Harris Theater for Music and Dance Announces October Performances

This October, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance presents an exciting collection of culturally diverse performances featuring the Chicago premieres of exciting new works and internationally renowned young artists.

Acclaimed violinist Robert McDuffie and the Venice Baroque Orchestra perform the Chicago premiere of Philip Glass' Violin Concerto No. 2: The American Four Seasons, juxtaposed with the work that inspired its creation, Vivaldi's timeless Four Seasons. Additional musical highlights at the Harris include a family-friendly performance by the internationally heralded Sphinx Chamber Orchestra and Harlem Quartet, comprised of top Laureates of the national Sphinx Competition for young African American and Latino string players; one of America's most diverse orchestras, Chicago Sinfonietta, pays tribute to Music Director Paul Freeman in his final year with the ensemble; and a festive performance by America's first all female mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Reyna de los Angeles.

One of the most important Butoh dance companies in the world, Sankai Juku, makes its Chicago premiere performing its groundbreaking, full-length work, Hibiki: Resonance from Far Away. Other dance highlights include Luna Negra Dance Theater's first season with Artistic Director Gustavo Ramírez Sansano; and additional performances by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago.

Tickets for these performances are on-sale and available at the Harris Theater box office located in Millennium Park at 205 E. Randolph Dr., by calling 312-334-7777 or by visiting www.harristheaterchicago.org.

Program information for the month of October at the Harris Theater is as follows:

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Thursday, September 30, 7:30 pm
Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 2, 8:00 pm
Sunday, October 3, 3:00 pm
Tickets start at $25

The blockbuster Fall Series features a program of "firsts": a world premiere by the electrifying choreographer Victor Quijada; the company premiere of Arcangelo by Nacho Duato; and two works by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo: Deep Down Dos, written in collaboration with electro-acoustic composer Mason Bates, and a new companion piece, Blanco.

MusicNOW
Monday, October 4, 7:00 pm
Tickets $10 - $20

Cliff Colnot, conductor
Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Mason Bates and Anna Clyne, Mead Composers-in-Residence

Chapela Li Po
Balter Vision Mantra
Clyne Steelworks
Lara Bhairav
Bates Digital Loom

 

Hip Hopera
New Millennium Orchestra
Francesco Milioto, Conductor
Bill McMurray, Baritone
Saturday, October 9, 2:00 pm
Tickets $10

What do The Black Eyed Peas and Giuseppe Verdi have in common? Explore the intersection of popular music and classical opera in this fun musical program for kids and tweens. Last season's creator of the coolest kid's concert, DJ Beethoven, will launch the Harris Theater Family Series with this awesome new program. The dynamic and funny conductor Francesco Millioto and his super orchestra are creating a whole new program featuring singer Bill McMurray and other special guests including a live DJ.

Luna Negra Dance Theater: 2010 Fall Season
Saturday, October 16, 6:30 pm
Tickets $25 - $55

Celebrate the first season of artistic director Gustavo Ramírez Sansano with a captivating program of contemporary Latino dance.

Sansano Toda Una Vida
Melo Bate
Vilaro Deshár Alhát

*Luna Negra's annual Noche de Luna Gala follows the performance

Sphinx Chamber Orchestra
Monday, October 18, 7:30 pm

Tickets $10

The internationally heralded Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, returns for a special one-night only performance! Comprised of the top Laureates of the national Sphinx Competition for young African American and Latino string players, the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra is admired for its performances of masterpieces by Bach, Vivaldi and Mozart, alongside the more seldom presented works by composers of color, including Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, George Walker, Michael Abels and Astor Piazzolla. The Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, which made its Chicago debut at the Harris in 2008 as part of the Theater's Fifth Anniversary Season, will be joined by the Harlem Quartet, comprised of all former First Place Laureates of the Sphinx Competition. The Sphinx Organization is widely recognized and praised for its role in increasing participation of African Americans and Latinos in music schools.

Sibelius Andante Festivo

Prokofiev Sonata for 2 Violins IV

Perkinson Sinfonietta No. 1: III. Rondo: Allegro Furioso

Walker Lyric for Strings

Dvorak Serenade, Movement IV

Frank Coqueteos from Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout

Tillis Spiritual Fantasy "Wade in Water"

Turina The Bullfighter's Prayer

Sankai Juku*
Hibiki: Resonance from Far Away
Wednesday, October 20, 7:30 pm
Tickets $35 - $65

In collaboration with The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago and MCA Stage, the Harris Theater presents the Chicago debut of one of the most important Butoh dance companies in the world, Sankai Juku, performing its groundbreaking, full-length work, Hibiki: Resonance from Far Away. This presentation marks the first collaboration between these three leading Chicago dance presenters. Since receiving its World Premiere at Theatre de la Ville, Paris in 1998, Hibiki has received international acclaim, including the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production in 2002. The company of six dancers - naked torsos painted in white - blends image, sound and performance to create a hypnotic dance experience. Incorporating everything from liquid, which drips rhythmically from suspended glass urns into 13 concave glass lenses, to sand, to a lyrical and electronic score by Takashi Kako and Yoichiro Yoshikawa, Hibiki has been called "a luminous rite -- slow, enigmatic, beautiful!" (The Village Voice).

Founded by choreographer Ushio Amagatsu in Japan over three decades ago, Sankai Juku is known worldwide for its elegance, refinement, technical precision and emotional depth. The company performs contemporary Japanese Butoh, a collective name for a diverse range of dance, performance, or movement inspired by the Ankoku-Butoh (Dance of Darkness) movement following World War II. Butoh typically involves playful and grotesque imagery, extreme or absurd environments, and is traditionally performed in white-body makeup with slow hyper-controlled motion. Sankai Juku has performed this art in more than 700 cities throughout 40 countries since 1975.

*Chicago Premiere

Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago
LiveLife.Dance!
Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23, 8:00 pm
Tickets $15 - $60

Experience the high-energy, high-impact performance and the enthralling art that define Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Three world premieres: a full company work choreographed by Karen Mareck Grundy, former artistic director of Cedar Lake II, to an original music score composed and performed by Chicago-based singer/songwriter Kevin Mileski; Yes...and, a percussive jazz dance piece choreographed for twenty dancers by artistic associate Autumn Eckman; and a light-hearted duet choreographed by Eckman. Also from GJDC's acclaimed repertoire: hip-hop master Rennie Harris' I Want You; Brock Clawson's Give and Take, and Ron DeJesus' award-winning Prey.

Philip Glass' The Seasons Project*
Venice Baroque Orchestra
Robert McDuffie, Violin Soloist and Leader
Sunday, October 24, 3:00 pm
Tickets $45 - $75

The innovative Philip Glass' Seasons Project juxtaposes Glass' magical new work - Violin Concerto No. 2: The American Four Seasons - with its inspiration, the Vivaldi classic The Four Seasons. The Venice Baroque Orchestra, one of Europe's premiere ensembles devoted to period instrument performance, will perform Vivaldi's masterpiece on Baroque-style instruments and then utilize modern instruments for Glass' Concerto. American violin virtuoso Robert McDuffie, who spearheaded the creation of the new work, will perform as both soloist and leader. McDuffie last amazEd Harris audiences in 2008 with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.

The genesis of Glass' Violin Concerto No. 2: The American Four Seasons dates back to the 1990s when McDuffie heard a recording of Glass' first violin concerto performed by international talent Gidon Kremer (who introduces his own Kremerata Baltica to Harris audiences in November). Mesmerized by the work, McDuffie added it to his repertoire and asked Glass to write a piece for him inspired by Vivaldi's Four Seasons. The resulting concerto, a 40-minute work in four movements which reflects each of the four seasons, received its World Premiere with the Toronto Symphony in December 2009. Philip Glass has had an extraordinary and unprecedented impact upon the musical and intellectual life of his times. His body of work as a composer includes more than twenty operas, including the landmark Einstein on the Beach; eight symphonies; two piano concerti as well as concerti for numerous other instruments, including violin and timpani and saxophone; and film scores including The Hours and Martin Scorsese's Kundun.

Vivaldi Le Quattro Staggioni (The Four Seasons)

1. La primavera, RV 269, E Major (Spring)
2. L'estate, RV 315, G minor (Summer)
3. L'autunno, RV 293, F Major (Autumn)
4. L'inverno, RV 297, F minor (Winter)
Glass Violin Concerto No. 2 for Violin & Orchestra: The American Four Seasons*

*Chicago Premiere

The Chicago Chamber Musicians: The Complete CCM
Monday, October 25, 7:30 pm
Tickets $10 - $40

The Complete CCM showcases the unparalleled versatility and "sterling musicianship" (Chicago Classical Review) of this Grammy-finalist chamber music ensemble.

Dohnányi Sextet in C Major, Op. 37 for wind, strings, and piano
Bartók String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Sz. 67
Schumann Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47

Chicago Sinfonietta
Day of the Dead
Saturday, October 30, 7:30 pm
Tickets $10 - $50

America's most diverse orchestra celebrates and pays tribute to Maestro Paul Freeman in his final year as Music Director In a special concert, the Sinfonietta commemorates the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) honoring the dearly departed. Guest conductor Hector Guzman leads the orchestra through vivid sounds and imagery showcasing the more jubilant celebrations of Latino cultures. Featured compositions include Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky; Pavane for a Dead Princess by Maurice Ravel; Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Manuel De Falla, featuring Joaquín Achúcarro on piano; Popul-Vuh by Eugenio Toussaint; Danzon No.2 by Arturo Márquez; Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla; and finally, José Pablo Moncayo's Huapango.

Mariachi Reyna de los Angeles
Sunday, October 31, 5:00 pm
Tickets $25 - $45

Join America's first all female mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Reyna de los Angeles for a mesmerizing, energetic and irresistible musical experience! As pioneers in a male-dominated musical genre, the 12-member Grammy-nominated ensemble has been breaking stereotypes and shaping new cultural traditions, presenting this 19th-century Mexican musical tradition with "power and feeling." (The New York Times)

* * * All programs, prices and dates are subject to change. * * *

Opened in 2003, 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. 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 the Harris Theater Presents series of acclaimed national and International Artists and ensembles. To learn more about the season at the Harris Theater, visit www.harristheaterchicago.org or call the box office at 312-334-7777 to request a brochure.

For additional information about the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago's state-of-the art 1,470 seat performance venue, please visit www.harristheaterchicago.org.