Ravinia 2024 Issue 6

PAVILION 7:30 PM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2024 THE JOFFREY BALLET ASHLEY WHEATER, MBE, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director GREG CAMERON, President and CEO ROBERT JOFFREY and GERALD ARPINO, founders Artists of the Company Coco Alvarez-Mena • Amanda Assucena • Edson Barbosa • Evan Boersma • Anais Bueno Guillem Cabrera Espinach • Valeria Chaykina • Lucia Connolly • Tenley Connors José Pablo Castro Cuevas • Maxwell Dawe • Anabelle de la Nuez • Jonathan Dole • Derek Drilon Fernando Duarte • Olivia Duryea • Stefan Gonçalvez • Dylan Gutierrez • Reed Henry • Dara Holmes Amanda Illuminati • Victoria Jaiani • Hansol Jeong • Gayeon Jung • Yumi Kanazawa Blake Kessler • Hyuma Kiyosawa • Nae Kojima • Zachary Manske • Jeraldine Mendoza Lindy Mesmer • Jackson Miles • Valentino Moneglia Zamora • Xavier Núñez • Davide Oldano Wictor Hugo Pedroso • Lauren Quinn • Paolo Randon • Scott Reed • Aaron Renteria • Basia Rhoden Julia Rust • Ryo Sasaki • Natali Taht • Miu Tanaka • Alberto Velazquez • Ao Wang Birthday Variations Choreography: Gerald Arpino • Music: Giuseppe Verdi Costume Design: Stanley Simmons • Original Lighting Design: Thomas Skelton Lighting Realization: Chris Maravich Premiere: March 6, 1986, Lyric Opera House, Chicago, IL For Mr. Ramsey Lewis Choreography: Houston Thomas • Music: Ramsey Lewis solo and trio repertory Costume Realization: The Joffrey Ballet Wardrobe Department • Lighting Design: Chris Maravich Musicians: The Urban Knights with Richard D. Johnson Premiere: September 13, 2024, Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL Performed by Studio Company and Ballet Trainee Members from the Joffrey Academy, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet Round of Angels Choreography: Gerald Arpino • Music: Gustav Mahler Costume Design: A. Christina Giannini • Original Lighting Design: Thomas Skelton Lighting Realization: Chris Maravich Premiere: January 5, 1983, City Center Theater, New York, New York –Intermission– Yonder Blue Choreography: Andrew McNicol • Music: Peter Gregson Costume Realization: The Joffrey Ballet Wardrobe Department • Original Lighting Design: Jack Mehler Lighting Realization: Chris Maravich Premiere: April 24, 2019, AuditoriumTheatre, Chicago, IL Ravinia expresses its appreciation for the generous support of Sponsor Audrey L. Weaver . This performance is part of The Ruth Page Festival of Dance , an annual series of dance performances presented by Ravinia in collaboration with The Ruth Page Foundation and honoring one of Chicago’s most celebrated dancers of all time. RUTH PAGE FESTIVAL OF DANCE “To the history of dance, she left several chapters of innovation. … And to the world of dance, she left a legend.” —Ann Barzel, dance critic “Among our most American icons is this pioneer woman dedicatedly scanning the distant frontier.” —John Martin, New York Times For many, Ruth Page (1899–1991) and dance in Chicago are synonymous. She performed, toured, choreographed, and produced in all parts of the world, but her legacy was not just in being an acclaimed American ballerina. She was an early creative force, breaking boundar- ies between classical and modern dance through a complex fusion of choreography beyond her classical training. She collaborated with some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, includ- ing Irving Berlin, Antoni Clave, Aaron Copland, Sergei Diaghilev, Katherine Dunham, and Isamu Noguchi. Ruth Page also brought world-class dance to Chicago’s stages as Ballet Director of the Chicago Opera Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Ravinia Opera. In 1965, Ruth Page presented Chicago with a beautiful holiday gift—original choreography of The Nutcracker that would become a beloved classic for the entire family, performed annually at the Arie Crown Theater until 1997. This full- length work lives on in a dazzling annual pro- duction that celebrates young artists and inter- national guests with an audience that includes countless generations of fans. In 1971, having already established herself as an internationally acclaimed artist and arts patron, Ruth Page created a performing arts center and school of dance where artistic excellence could thrive. The Ruth Page Center for the Arts stands today as an example of how far her legacy has grown. More than just a building, it is a hub for creative exploration, connection, and expres- sion. The Ruth Page Center is widely recognized as an integral part of the global dance commu- nity not only for its history of artistic excellence and innovation through its founder, but also for the progressive programs that are important to dance artists at every level of development. An enduring part of the Ruth Page legacy is the long-standing artistic relationship between the Ravinia Festival and the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, which helps ensure that dance is repre- sented as part of Ravinia’s annual programming. In partnership with Ravinia, the Ruth Page Festival of Dance presents local, national, and international dance companies on the festival grounds or at one of Chicago’s large venues. To learn more about The Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programs and initiatives, please visit www.ruthpage.org. RAVINIAMAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2 – SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 78