Joffrey Ballet to perform with Philharmonic
By Hedy Weiss Dance Critic/hweiss@suntimes.com May 18, 2012 8:08PM
Starting this fall, the Chicago Philharmonic will accompany performances by the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago.
Updated: July 1, 2012 12:11PM
The Joffrey Ballet has announced that beginning with its 2012-2013 season in October, the company will be working with the Chicago Philharmonic, an orchestra consisting of area musicians who have performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the Grant Park Orchestra and the American Ballet Theatre.
According to the Joffrey’s executive director Christopher Clinton Conway, this will enable the troupe to afford more performances with live music than when it was associated with the Chicago Sinfonietta, which served as the company’s official orchestra from 2003 through this spring. Scott Speck will continue as the Joffrey’s music director.
In other Joffrey news, Docurama Films has announced that “Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance,” the feature-length documentary about the troupe and directed by Bob Hercules, will debut June 12 on DVD and standard digital platforms, on the heels of a festival premiere and nationwide theatrical release. It was screened in February at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
The film, which has been nominated for a Fred and Adele Astaire Award, is now scheduled to have its television broadcast premiere on PBS’ celebrated series “American Masters” this December.
