Hamburg Ballet's THIRD SYMPHONY OF GUSTAV MAHLER Cancelled at Harris Theater Due to Electrical Fire

Today and tomorrow's performances of the Hamburg Ballet's Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler has been cancelled due to an electrical fire that caused damage to the Harris Theater's operational and mechanical equipment earlier this afternoon. The illustrious company was scheduled to perform Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer John Neumeier's iconic ballet tonight, February 19, and tomorrow, February 20 at 7:30PM. Harris Theater ticket holders will be contacted by a Harris Theater Box Office representative as a result of the cancellation.

No injuries occurred as a result of the fire. Theater officials made the decision to cancel both performances after assessing the initial damage. Firefighters and technicians continue to search for further details.

About John Neumeier: Since 1973, John Neumeier has been Director and Chief Choreographer of The Hamburg Ballet, and since 1996, he has been "Ballettintendant." Under Neumeier's direction The Hamburg Ballet became one of the leading ballet companies of the German dance scene and soon received international recognition. As a choreographer, Neumeier has continually focused on the preservation of ballet tradition, while giving his works a modern dramatic framework. In February 2006, Neumeier established the John Neumeier Foundation with the goal of bringing together his collection of dance and ballet related objects and his vast oeuvre. The Foundation will maintain and secure his life's work. In 2011, Neumeier founded the National Youth Ballet in Germany comprised of eight young dancers based at the Ballettzentrum in Hamburg. Last year, Neumeier was the recipient of the prestigious Prix Benois de la Danse 2013 award for lifetime achievement. The award ceremony took place at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Neumeier is a native of Milwaukee, WI.

Harris Theater for Music and Dance: The Harris Theater's mission is to partner and collaborate with an array of Chicago's emerging and mid-sized performing arts organizations to help them build the resources and infrastructure necessary to achieve artistic growth and long-term organizational sustainability. Now in the midst of its 10th season, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance was the first multi-use performing arts venue to be built in the Chicago downtown area since 1929 and today the Theater continues to host the most diverse offerings of any venue in Chicago, featuring the city's world-renowned music and dance institutions and theHarris Theater Presents series of acclaimed national and international artists and ensembles.

The Harris Theater is proud to have the support of The Northern Trust Company as its 2013-2014 season sponsor. United Airlines is the Official Airline of the Harris Theater. Hyatt Regency Chicago is the Harris at 10 Hotel Sponsor. The Harris Theater is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. All performances are performed on The Elizabeth Morse Genius Stage. The Harris Theater gratefully acknowledges the Irving Harris Foundation for its leadership support of the Presenting Fund, established in 2006 to bring artists and ensembles of the highest caliber to Chicago in order to complement the works of the Theater's resident companies and build audiences.

To learn more about the Harris Theater, visit HarrisTheaterChicago.org or call the Box Office at 312.334.7777 to request a brochure or additional information.

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago's state-of-the art 1,525 seat performance venue, can also be found on Facebook facebook.com/harristheater and Twitter twitter.com/harristheater.