Displaying items by tag: the royal ballet
We May Never Be Royal, but They Are; The Royal Ballet performs "Don Quixote"
When guests visit Chicago we want to show them the best of our city. But sometimes it's our guests that bring the best to us. That is the case for The Royal Ballet as they return to the Windy City to perform their critically acclaimed "Don Quixote" at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre.
Chicagoans donned their best for the ballet's premiere night as though they were in the presence of royalty. There was not a single pair of jeans or flip flops present (thank you, Chicago). Perhaps it was because The Royal Ballet is Great Britain's most prestigious ballet company performing for kings and queens, as well as mere commoners, since 1931. The company has produced some of the greatest figures in ballet history to include the incredible Margot Fonteyn and Antoinette Sibley. Led by its director, Kevin O'Hare, The Royal Ballet is currently on a three city tour of the US with "Don Quixote," making stops in Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C."The Royal Ballet hasn't visited Chicago since 1978 so with this ballet, we plan to showcase the depth of the dancers' talent led by our world-class roster of principals," said O'Hare. And what a showcase it was.
Royal Ballet Prinipal Guest Artist Carlos Acosta's production of "Don Quixote" was created especially for The Royal Ballet, filled with flirtation, fun, humor, and love. The story follows the adventures of a bumbling knight Don Quixote, accompanied by his ever-faithful squire Sancho Panza, as he embarks on a quest for his dream woman. Along the way, he stumbles upon the lovers Kitri and Basilio. Kitri's father wants her to marry the wealthy Gamache, a rich, foppish nobleman. A journey ensues as the lovers try to escape those plans while Don Quixote tries to right the wrongs in the world on his quest.
The story of Don Quixote is a difficult one to bring to the stage. The Don himself is the focus of the story, but the smaller characters' stories and lives are at center stage for the majority of the ballet. The Royal Ballet's principal leads with Acosta as Basilio and Marianela Nunez as Kitri were spectacular. They were flirty and coy with one another but epitomized a ballet's pas de deux. They had grace, strength, beauty, and unity. The same could not be said for some of the other soloists and leads. Many of Kitri's friends were out of sync with one another, as well as some of the matadors. The Royal Ballet is a large company, and many acts often had thirty or more dancers on stage. When someone was slightly off or behind the music your eyes were drawn in a negative way to those people, detering from the incredible duets and soloists. Regardless of any small timing issues, Acosta, both in the production and the leading artist role, put on an impressive and magnificent ballet. From flirting flamengo dancers and dashing matadors to gypsies and dryads, "Don Quixote" is a beautiful and epic journey.
Having never seen "Don Quixote" nor read the story (forgive me literature gods), I can say that the ballet was a beautiful ballet. The sets provided the perfect backdrop to the dancers accompanied by a live orchestra. The gorgeous theatre provided the perfect stage for a magical evening. For those still not convinced that ballet can be enjoyable should make it their mission to see "Don Quixote" and right the wrongs of not experiencing this amazing art. Have the best adventure at the ballet tonight.
The Royal Ballet is concluding the Auditorium Theatre's 125th Anniversary International Dance Series performing "Don Quixote" through Sunday June 21st. Tickets ($32-$137) are on sale now and available online at AuditoriumTheatre.org or at the Auditorium Theatre Box Office (50 E Congress Pkwy).
A Call You Want To Answer: Jerker, Or The Helping Hand speaks volumes in Uptown
30 October 2026 in Theatre in ReviewThere are no shortage of stories to be told in Chicago. Whether you’re visiting a museum, riding the L, or…
Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker returns with all-new projections, Dec 4-27
30 October 2026 in Upcoming DanceThe Joffrey Ballet announces the return of two-time Tony Award®-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's The Nutcracker this holiday season. For the…
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre Presents A CHRISTMAS CAROL December 3 - 19
30 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreMetropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce…
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre Announces Cast and Creative Team for The Christmas Schooner, November 24, 2026 - January 3, 2027
30 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreMetropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce…
Comedian Nate Jackson brings 'Big Dog Tour' to The Auditorium December 4th
30 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreThe Auditorium (Chicago’s landmark stage at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly presents comedian Nate Jackson as part of…
ROMEO + JULIET FILM IN CONCERT Coming to Broadway In Chicago January 30th, 2027
29 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreGEA Live, in collaboration with Disney Concerts and Baz Luhrmann , along with Broadway In Chicago, are excited to announce…
The Beloved Holiday Classic, "Ruth Page's The Nutcracker," Celebrates 60 Years at Four Chicagoland Locations This Holiday Season, December 5–20
29 October 2026 in Upcoming DanceThe Ruth Page Center for the Arts is proud to present its annual live production of "Ruth Page's The Nutcracker"…
A Masterwork Reanimated: Manual Cinema's Frankenstein Still Inspires Awe
29 October 2026 in Theatre in ReviewSince premiering at Court Theatre in 2018, Manual Cinema's Frankenstein has stood as one of Chicago's most remarkable theatrical achievements.…
3Arts Celebrates the Artists Who Make Chicago Shine: 2026 Awards Celebration honors the creative voices shaping Chicago’s cultural landscape.
27 October 2026 in Theatre BuzzOn Monday, October 26, 2026, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance became a gathering place for Chicago’s artistic community…
3Arts distributes $860,000 in unrestricted grants to Chicago artists at 3Arts Awards, surpassing $10M in lifetime funding
27 October 2026 in Theatre Buzz3Arts, the Chicago-based nonprofit grantmaking organization, awarded $860,000 to Chicago artists and announced the recipients of its 3Arts Next Level…
Guarneri Hall announces two-day series REVOLUTIONS on the intersection between music, politics, and social change November 11-12, 2026
26 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreThe nonprofit Guarneri Hall, a state-of-the-art, custom-built classical music venue in the heart of downtown Chicago at 11 E. Adams…
The Front Theatre announces casting for the North American Premiere of Sap February 25 - March 27, 2027
26 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreThe Front Theatre announces casting for the North American premiere of Rafaella Marcus's highly acclaimed play Sap, directed by Charles Riffenburg. Sap is…
Kokandy Productions Presents A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: A PLAY WITH MUSIC - November 5, 2026 – January 10, 2027 at The Chopin Theatre
23 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreKokandy Productions is pleased to conclude its 2026 Season with A Clockwork Orange: A Play with Music, a live adaptation…
The Book of Mormon - Cadillac Palace - Through November 1st
23 October 2026 in Now PlayingIt’s back by popular demand! Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce that THE BOOK OF MORMON is now playing…
The Artistic Home 2026-27 Season to include Arthur Miller’s THE PRICE, Chekhov’s IVANOV, and the annual CUT TO THE CHASE festival of one-act plays
23 October 2026 in Theatre BuzzThe Artistic Home's 2026-27 season will include works by new writers, along with less performed works by two of the…
Hyde Park School of Dance presents annual performances of The Nutcracker December 11–13 at Mandel Hall
21 October 2026 in Upcoming DanceHyde Park School of Dance, now in its 33rd year of training, performance, and community, welcomes families and dance enthusiasts…
Holiday Hilarity! Paramount presents The Second City’s Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue at downtown Aurora’s Copley Theatre, Nov. 20-Dec. 23
21 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreNeed something better than old reruns of Hallmark Movies this holiday season? Want to see some real nut-crackers? Then dash…
Mary, A Holiday Dansical Returns for one performance only at Logan Center December 13th
21 October 2026 in Upcoming DanceBlack Girls Dance®, which centers Black and Brown girls in joyful community, presents its sixth annual production of Mary, A…
The Gift Theatre's Hayward: A Floridian-Style Shiva
20 October 2026 in Theatre in ReviewThere are funerals where grief brings a family together, and then there are funerals where grief opens the door to…
Chicago Shakespeare Makes Winter’s Tale a Story Worth Telling
20 October 2026 in Theatre in ReviewChicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of The Winter’s Tale delivers a compelling evening of theater, showcasing an exceptional company of actors…
Steppenwolf Theatre Presents JESSIE MUELLER WITH SETH RUDETSKY – December 18 & 19, 2026
20 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreSteppenwolf Theatre Company and Mark Cortale are pleased to announce the return of Tony Award-winning Broadway star Jessie Mueller (Beautiful:…
Remy Bumppo’s Mud Row: A Family Haunted by the Past
20 October 2026 in Theatre in ReviewRemy Bumppo opens its 30th anniversary season with Mud Row, a play by Tony Award nominee and MacArthur “Genius” Grant…
A Joe & Melanie Thing Theatre Company announces The Hanukkah Humbug at Greenhouse Theater Center - December 3-6
20 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreThe world premiere of The Hanukkah Humbug brings ghosts, history, tradition, and a whole lot of family fun to the…
Identity Performing Arts' Fifth Anniversary Gala: Movement That Keeps Becoming
19 October 2026 in Dance in ReviewFive years is an important milestone for any arts organization, but for a contemporary dance company it also marks an…
Music Theater Works Pours a Beachy Cocktail with Escape to Margaritaville
19 October 2026 in Theatre in ReviewA gentle, tide‑easy current settles in right from the start, immediately signaling the kind of story this musical wants to…
Overshadowed Theatrical Productions Brings Beloved Holiday Classic It’s a Wonderful Life to the Stage
18 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreThis holiday season, Overshadowed Theatrical Productions is thrilled to present the timeless holiday classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, live on…
Dance Theatre of Harlem fills Auditorium Theatre with fire and funk
18 October 2026 in Dance in ReviewProjecting a vibe that felt more homecoming party than ballet presentation, Dance Theatre of Harlem returned to Chicago on October…
“A Strange Loop” Lets the Intrusive Thoughts Win at Raven Theatre in partnership with About Face Theatre
17 October 2026 in Theatre in ReviewA musical, but it’s just the voices in your head. Sounds just crazy enough to win the 2020 Pulitzer for…
BTE Opens New Season with Gunderson's "Louisa May Alcott's Little Women" Nov. 12-Dec. 13
16 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreBuffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity theater companyin residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), opens its 2026-27 three-play…
Announcing Goodman's 22nd New Stages 2026 Festival Line-Up
15 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFrom a "Kung Fu rom-com" to a witchy new musical, The Goodman's popular New Stages Festival in its 22nd year continues…
Latest Articles
-
A Call You Want To Answer: Jerker, Or The Helping Hand speaks volumes in Uptown
Written by Kendall RoyzenThere are no shortage of stories to be told in Chicago. Whether you’re visiting a museum, riding the L, or simply sitting on a lakeshore bench, you can find a story in every person you encounter, every landmark you see,… -
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre Presents A CHRISTMAS CAROL December 3 - 19
Written by Buzz Center StageMetropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce the cast and creative team for A Christmas Carol, with a Metropolis Family Series run December 3 - 19 and… -
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre Announces Cast and Creative Team for The Christmas Schooner, November 24, 2026 - January 3, 2027
Written by Buzz Center StageMetropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce the cast and creative team for The Christmas Schooner, November 24, 2026 - January 3, 2027. The Christmas Schooner is…
-
Comedian Nate Jackson brings 'Big Dog Tour' to The Auditorium December 4th
Written by Buzz Center StageThe Auditorium (Chicago’s landmark stage at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly presents comedian Nate Jackson as part of Jackson’s international “Big Dog Tour”. The two-performance evening takes place on Friday, December 4, 2026 at 7:30 PM and a…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.