Joffrey Ballet: Studies in Blue

Visit the ballet performance calendar to view dates of all showings of this program.

YONDER BLUE
Choreographer: Andrew McNicol
HUNGRY GHOSTS
Choreographer: Stina Quagebeur
HUMMMINGBIRD
Choreographer: Liam Scarlett

◆ Joffrey Ballet

The Joffrey Ballet returns to the Lyric Opera House in continuation of its 68th season with a mixed repertory program, Studies in Blue, that features a world premiere by Stina Quagebeur and works choreographed by Liam Scarlett and Andrew McNicol. All three creations test “the limits of classical ballet with contemporary themes, scores, and breathtaking set design”.

“With Studies in Blue, we are delighted to present the world premiere of Hungry Ghosts and deepen our relationship with Stina, whom I believe is one of the most inspiring artists working today.

Along with Andrew’s transcendent Yonder Blue and Liam’s tender reflection of humanity with Hummingbird, we see how today’s choreographers express abstract ideas with remarkable clarity, inspiring Joffrey Company Artists to go beyond their perceived limits, recognize their ability to ignite conversations, challenge perspectives, and take flight”.

– Ashley Wheater MBE, Artistic Director of Joffrey Ballet

Opening the program and set to a score by Peter Gregson, Yonder Blue is the result of McNicol’s inspiration after reading Siri Hustvedt’s book A Plea for Eros. He uses the color blue as the representation of a range of values and emotions including honesty and melancholy.

Quagebeur’s Hungry Ghosts explores the consequences of the Opiod epidemic set to music by Jeremy Birchall, and as the choreographer herself explains, it conveys “the story that statistics can’t tell and that words alone cannot do justice to.”

Scarlett’s Hummingbird is set to Philip Glass’s three-movement Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra and shares love stories as told by three couples.

Photo for Joffrey Ballet’s Studies in Blue of company artists Victoria Jaiani and Dylan Gutierrez. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.