#HASHTAG: ASHLEY WHEATER

Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director ASHLEY WHEATER MBE is excited for The Joffrey Ballet’s 2024-25 season. It is a special invitation for audiences to immerse themselves in an abundance of fresh, captivating narratives, and this year, Chicago will witness all that the storied dance company can offer. “It is always an honor to set premieres on the Joffrey, whether new to Chicago, the U.S., or the world,” says Wheater. “We begin with the haunting echoes of redemption in Cathy Marston’s poignant adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement—a co-production with Ballett Zürich making its North American premiere. In our winter series, Golden Hour, we’ll infuse the Lyric with a touch of warmth through radiant interpretations, including Dani Rowe’s Princess and the Pea. Lastly, we close the season on a celebratory note, as we are the first American company to stage Christopher Wheeldon’s unique realm of beauty, curiosity, and delight with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” As he prepares for the season ahead, Wheater shares his go-tos for inspiration for the world of dance and beyond.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

I’ve just finished In Memoriam: A Novel by Alice Winn. If I’m not mistaken, this was her debut novel, and I was greatly moved by it. She sets what is really a gorgeous and heartbreaking tale against the very difficult background of war. I thought she was able to capture the ways people try to stay connected to one another, even when circumstances do their utmost to drive them apart.

#ON MY MOBILE

I’m not much for social media really, but the social media team at The Joffrey Ballet will be able to offer you a sneak peek at some of what you might see at our totally free Joffrey For All performance in Millennium Park on June 16, which is, incidentally, one of my favorite things we do all year. To see the whole city come out and enjoy the beautiful work of our company, our academy, and our community engagement team, it’s just a joy. If you’ve ever seen the Joffrey before, you may well recognize some of what we’re doing for this performance, but there are some treats we’ve been saving up just for this summer.

#IN MY EARBUDS

Mostly, I’m listening to Laura Rossi’s gorgeous, commissioned score for Cathy Marston’s adaptation of Atonement, which will open at Lyric Opera this coming fall. It’s such a gift to have original music for a creation. Cathy’s work always focuses so profoundly on story, character, and motivation, and Laura’s score really becomes a partner in that effort. When the movement and the music are created together, they speak to each other and inform each other in such beautiful ways. Otherwise, recently a friend gifted me a set of recordings of the Philip Glass Etudes, which has been a real treat. I’ve also been struck by a young tenor named Freddie De Tommaso, who has rather burst on the opera scene in the past couple of years.