This isnt the animated film version, but instead a sophisticated take on Andersens fable with a little twist: Neumeier adds a biographical gloss to the story, adding in a Poet, based loosely on Andersen himself. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fable about a mermaid willing to sacrifice everything for the man she loves, this ballet is a modern take on this classic tale. 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). Bells sound as a group of convent schoolgirls arrive at the seashore. (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT). Look closely at The Little Mermaid and one can glimpse all these influences. Intense theatricality. Joffrey Ballet 'The Little Mermaid' performing final shows this weekend Tickets are on sale for all three performances and start at $36. Tickets: $36-$200 at 312-386-8905 and Joffrey.org. In short: High drama. Where: Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Running time: 2.5 hours with one intermission. Intense theatricality. One of the girls, a Princesslooking very much like Henriettediscovers the Prince. '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. Though its pacing and narrative may flounder, the sheer creative ingenuity and an enrapturing performance from Gayeon Jung make "The Little Mermaid" an unmissable entry in Joffrey's expansive repertoire. By Kyle MacMillen, Chicago Sun-Times April 20, 2023 PART 1 Players wave their hands near two antennas to create wavering, otherworldly sounds that are ideally suited to this ballet. This Little Mermaid is a macabre deep-dive into Hans Christian Andersens 1837 literary fairy tale. Courageous, they search for a new world. The little Mermaid now has legs. On board the passing ship, sailors are exercising. 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. 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. In the News. April 29, 2023 / 9:36 AM This ballet is dramatic, visually stunning, and ultimately heartbreaking. Darryl Kubian offers a virtuosic performance here. The Joffrey's 'Little Mermaid' reaches for audience with its largest non-'Nutcracker' production The ballet company is reporting a strong season so far and hopes the massive production. By extension, we as viewers are left to wrestle with our own choices and painful compromises made in pursuit of desire. Choose another item. But the Mermaid cant do it. Administrative Offices . Chicago is right to honor Neumeier, who marks his 50thand final season as head of Hamburg Ballet this year. 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. The Joffrey premiere continues through April 30 at the Lyric Opera House. 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. 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. We can do more to protect workers, a labor executive writes. Love gives the little Mermaid courage to beg for a human body. Her body is crumpled into itself and she tentatively extends and examines her new legs and wobbles as she tries to stand up. It is only then that there is a duet suggesting real connection, as the Poet and Little Mermaid (Victoria Jaiani) each clasp their hands above their bodies in a circular gesture, oscillating back and forth, the Poet then wrapping his circled arms around the Mermaid and resting them on her outstretched arms in the same pose. Look for how perfectly matched the Poet and the Mermaids movements are. The scene in which the devilish Sea Witch strips of her of these pants and the rest of her garb when she gives up her tail to become human could hardly be more gut-wrenching. Most unusual and perhaps the key ingredient is Auerbachs use of the theremin, an electronic instrument invented in 1928. "The Little Mermaid" is playing at The Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, through April 30, 2023. The semi-abstract sets, designed by Neumeier, who also served as costume and lighting designer, are both low and high tech. The Joffrey Ballet. Realizing this, Mermaid tries to reverse course and return to the sea, pleading with the Sea Witch, who will give her tail back only if she kills the Prince. Season Performances. Studios . The Sea Witch agreesbut at a cost. Your Ultimate Guide to 'The Little Mermaid', The Story of John Neumeier's 'The Little Mermiad'. 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. 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. The Plot:The ballet opens on a boat, where we see the Poet thinking about his best friend Edvard. Lyric Opera House. The beauty in Neumeiers often awkward choreography comes from an awareness that every finger and toe is meticulously placed in service of the wild aesthetic world at hand. 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. 10 East Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601. She seeks out the Sea Witch for help. RT @cbschicago: Joffrey Ballet's 'The Little Mermaid' final shows happening this weekend https://cbsnews.com/chicago/news/joffrey-ballets-the-little-mermaid/?taid . Waking naked on the seashore, she finds her first steps unbearably painful. Victoria Jaiani practicing for her performance as the Little Mermaid. That includes visual arts all across the art spectrum, so I think its even higher for the performing arts folks.. The Joffrey Ballet. 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. I cant explain the Samurai and wont try. 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. 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. Victoria Jaiani projects fear, doubt and vulnerability in the title role of The Little Mermaid, by the Joffrey Ballet. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 . During a sea voyage, a Poet remembers the wedding of his dear friend Edvard to Henriette. So she leaves without harming him. Intense theatricality. The Joffrey Ballet will present 10 performances of "The Little Mermaid" at the Lyric Opera House. The Mermaidlike the Poetisnt going to take this lying down. This ballet is dramatic, visually stunning, and ultimately heartbreaking. What Will I See? The Joffrey boasted $6 million in ticket sales in the 2021-2022 season, according to an impact report published by the company. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. So the Sea Witch offers a solution: he says if she kills the Prince, shell get her tail back and be able to go home. While the ballet and the Disney film share certain narrative landmarks, you wont find thingamabobs or dancing lobsters here. 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. (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT). 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. Read full article. Tickets are on sale for all three performances and start at $36. Dylan Gutierrez is an obvious choice for the Prince, but the role a bumbling machismo one minute and profoundly sensitive in the next fits him like a glove, as does an uncommon pairing with Anais Bueno as the love interest who frequently finds a fishy girl in her way. Weaving in and among a corps de ballet that mimics swaying coral and schools of fish, the Mermaid saves Gutierrez, whos gone overboard to retrieve a golf ball inadvertently lobbed over the deck railing of his White Star-esque ship. Her pain reflects the Poets own painful situation. She really does love him. The Director and Chief Choreographer of The Hamburg Ballet has continually focused on the preservation of ballet tradition while giving his works a modern dramatic framework. Texas plans to resume busing migrants on Monday. 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. Audiences are craving the live experience in the theater, Wheater said. The Poets love gives the Mermaid a soul, making her immortal; the Mermaids story will make the Poet immortal. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Jos Pablo Castro Cuevas, Anais Bueno and ensemble in "The Little Mermaid" by Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House. Although the Prince is unable to see the Mermaid, her presence embraces him. The little Mermaid is to be a bridesmaid. First created in 2005 for the Royal Danish Ballet, Neumeiers Little Mermaid was made in homage to Andersens 200thbirthday. The final performance is scheduled for tomorrow at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale for all three performances and start at $36. This ballet is an adaptation of the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, telling the story of a young mermaid who falls in love with a human prince and makes a dangerous deal with a sea witch to become human herself. 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. As the ship is about to depart, the Prince discovers the Princess among the passengers. This time, the Prince finds the Mermaid washed up on the shore and takes her onboard his ship. What Will I See? The Joffrey Ballet proudly presents "The Little Mermaid". Wheater said its been wonderful to see the support from the audience and they feel encouraged as they stage the ambitious production of The Little Mermaid after putting it on hold for two years. All of her work is interconnected as part of a cohesive and comprehensive artistic worldview. Heartrending romance. In short:High drama. Performance Schedule: Thursdays - 7:30 p.m. Fridays - 7:30 p.m. Saturdays - 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sundays - 2:00 p.m. Joffrey's release emphasizes that . This Little Mermaid is a macabre deep-dive into Hans Christian Andersens 1837 literary fairy tale. 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. / CBS Chicago, CHICAGO (CBS) -- Time is running out to watch the Joffrey Ballet's performance of "The Little Mermaid.". Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. 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. Joffrey Box Office 312.386.8905. Heartrending romance. Yoshihisa Arai and ensemble in "The Little Mermaid" by Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House. We know that people are really wanting to come back to the theater, said Wheater. Expanded Educational Programs. 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. Its gut-wrenching, often sardonic and bizarrely beautiful. He dives into the sea to retrieve a golf ball, but a storm created by the evil Sea Witch causes him to nearly drown. The Plot:Most of this act shows the Mermaids torment. The Little Mermaid runs now-April 30 at the Lyric Opera House. When the Sea Witch appears, a terrible storm erupts and the Prince is in danger of drowning; the Poet wills the little Mermaid to rescue him. Administrative Offices 312.739.0120. . Joffrey Ballet 'The Little Mermaid' performing final shows this weekend. The only real joy arrives at the very end, when the Poet and his mermaid creation come together in a mystical realm floating in the stars. 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. When: 7:30 p.m. April 21, with eight more performances through April 30, Where: Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive. Neumeier also led the set design, costumes and lighting and called for a grand scale of sets and costumes. Live music will be performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Scott Speck, Music Director of The Joffrey Ballet. 1920 South Wabash Avenue . Each seems the shadow of the othereach abandoned by the object of their intense love. However, instead of happily ever after, she now has a front row seat to watch his developing relationship with the Princess. The Joffreys Little Mermaid reaches for audience with its largest non-Nutcracker production. 'The Little Mermaid' 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. It turns out to be a raw deal for the Mermaid, for whom the human world shows little kindness or understanding. Meet the creative team behind 'The Little Mermaid'. Lightfoot warns the Texas governor to pause new transfers of migrants as the citys resources are stretched thin. 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.
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