From Chicago Sun-Times · · 2m
Joffrey Ballet's 'Liliom' Premieres with Bold Sound Design
Joffrey Ballet's Chicago premiere of 'Liliom' features a unique dual-ensemble setup where orchestra and jazz band create a dynamic sound contrast.
In brief
Joffrey Ballet's Chicago premiere of 'Liliom' features a unique dual-ensemble setup where orchestra and jazz band create a dynamic sound contrast. The Joffrey Ballet's 'Liliom' uses a spatially separated orchestra and big band to create a distinctive rhythmic tension between classical and jazz elements. Originally…
Chicago Premiere
Joffrey Ballet's 'Liliom' makes its Chicago debut at the Lyric Opera House with a unique dual-ensemble setup.
“This is where the dancers start looking for downbeats”
Sound Challenge
The orchestra and jazz band sit 80 feet apart, creating a 0.08-second delay in sound that requires precise timing.
“The jazz band reaches him about eight-hundredths of a second behind the orchestra”
Conductor's Dilemma
Conductor Nathan Brock coordinates two ensembles that must stay in sync despite the spatial delay.
“How in the hell is this supposed to work”
Musical Innovation
Michel Legrand's score blends classical and jazz elements with a distinctive rhythmic contrast between the ensembles.
“This music is really challenging”
Depression Era Setting
The ballet draws from a 1909 Hungarian play, reimagined in Depression-era America with a supernatural afterlife dimension.
“Liliom winds up after a robbery gone wrong”
Jazz Band Role
The Rob Parton Big Band, a Chicago jazz staple from the 1990s through 2010s, performs the jazz elements of the score.
“It's not just a straight-ahead big-band blow”
Rhythmic Contrast
The score alternates between the orchestra's square duple rhythms and the jazz band's swinging triplets.
“The music oscillates between the pit orchestra and the jazz band”
Historical Context
Michel Legrand composed for 'Liliom' after his Academy Award-winning work on films like 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'.
“He won Academy Awards for his music for Summer of 42”
Rehearsal Challenge
The dual-ensemble setup requires musicians to adjust to a pulse that feels early to them but aligns with the audience.
“The two bands began to pull apart”
Chicago Connection
The Joffrey Ballet's production features Chicago's Rob Parton Big Band and the Lyric Opera Orchestra.
“This is the Chicago premiere”
Musical Texture
Legrand's score includes circusy waltzes, accordion-led French street music, and lush string arrangements.
“It's kind of circusy music it's kind of dancey music it's kind of violent music”
Technical Execution
The dual-ensemble setup has been successfully implemented in previous productions including Hamburg and Prague.
“I can remember very vividly calling my dear friend Simon Hewett”
Audience Experience
The jazz band's visibility creates a more immediate, tangible sound that contrasts with the orchestra's subtle textures.
“It's more gritty it's more tangible”
Performance Details
The ballet runs through September 27, 2026, with José Pablo Castro Cuevas dancing the lead role.
“José Pablo Castro Cuevas will dance the role of Liliom”
Musical Legacy
Legrand's work on 'Liliom' represents a rare fusion of classical and jazz traditions in ballet music.
“You can definitely tell that a classical musician wrote this stuff”
Unique Production
The Joffrey Ballet's 'Liliom' is the first Chicago production of this ballet since its 2021 revival.
“This is the first Chicago production”
The one thing
The Joffrey Ballet's 'Liliom' uses a spatially separated orchestra and big band to create a distinctive rhythmic tension between classical and jazz elements.
