviews are as easy to write as 1, 2, 3; an intro, a body, and a conclusion. Some reviews are more difficult to write, even when following that simple formula. Even time is broken into three parts: past, present, and future. Well, I cannot go into the past to change watching The Queen of Spades, now playing at the Lyrics Opera, and I cannot predict I won’t read the Russian novel the opera is based on sometime in the future. But presently, I find three large issues with this opera that prevent me from simply writing a review.

The Queen of Spades is a story of obsession and deceit, following Gherman (Brandon Javanovich) an officer obsessed with gambling who also fancies a young noblewoman Lisa (Sondra Radvanovsky) who is engaged to another. As luck would have it, Lisa’s grandmother, the countess (Jane Henschel) could hold the secret to Gherman winning the girl and a fortune as the countess holds the secret to 3 winning cards that won her fortune. The countess has already revealed the secret of the cards to two people, and if she tells one more person she will die. Gherman manipulates and uses Lisa to get close to the countess and learn the secret of the 3 cards. These three characters' lives are intertwined and obsession eventually leads to everyone’s demise. 

The sheer talent that goes into an opera is astounding. The stage, the orchestra, and most importantly, the singers. It’s such a rare and exceptional gift to sing such powerful lyrics in this way, and Javanovich and Radvanovsky were no different. The audience frequently ooed and awed at their musical prowess. But their acting fell short, and it was difficult to decipher what the characters were feeling through the body language, staging, and acting portrayed. In one scene, it was unclear if Lisa  was fighting her feelings of love for Gherman, or if she was fearful that he would take her virtue. In another scene, it was impossible to understand if someone was paralyzed with fear or simply forgot their lines. The story is intricate but it’s not complex, so it might have been that the opera singers are simply not triple threats in singing, acting, and dancing, but just uniquely talented singers.

Russian is a difficult language. It’s difficult to learn, to speak, and even more difficult to sing in if not a native speaker. Chicago is home to a large Russian population, a population that represented a large portion of The Queen of Spade’s audience. Throughout the opera, Russian speakers could be heard exclaiming, “that’s not what they said,” as the English translation of the Russian lyrics displayed across the prompters for the audience to read. One Russian couple behind me was frustrated with the translation and wanted a Russian or cyrillic counterpart. At times, there was no translation at all. Multiple lines belted out in Russian only for no translation to appear on the prompters, no doubt adding to the confusion around what the audience was hearing and what they were seeing. Did we miss a character’s motivation? Wait, why is she crying? The Russian couple did not return for the second act and the remainder of the play, and intermissions were time for native Russian speakers to remark about how bad the accents and pronunciation were. I have sympathy for the opera singers as the language is not easy to learn and native speakers are not very forgiving to those who do not speak, or sing, the language well. 

The third and final issue of The Queen of Spades is that the opera is very long. The Queen of Spades novella can be read within an hour, so the opera lasting over 3 hours is difficult to sit through. Tchaikovsky as a composer composed a beautiful opera, but it convolutes the story and is challenging to follow. There isn’t a gut wrenching climax or surprise twist, and (spoiler alert) there isn’t much surprise when the three main players die. The opera is just left wanting. Perhaps it was merely this interpretation and production of The Queen of Spades, or perhaps it was a combination of acting, storyline, and translations. Afterall, a good story needs three elements: character, setting, and plot. If one element is lacking, the others won’t be able to support it. All three are needed to put on an exceptional play.

In Russian, the number 3 is “troika” which means “satisfactory.” Unfortunately, even with so much illusion and elements of 3, this play did not satisfy the opera scene in Chicago.

Remaining performance dates for The Queen of Spades are February 23, and 26 and March 1 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N Wacker Dr., Chicago. For tickets and information visit lyricopera.org/spades. The Queen of Spades is performed in Russian with projected English translations. Estimated running time is 3 hours 45 minutes, including two intermissions.

I arrived at the Auditorium Theatre — one of my favorite buildings in this city of ours that has so many historic buildings each with so many stories — prepared to enjoy an evening with that old Holiday chestnut, The Nutcracker. Little did I know that for the third year in a row, the Joffrey Ballet would be presenting Tchaikovsky’s work with a twist — as a story by Brian Selznick set in Chicago during the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Now, being a history buff, the setting (or settings, since I was already aware of the theatre’s history) perked me up upon reading the program pre-show. And seeing the name of the story’s author, this author of children’s books was excited to see what Selznick, a personal favorite, had in store. I wouldn’t be disappointed with the wonder and whimsy headed my way.

Right away, instead of a bourgeois European Christmastime, we’re transported to working-class Chicago circa Christmas 1892. A Victorian-clad girl played by Amanda Assucena navigates the rough and rat-infested streets of a Windy City that’s awaiting the completion and opening of the great World’s Fair in the coming year, its towering Ferris Wheel overlooking the knot-holed fences and rag-covered rapscallions she passes. A Dickensian rat catcher and the Fair’s Impresario are two recurring characters we meet before Marie arrives at the meager shack she shares with her mother and brother in the shadow of the White City.

There, the family is visited by various other working-people and immigrants for a holiday celebration. And soon, the Impresario himself, played by Miguel Angel Blanco, arrives with gifts, including a Nutcracker for young Marie. From here until the end of Act I, this Nutcracker shares much with traditional productions, with a broken Nutcracker, a nighttime dream, rats and soldiers a-fighting, and a magical gondola arriving to take Marie and the transformed Nutcracker off to a winter wonderland.

But after the intermission, Act II brings a very different wonderland — the White City of 1893 Chicago. First off, the magic comes from the strength of Tchaikovsky’s music. Every time I hear the melody after melody, each of them recognizable, of the second half, I’m reminded of just how ubiquitous this work is. Each piece has become embedded in society’s consciousness ever in the 125+ years since they were penned and premiered. And each piece is played wonderfully by the Chicago Philharmonic (three of whose musicians take the stage in the first half as players at the house party).

The World’s Fair setting, however, allows each piece a new meaning, as what were then (again, 125 years ago) exotic people dance along to Tchaikovsky’s original works. Highlights include Fernando Duarte as a hammy and hysterical Mother Nutcracker (thronged by the children’s ensemble playing hilarious cracking walnuts); Hansol Jeong’s Chinese Dancer, accompanied by the ensemble as paper dragons; and Rory Hohenstein (who was also the rat catcher) as a rootin’, tootin’ Buffalo Bill Cody surrounded by three frolicking showgirls (Lucia Connolly, Dara Holmes, and Joanna Wozniak) who would definitely attract fairgoers in 1893 or today. But the highlight of the Fair’s attractions are the Arabian Dancers, played by Jeraldine Mendoza and Dylan Gutierrez. Mendoza contorts, writhes, and dances as Gutierrez lifts and balances and turns — and the audience erupted when their dance was done all too soon.

The only dancers almost as enchanting as Mendoza and Gutierrez are Victoria Jaiani (who also plays Marie’s mother) and Blanco, as the Queen of the Fair and the Impresario. They close this Nutcracker with the kind of grace and beauty one would expect not just from such a beloved ballet, but from such an accomplished ballet company. So, while the Joffrey’s take on The Nutcracker might be different, it is as enchanting as ever, as professional as one would expect, and the perfect way to begin the holiday season in the White City of Chicago.

There is no better way to get in the holiday spirit than with the classic Christmas ballet, the Nutcracker. Twenty-eight years after Robert Joffrey’s original production, this is the final year that the Joffrey Ballet will perform this Nutcracker (2016 brings us the world premier of Christopher Wheeldon’s Nutcracker!). Even decades since artistic director Ashley Wheater performed in the opening night of the production, this performance retains the timeless magic of this joyous holiday tradition.

For those unfamiliar, the show takes place on Christmas Eve in the 1850s, opening with a party at the house of the mayor, his wife and his two children, Clara and Fritz. In the midst of the lively party Drosselmeyer, the somewhat eccentric godfather to Clara and Fritz, sprinkles in some excitement to the festivities with enchanted life-size dolls that dance and entertain the guests. However, it is his gift of a nutcracker for Clara, which truly ignites the magic.

After the guests have left and the family has gone to bed, Clara sneaks downstairs to gaze upon her beloved Nutcracker. She soon finds herself in the middle of a battle between the Mouse King and his army of mice and the Nutcracker, who comes to life to fight with his band of toy soldiers.  With the toss of a shoe, Clara knocks down the Mouse King saving the Nutcrackers life and as means of a thank you, he takes her through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets where the many toys from under Clara’s tree come to life in enjoyable and fantastic dances.

Joffrey’s Nutcracker downplays the traditional romance between Clara and the Nutcracker prince, fortifying the role of Drosselmeyer as the catalyst and guide of Clara’s journey to the Kingdom of Sweets. Performed by Michael Smith, Drosselmeyer is a technically strong role but at times, it felt overpowering for my taste, making the role of Clara more infantile and taking away from the romance between Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. 

Another split from tradition was the introduction of male dancers into the Land of Snow and Waltz of the Flowers scenes, however these deviations I found truly fantastic. The combination of beautiful partnering, endless falling snow and the graceful choreography expertly performed by the snowflakes (ladies) and snow winds (men) transports the audience on their mystical journey with Clara through the land of snow. In the Waltz of the Flowers in the second act, again the partnering added an interesting dimension, as did the constant tossing of fluttering flower petals beautifully worked into the choreography.

Overall, the dancers exhibited a wonderful balance of grace and precision creating flowing lines that perfectly complimented the Tchaikovsky score. The company members were fantastic, performing in perfect unison with a look of joy on their face making everything look effortless as a good ballet should. There were many young performers in the show as well who steal the scene with their cuteness! In the Kingdom of Sweets, each piece was accompanied by a tiny tot dressed in character sitting with Clara to watch the dance unfold. As someone who performed in the Nutcracker a number of times as a kid, I enjoyed this element of the show, as I am sure every aspiring ballerina in the audience did as well.

My favorite pieces by far were the Coffee from Arabia pas de deux, where Dara Holmes captivated us with her flexibility and elegant lines and the Grand Pas De Deux by the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince. Instantly entranced by the sparkle of the Sugar Plum Fairy costume, I was continually captivated as Amanda Assucena and Alberto Velasquez brilliantly performed the most iconic piece from the show.  

The Nutcracker runs at the Auditorium Theater through December 27th.  Buy your tickets now! Take your children, take your parents, take your date or take them all for a magical performance that will truly put you in the holiday spirit.