Chicago, IL – (September 16, 2013) Paulina Kapuscińska, the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago, and the Chicago Philharmonic welcome Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Agnieszka Laska and the Agnieszka Laska Dancers in a press conference at the Polish Consulate Office, 1530 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, on Friday, September 27 at 2 p.m.
Laska is a native of Poland and The Agnieszka Laska Dancers are a modern dance troupe from Oregon, who will join the Chicago
Philharmonic Orchestra on stage on September 29 to perform selected scenes from Stravinsky’s landmark ballet, The Rite of Spring. This year marks the 100th anniversary of The Rite of Spring. The Chicago Philharmonic concert featuring the dancers takes place at Pick Staiger Hall at 7 p.m.
The Chicago Philharmonic opens its 2013-2014 season “The Romantic Impulse” with a Sunday evening concert titled Twilight of the Romantics on September 29 at 7 p.m. at Pick-Staiger Hall in Evanston. Artistic Director Scott Speck will lead the Chicago Philharmonic through the Romantic era beginning with Strauss’ thrilling Don Juan. Soloist Kuang-Hao Huang will perform the rarely heard, one-movement Piano Concerto No. 3 of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Discover this lesser-known masterwork of one of the world’s most beloved composers. The orchestra will then celebrate the centennial of Igor Stravinsky’s landmark ballet The Rite of Spring which changed the history of music forever. As a special treat for the audience, the Agnieszka Laska Dancers, a ground-breaking modern dance troupe from Oregon, will pay tribute to the original choreography with a performance that includes their interpretation of scenes from “The Rite of Spring”.
Agnieszka Laska danced for 25-plus years with Balet Form Nowoczesnych AGH, a top Polish modern dance company, touring Europe nd North America. She has also choreographed extensively for leading Polish theatre companies in award-winning productions across Europe and at festivals in Edinburgh and Avignon.
This season marks the beginning of a new era, as we welcome Scott Speck as the Chicago Philharmonic’s new Artistic Director. Scott Speck, also Music Director of the Joffrey Ballet, brings his experience and sensibilities to our orchestra’s programming.
“I am thrilled to begin this new chapter with the Chicago Philharmonic,” said Scott Speck. “Even for a city with the riches of Chicago, these musicians are especially superb, and our collaboration holds huge promise. This is an orchestra that takes my breath away, and we have created an opening season that plays to its great strengths.”
The concert takes place at Pick-Staiger Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston.
Tickets: $25-$75. Visit www.chicagophilharmonic.org or contact the ticket hotline at 866.811.4111.
About the Chicago Philharmonic
The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a musician-governed and driven Chicago-based not-for-profit organization originally established in 1988 by the principals of the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Over the years, the core group of Lyric players has expanded to become a community of over 200 professional musicians, which form the artistic strength of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra. Previous conductors have included Zubin Mehta, Sir Andrew Davis, Itzhak Perlman, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Erich Kunzel, and former Music Director Larry Rachleff. Throughout the years, the Orchestra has also performed at Ravinia as the Festival Orchestra under the baton of James Conlon and Christoph Eschenbach, among others.
Here is a vimeo clip of the dancers performing The Rite of Spring.