American Ballet Theatre Brings Whimsical Story Ballet WHIPPED CREAM to Chicago

American Ballet Theatre (ABT), America's National Ballet Company, brings the Chicago premiere of its new story ballet Whipped Cream to the Auditorium Theatre April 11-14. Whipped Cream features choreography by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, sensational sets and stunning costumes by pop-surrealist artist Mark Ryden, and a revived 1924 score by composer Richard Strauss (performed by the Chicago Philharmonic).

In August 2018, the Auditorium Theatre and American Ballet Theatre announced a four-year partnership that will bring ABT to the theatre as a Visiting Resident Company once a year through 2022. Whipped Creamis the first engagement in this partnership, and Chicago is one of just five major cities to host the story ballet since its 2017 premiere at California's Segerstrom Center.

"The Auditorium Theatre is thrilled to start its new partnership with American Ballet Theatre with the joyous Whipped Cream," says Rachel Freund, Auditorium Theatre Interim Chief Executive Officer. "ABT first performed on our landmark stage 50 years ago, and we look forward to continuing our longstanding relationship with this internationally-renowned company with this Chicago premiere."

"We are thrilled to kick off this four-year partnership by bringing the brilliant dancing and whimsical world of Whipped Cream to the Auditorium Theatre stage," says Kara Medoff Barnett, ABT Executive Director. "The 'T' in ABT stands for 'Theatre,' and this ballet delivers a theatrical experience that dazzles and delights. ABT is the only company in the world that performs this ballet, and we look forward to delivering a sugar rush to Chicago."

With all-new choreography by Ratmansky, former director of The Bolshoi Ballet, Whipped Creamfollows the story of a young boy who, after receiving his first communion, is rewarded with a trip to a pastry shop. The boy, especially fond of whipped cream, overindulges in sweets and falls into a sugar-induced delirium, in which he encounters mystical creatures, nightmarish puppets, and the beautiful Princess Praline, who comes to his rescue.

Ryden, a celebrated painter known as the founder of the genre "pop surrealism," designed more than 150 costumes and colorful, extravagant sets for the production, incorporating more than 78,000 Swarovski crystals into his intricate designs.

Whipped Cream is set to a rarely heard score by Strauss, which premiered at the Vienna State Opera in 1924. Strauss made his first United States appearance at the Auditorium Theatre in 1904. When he returned to the Auditorium in 1921 for the Chicago Opera Company's revival of Salome, the Chicago Tribune noted that he was working on a new composition, titled Schlagobers (German for "whipped cream"), which "concerns the adventures of a group of children in a confectionary shop." Nearly 100 years later, the Chicago Philharmonic will perform this score live at the Auditorium.

Ryden's creations, Ratmansky's choreography, Strauss' score, and the world-class talent of ABT's dancers make Whipped Cream a show fit for all ages and for any fan of ballet, theatre, or visual arts.

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