Haymarket Opera and ALEXA GRÆ join Elements 10th Anniversary Concert and Gala
Elements Contemporary Ballet presents a special 10th anniversary one-time matinee performance and gala November 20, 2016 at the newly refurbished Studebaker Theater in downtown Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building. Commemorating Elements’ 10 years of performance in Chicago, the concert will showcase two of the company’s signature ballets, choreographed by co-founders Mike Gosney and Joseph Caruana. The first act of the program features The Sun King, a lush one-act choreographed by Elements’ Resident Choreographer Caruana, based on the life of French monarch Louis XIV and his relationship with his official court composer, Jean-Baptiste Lully. The Sun King (which premiered in 2014 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion) tells the story of ballet’s beginnings at Louis XIV’s court.
The ballet features live baroque music, including compositions by Lully, performed on original instruments by the Haymarket Opera Orchestra. Joining the cast for this performance of The Sun King is special guest vocal and performance artist ALEXA GRÆ, who has performed at High Concept Labs, Salonathon and other venues throughout Chicago. The second act of the program, Pathos, by Artistic Director Gosney, is set to Mozart’s Requiem. Pathos is a starkly modern interpretation of the much-loved Requiem, fusing classical ballet with a unique contemporary movement vocabulary. Thematically, Pathos is an affecting tale of love, loss, and redemption, harkening back to the supernatural and ethereal motifs of romantic period ballet.
The Chicago Tribune has called Elements Contemporary Ballet’s previous choreography “magnificent…a jam-packed visual wonder…[that is] seamlessly thrilling.” The 10th Anniversary Concert and Gala will be Elements’ first appearance at the newly re-opened Studebaker Theatre, which was originally built in 1898 for vaudeville shows, featuring such performers as Bob Hop, Peter O’Toole, and Vincent Price. The 1,000-seat Studebaker now hosts music, dance, and theatrical performances, and is located in the Fine Arts Building at 410 S. Michigan Ave, an historic Chicago arts complex and architectural gem.
The performance will be followed by an onstage gala reception and fundraiser to celebrate Elements Contemporary Ballet’s tenth year performing for Chicago audiences.
Tickets available at www.studebakertheater.com or by calling 312-753-3210.
Elements Contemporary Ballet presents innovative new works of ballet using an original, distinctive style, and cultivates an appreciation for ballet by producing dynamic dance performances that are relevant and exciting to today’s audiences. Co-founders Mike Gosney and Joseph Caruana have built a repertory that includes work by choreographers from world-class companies such as Houston Ballet, BJM Danse, and Cullberg Ballet, in addition to original works.
WHO: Elements Contemporary Ballet, Chicago, IL
WHAT: Elements Contemporary Ballet 10th Anniversary Concert and Gala
WHERE: Studebaker Theater, Fine Arts Building, 401 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL
WHEN: November 20, 2016, 3:00 PM (onstage gala to follow the performance)
CONTACT: Managing Director, Elements Contemporary Ballet, Joseph Caruana, joe@elementsballet.com; 773-704-9274