The Joffrey Ballet 2022-2023 season begins with a mixed program of works by artists of the Joffrey’s past and present: the company’s co-founder Gerald Arpino, Liam Scarlett, and Chanel DaSilva.
Following are full-lengths created by some of ballet’s most prominent choreographers – Christopher Wheeldon’s The Nutcracker, Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina, and John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid.
Greg Cameron, President and CEO of the Joffrey adds:
“The Joffrey mission and Ashley’s artistic vision remain at the forefront of the field.
We have embraced the idea of community, much like our founder, Robert Joffrey, who believed that dance was a universal language that spoke to everyone. This season, we bring Chicago exceptional works of art that demonstrate the Joffrey’s standing among the great dance companies of the world, but also our intention to be collaborative and impactful partners in the Chicago community and beyond. As Mr. Joffrey himself once said of this company, ‘Classical ballet is our core, but it is not our circumference.’ That sentiment rings true today more than ever.”
Joffrey Ballet 2022-2023 Season Schedule
Beyond Borders | October 12–23, 2022
Lyric Opera House
- Suite Saint-Saëns by Gerald Arpino
- World Premiere by Chanel DaSilva
- Vespertine by Liam Scarlett
Joffrey co-founder Arpino’s Suite Saint-Saëns weaves classical movement with the late choreographer’s signature neo-classical style of speed, energy, and quality. With its dappled lighting and lilting score, this American masterwork was once described by choreographer Agnes DeMille as like “standing in a flight of meteors.”
DaSilva returns for a second original creation, following her 2021 critically acclaimed company debut, Swing Low (described by the Chicago Tribune as a “tour de force”). One of the most in-demand artists working today, DaSilva brings her storytelling prowess back to Chicago for another sure-to-be-glorious world premiere.
Scarlett takes inspiration from Baroque era classics in this hypnotic performance of expert lyricism and elegance. Illuminated under the subtle glow of crystal chandeliers, with chic costumes designed by Scarlett himself, Vespertine puts a modern twist on the romantic era of the late 18th century.
The Nutcracker | December 3–27, 2022
Lyric Opera House
- The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon
Magic is on the horizon for young Marie and the Nutcracker Prince, thanks to a visit from the charming but mysterious Great Impresario. At the stroke of midnight on a snowy Christmas Eve, when the lines between fantasy and reality blur together, Marie sets out on an unforgettable journey through Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair, a marvel of sights, sounds, and enchantment. This annual holiday tradition celebrates the magic of the season and the rich cultural heritage of Chicago.
A ballet in two acts set to Tchaikovsky’s classic score, The Nutcracker features an award-winning creative team, including Tony Award®-nominated set and costume designer Julian Crouch, Caldecott Medal Award-winning author Brian Selznick, Obie and Drama Desk award-winning puppeteer Basil Twist, Tony Award®-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz and Tony Award®-winning projection designer
Ben Pearcy/59 Productions.
Anna Karenina | February 15–26, 2023
Lyric Opera House
- Anna Karenina by Yuri Possokhov
Love is all-consuming for the beautiful but married Anna, who finds herself caught in a life-changing affair with the dashing Count Vronsky. Set in the late 19th century of Imperial Russia, Possokhov’s immersive adaptation—winner of the 2019 “Oscars of Dance” Benois de la Danse International Prize for Best Choreography—returns to the Joffrey for the first time since its successful world premiere in 2019.
This blockbuster ballet, based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy, features an original composition by award-winning composer Ilya Demutsky, costumes and sets by Emmy-Award-winning designer Tom Pye, and lighting by famed designer David Finn.
The Little Mermaid | April 19–30, 2023
Lyric Opera House
- The Little Mermaid by John Neumeier
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 sea—one utterly complex, the other magnificently serene.
With sets and costumes of the grandest scale, this fantastical love story, based on Andersen’s original and decidedly complex themes, makes its long-awaited Chicago debut.
Featured Photo for the Joffrey Ballet 2022-2023 Season of Amanda Assucena and Edson Barbosa in Liam Scarlett’s Vespertine. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
