80-515: (Redirected from Harris Theatre ) Harris Theater may refer to: Harris Theater (Chicago) , a 2003-built mostly underground 1525-seat performing arts space in Millennium Park in downtown Chicago. One of the twin Harris and Selwyn Theaters , a 1922 900-seat Chicago theater located at Dearborn and Lake Street. Harris Theater (Pittsburgh) ,
160-662: A 200-seat cinema and a 1900s landmark building in Pittsburgh. One of two demolished theaters on 42nd Street in Manhattan: Anco Cinema , at 254 West 42nd Street, known as the Harris Theatre from 1911 to 1920, demolished 1997; The Sam H. Harris Theatre at 226 West 42nd Street, demolished 1996. Joan and Irving Harris Concert Hall , a 500-seat venue in Aspen, Colorado . Topics referred to by
240-526: A Gathering, Hummingbird, Don Quixote, Shostakovich Trilogy, Caprice, Swimmer, and Romeo & Juliet . The 2017 season included "Haffner Symphony," "Fragile Vessels," " In the Countenance of Kings ," "Seven Sonatas," "Optimistic Tragedy," "Pas/Parts 2016," "Frankenstein," "Stravinsky Violin Concerto," "Prodigal Son," "Diamonds," "Fusion," "Salome," "Fearful Symmetries," "Swan Lake," "Trio," "Ghost in
320-670: A National Arts Award from Americans for the Arts for her arts leadership and achievement, exemplified in part by funding the Harris Theater with her late husband. San Francisco Ballet San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm . The company is currently based in
400-1029: A commemorative book, San Francisco Ballet at Seventy-Five , and the broadcast of Tomasson's Nutcracker in December 2008 on the Great Performances: Dance in America series on PBS, produced in partnership with KQED Public Television in San Francisco. San Francisco Ballet also performed in frequent overseas tours, including engagements at prestigious venues such as the famed Opéra de Paris-Palais Garnier in Paris (1994, 2001); London's Sadler's Wells Theatre (1999, 2004, 2012) and Royal Opera House in Covent Garden (2002); Athens' Megaron Theatre (2002) and Herod Atticus Amphitheatre (2004); Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens (1998, 2010); and
480-417: A five dollar lunchtime series of 45-minute dance performances, and a discounted ten dollar ticket program was initiated for in-person, cash-only purchases in the last 90 minutes before performances. The theater has been recognized with the 2002 American Architecture Award, and the 2005 American Institute of Architects Chicago Institutional Design Excellence Award. In 2008, Joan Harris was recognized with
560-617: A gift of $ 15 million gift ($ 25.4 million in 2023 dollars) and a $ 24 million ($ 40.7 million) construction loan to the Music and Dance Theater Chicago; this was believed to be largest single monetary commitment ever to a performing arts organization in Chicago. The Harrises had a long history of philanthropy benefitting the arts. The Harris Theater was designed by Driehaus Prize winner Thomas Beeby of Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge Architects; his previous work in Chicago includes
640-450: A muted color scheme—blacks, charcoals and grays. Kamin felt the modest palette is appropriate for a modest structure that attempts to complement the exuberant neighboring pavilion. The proscenium is 30 feet (9.1 m) high and is flanked by 75-foot (22.9 m) steel reflector towers to help focus sound. The stage is both 45 feet (13.7 m) wide and deep, with 75 feet (22.9 m) of flyspace above. The offstage right distance
720-537: A possible four). Among the foibles that he notes were the off-putting industrial aesthetics , mundane concrete-framing, under-refined modest palette and blunt entrance. However, Kamin praises the spacious lobby and the theater's underground design as a concession to preserve the green lakefront. Kamin also praises the design of the proscenium and the venue's sightlines and acoustics , which also drew praise from Tribune journalist Howard Reich and Chicago Sun-Times journalist Wynne Delacoma. Reich, who notes that
800-640: A profit in its fourth fiscal year. The Harris Theater has hosted notable national and international performers, such as the New York City Ballet 's first visit to Chicago in over 25 years (in 2006). The theater began offering subscription series of traveling performers in its 2008–2009 fifth anniversary season. Performances through this series have included the San Francisco Ballet , Mikhail Baryshnikov , and Stephen Sondheim . The theater has been credited as contributing to
880-400: A significant shift in administration of San Francisco Ballet. Lew Christensen— premier danseur at the time—partnered with his brother Willam Christensen as co-directors. Then in 1952, Lew Christensen took over as sole director. Under his guidance, San Francisco Ballet began to travel and establish itself as a significant American ballet company. Until 1956, San Francisco Ballet had remained on
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#1732775764294960-417: A span of more than 25 years, Tomasson has staged acclaimed full-length productions of classics including Swan Lake (1988, 2009); The Sleeping Beauty (1990); Romeo and Juliet (1994); Giselle (1999); Don Quixote , co-staged with former principal dancer and current choreographer in residence Yuri Possokhov (2003); and Nutcracker (2004). Tomasson's Nutcracker , set in San Francisco during
1040-472: A velvet-lined jewel box." Tribune journalist Chris Jones credits the theater's founding as part of Chicago's performing arts renaissance, and praises it as "the only major Chicago arts building with a long-term commitment to equal partnerships" with its performance groups. Another Tribune journalist, John von Rhein, describes the theater as a boon to the performing groups that it serves, and praises it for being state-of-the-art. He also notes that because of
1120-409: A venue for small and medium-sized music and dance groups, which had previously been without a permanent home and were underserved by the city's performing venue options. Among the regularly featured local groups are Joffrey Ballet , Hubbard Street Dance Chicago , and Chicago Opera Theater . It provides subsidized rental, technical expertise, and marketing support for the companies using it, and turned
1200-957: Is 26 feet (7.9 m), while offstage left is 27 feet 10 inches (8.5 m). The theater's sightlines and acoustics provide "an unusually modern and stainless-steel bolstered environment" for experiencing performances according to the Centerstage City Guide. The original design planned for most theater patrons to enter the theater from the underground parking garage, but the success of Millennium Park and neighboring businesses has caused most attendees to enter at street level. The design's limited elevator service has caused bottlenecks for street level patrons. Additional elevators and escalators , which would require special dedicated funding, have been considered. The initial construction leaked and did not protect some non-public spaces from water exposure; this cost Chicago taxpayers $ 1 million for repairs in 2008. The Harris Theater
1280-440: Is America's oldest professional ballet troupe, and was on a widely publicized four-city 75th anniversary celebration tour. Many of the performers for the Harris Theater's first subscription series were internationally acclaimed artists. The lineup for the Harris Theater's 2009–10 second subscription season included Mikhail Baryshnikov, Lang Lang, Kathleen Battle and Stephen Sondheim . Harris theater has been involved in hosting
1360-469: Is a privately owned institution serving mostly local mid-size non-profit arts companies and projects, including those, like Old Town School of Folk Music , which sponsor touring artists. The theater provides subsidized rental, technical expertise, and marketing support, and underwrites over two-thirds of the daily usage costs for its non-profit users while providing marketing, box office, front of house , and technical services at no extra charge. As of 2008,
1440-522: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Harris Theater (Chicago) The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance (also known as the Harris Theater for Music and Dance , the Harris & Harris Theater or, most commonly, the Harris Theater ) is a 1,499-seat theater for the performing arts located along the northern edge of Millennium Park on Randolph Street in
1520-595: Is in Grant Park , which lies between Lake Michigan to the east and the Loop to the west, and has been Chicago's front yard since the mid-19th century. Grant Park's northwest corner, north of Monroe Street and the Art Institute , east of Michigan Avenue, south of Randolph Street, and west of Columbus Drive, had been Illinois Central rail yards and parking lots until 1997, when it was made available for development by
1600-580: The Chicago Tribune reported in 1993 that six dance companies lost their performance space during renovations at the Civic Opera House . The need for a new theater was identified by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in a 1990 study; the new venue had to be flexible, affordable, and technically and physically "state-of-the-art". Once the need was identified, the theater was
1680-538: The Apollo Chorus of Chicago to Roosevelt University 's CCPA Symphony Orchestra. In the fall of the 2006–07 season, the Harris Theater hosted the New York City Ballet for five days of performances that marked the company's first visit to Chicago in over 25 years. This presentation grossed $ 2.3 million and enticed 600 new donors to support the theater, which netted $ 800,000 for operations and rental subsidies for its resident troupes. This contributed to
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#17327757642941760-625: The Chicago International Film Festival . Prior to 2008, the Chicago Theatre had hosted the annual opening-night film of the festival, but that year the festivities were moved to the Harris Theater. The theater has hosted several successful jazz performances, including Nicholas Payton 's comeback and the first indoor Chicago show by the Portuguese fado singer Mariza . In 2005, the theater hosted
1840-611: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra 's " Symphony Center Presents" series and Chicago's Auditorium Theatre . The "Harris Theater Presents" series was in addition to programs by its numerous resident performing arts groups. The theater's music series for the 2008–09 season included a five-concert classical music series and a three-performance dance series by the San Francisco Ballet and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company . The San Francisco Ballet
1920-845: The Edinburgh International Festival at the Edinburgh Playhouse (1997, 2003). In fall 2009, San Francisco Ballet made its first trip to the People's Republic of China, with performances in Shanghai and Beijing. In 2012, San Francisco Ballet embarked on the longest tour in the company's history, with engagements in London and Washington, DC, as well as first-time visits to Hamburg, Germany; Moscow; and Sun Valley, Idaho. In 1978, San Francisco Ballet's Michael Smuin-directed production of Romeo and Juliet became
2000-552: The Harold Washington Library Center and the Art Institute of Chicago Building 's Rice Wing. Thornton Tomasetti was the structural engineer . The building is located on ground leased from the City of Chicago, and cost $ 52.7 million ($ 87.3 million in 2023 dollars). Construction began on February 1 , 2002, and the theater opened for use on November 8 , 2003. The above-ground entrance to
2080-515: The Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County , Illinois , US. The theater, which is largely underground due to Grant Park -related height restrictions, was named for its primary benefactors, Joan and Irving Harris . It serves as the park's indoor performing venue, a complement to Jay Pritzker Pavilion , which hosts the park's outdoor performances. Constructed in 2002–2003, it provides
2160-480: The War Memorial Opera House , San Francisco, and effective December 2022 under the direction of Tamara Rojo . It is among the world's leading dance companies, presenting more than 100 performances annually, with a repertoire that spans both classical and contemporary ballet . Along with American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet , San Francisco Ballet has been described as part of
2240-739: The West Coast , but Christensen took the company to the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts . In 1957, it was the first American ballet company to tour the Far East, performing in 11 Asian nations. On New Year's Day 1965, ABC-TV televised a one-hour abridgement of the Lew Christensen-choreographed production of Nutcracker featuring San Francisco Ballet. In 1972, San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House
2320-485: The "triumvirate of great classical companies defining the American style on the world stage today." Willam Christensen , Harold Christensen , and Lew Christensen made up the famed trio of brothers considered by many to have done more than anyone else to establish ballet in the United States. Born into an artistic and musical family, the three brothers studied folk dance and ballet from early ages and went on to tour
2400-473: The 14th annual Jazz Dance World Congress, and the following year it hosted "Imagine Tap!", a show that featured an array of tap dance styles. The Harris Theater has been the subject of numerous reviews, which are probably best summed up by the Chicago Tribune' s architecture critic Blair Kamin, who describes it as a "solid, though not unqualified, success", while giving it a two star rating (out of
2480-1202: The 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition , is notable for being the only uniquely San Francisco Nutcracker . It features sets (including "a backdrop of San Francisco's Victorian houses known as 'painted ladies ' ") and costumes created by, respectively, Michael Yeargan and Martin Pakledinaz, both repeat Tony Award -winning designers. Upon its premiere, The New York Times called Tomasson's Nutcracker "striking, elegant and beautiful". Today, San Francisco Ballet presents approximately 100 performances each year. The company's diverse repertory includes works by Sir Frederick Ashton , George Balanchine , David Bintley , August Bournonville , Val Caniparoli , Lew Christensen , Nacho Duato , Jorma Elo , William Forsythe , James Kudelka , Jirí Kylián , Serge Lifar , Lar Lubovitch , Wayne McGregor , Agnes de Mille , Sir Kenneth MacMillan , Hans van Manen , Peter Martins , Mark Morris , Rudolf Nureyev , Marius Petipa , Roland Petit , Yuri Possokhov, Alexei Ratmansky , Jerome Robbins , Liam Scarlett , Paul Taylor , Helgi Tomasson , Antony Tudor , and Christopher Wheeldon . In 2010,
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2560-529: The Arts , and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The year culminated in a New Works Festival of world premieres by 10 of the dance world's most acclaimed choreographers—Julia Adam, Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, Margaret Jenkins , James Kudelka, Mark Morris, Yuri Possokhov, Paul Taylor, Stanton Welch , and Christopher Wheeldon. Other anniversary initiatives included
2640-609: The Ballet's 2007 production of Nutcracker , choreographed by Helgi Tomasson. I Also in 2007, the Company had its first theatrical release with Nutcracker , shown in limited theaters in Canada, Australia, and the U.S. In 2011, theatrical distributor IndieNetFilms arranged for additional screenings throughout the U.S. and Canada. In December 2011, the U.S. premiere of John Neumeier 's The Little Mermaid , performed by San Francisco Ballet,
2720-550: The Ballet's opening-night gala, Silver Celebration , honored Tomasson's 25 years as artistic director. The Gala Opening of San Francisco Ballet's 80th Season included Tarantella pas de deux, L'Arlesienne solo, Flower Festival at Genzano pas de deux, In the Passerine's Clutch , Raymonda ’s Act II solo, Trio second movement, Don Quixote grand pas de deux, Onegin Act 1 pas de deux, Stars and Stripes pas de deux, After
2800-507: The Baroque's seven performances at the Harris Theater each year. The theater also hosts Grant Park Music Festival events that include a few free seats. According to the 2005 Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Chicago , by providing a regular performing venue, the Harris Theater has also "raised the profile of local dance groups" in Chicago. The attempt to facilitate modest-sized performance groups has been recognized by philanthropists ; both
2880-528: The Baroque, Old Town School of Folk Music , and Performing Arts Chicago . After the 2003 opening, small dance companies aspired to perform in the state-of-the-art theater; one such troupe, Luna Negra Dance Theater , achieved its goal and performed there in 2006 and 2007. In 2010, Frommer's noted that the major local dance troupes performing regularly at the theater included Columbia College Chicago, Hubbard Street, Joffrey, Muntu, and River North Dance Company . The 2009 edition of Fodor's cited Music of
2960-707: The Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the New York-based Andrew W. Mellon Foundation have provided grants to the theater. For example, in 2009 the MacArthur Foundation gave the theater $ 150,000 over three years "in support of a subsidized usage program for smaller arts organizations". As of 2021, the Harris Theater Resident Companies comprises 25 organizations from
3040-524: The Company; it debuted solely as an orchestra in 1979 at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco's War Memorial Veterans Building, playing a program that included works by Haydn , Ives , and Vivaldi . The SFBO is composed of 49 members and headed by Martin West, music director and conductor. Founding Concertmaster and solo violinist Roy Malan retired in December, 2014, after serving for 40 years. After
3120-428: The Harris Theater is a glass-walled lobby at 205 E. Randolph Street, which spans several metallic and neon floors in what the Chicago Tribune' s Pulitzer Prize -winning architecture critic Blair Kamin describes as "a multistory shaft of space that explodes downward from street level". The theater and adjacent Millennium Park Garage are located mostly underground, with a passage connecting them. Kamin also notes that
3200-774: The Machine," "Within the Golden Hour," and "Cinderella." In January 2021, Tomasson announced that he will retire from the company at the end of 2022. In January 2022, it was announced that Tamara Rojo will succeed Tomasson. San Francisco Ballet performs repertory from January through May at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. In addition, the company performs in July at the Stern Grove Festival in San Francisco, tours nationally in
3280-555: The Montgomery Ward height restrictions on buildings and structures in Grant Park; structures over 40 feet (12 m) tall are not allowed in the park, with the exception of bandshells . Therefore, the theater is mostly underground, while the adjacent Jay Pritzker Pavilion was described as a work of art to dodge the height restriction. The theater is named for its primary benefactors, Joan and Irving Harris , who gave
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3360-469: The Rain pas de deux, and excerpts from Suite en Blanc . San Francisco Ballet's 2013 season included Trio , Ghost and Borderlands as well as Suite en blanc , In the night , Nijinsky , The Rite of Spring , Onegin , Raymonda Act III and Cinderella . The 2014 season included Giselle , A Midsummer Night's Dream , Tears , Borderlands , From Foreign Lands , Firebird , Ghosts , The Kingdom of
3440-875: The San Francisco Bay Area, including The Royal Ballet , the Royal Danish Ballet , Stuttgart Ballet , Hamburg Ballet ,the Bolshoi Ballet , Paul Taylor Dance Company , American Ballet Theatre , and the Paris Opéra Ballet . In 1995, the orchestra took on the remarkable task of accompanying 13 international dance companies over the space of a single week in the UNited We Dance Festival. The 49-member orchestra accompanies SF Ballet throughout its winter and spring repertory seasons. It also performs apart from
3520-482: The Shades from La Bayadère , Cinderella , Shostakovich Trilogy , Caprice , Maelstrom , The Rite of Spring , Hummingbird , The Fifth Season , Suite en Blanc , Agon , Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet , and Glass Pieces . The 2015 season included Serenade, RAkU, Lambarena, Giselle, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude , Variations for Two Couples, Manifesto, The Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère, Act II, Dances at
3600-611: The U.K. The Royal Ballet School The Royal Ballet School San Francisco Ballet School San Francisco Ballet School , San Francisco Ballet's official school, is America's oldest ballet school. The program includes classes in technique, pointe work , pas de deux , men's technique, contemporary dance, floor barre /conditioning, and character dance. Male and female students are placed in divisions according to age, experience, and ability. More than 50 percent of current San Francisco Ballet dancers received some training at San Francisco Ballet School. The school
3680-486: The United States. In 1942, San Francisco Opera Ballet split into two independent companies, ballet and opera. The ballet half was sold to Willam and Harold Christensen. Willam became artistic director, while Harold took on the job of director of the San Francisco Ballet School. The San Francisco Ballet Guild was also formed as a support organization for San Francisco Ballet. The year 1951 marked
3760-609: The Year". In 2008, San Francisco Ballet received the Jerome Robbins Award for excellence in dance. In 2012, Helgi Tomasson was named recipient of the Dance/USA Honor, acknowledging individuals' contributions to dance in America and the role they play in the national dance community. Most recently, San Francisco Ballet was nominated in the category of Outstanding Company by the 2014 National Dance Awards , based in
3840-504: The category of Outstanding Achievement in Dance, for its 2004 fall season at Sadler's Wells Theatre. Of the engagement, London's The Sunday Times proclaimed, "Helgi Tomasson's outstanding artistic direction ... has transformed a regional American troupe into one of the world's top ballet companies." In 2006, in a readers' poll conducted by Dance Europe magazine, San Francisco Ballet was the first non-European company to be voted "Company of
3920-916: The city as Millennium Park . As of 2007, Millennium Park trails only Navy Pier as a Chicago tourist attraction. In 1836, a year before Chicago was incorporated, the Board of Canal Commissioners held public auctions for the city's first lots . Foresighted citizens, who wanted the lakefront kept as public open space, convinced the commissioners to designate the land east of Michigan Avenue between Randolph Street and Park Row (11th Street) "Public Ground—A Common to Remain Forever Open, Clear and Free of Any Buildings, or Other Obstruction, whatever." Grant Park has been "forever open, clear and free" since, protected by legislation that has been affirmed by four previous Illinois Supreme Court rulings. In 1839, United States Secretary of War Joel Roberts Poinsett declared
4000-493: The company remained under Christensen's directorship until 1978. Under Balanchine's tutelage at American Ballet, Lew Christensen became the first American-born danseur noble . The United States Army drafted Christensen to fight in World War II . After the war ended, he joined Balanchine's and Lincoln Kirstein 's Ballet Society (soon to become New York City Ballet ), eventually becoming ballet master ; he served in
4080-624: The company's ballet master and choreographer in 1938. With his brother Harold, he purchased the company from the Opera in 1942, renaming it San Francisco Ballet. In 1951, Willam retired as director of SF Ballet and moved to Utah, where he started teaching ballet in the country's first university ballet department at the University of Utah . With a group of his students, he founded the Utah Civic Ballet (now known as Ballet West ) in 1963;
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#17327757642944160-503: The culmination of "years of planning by Chicago's philanthropic, arts, business and government leaders" including groups like Music of the Baroque , which now perform there regularly. The plan also extended Chicago's performing arts district, which had been predominantly west of Michigan Avenue , east towards Lake Michigan , and linked it more with the Museum Campus and Michigan Avenue cultural institutions. The Harris Theater
4240-505: The famous vaudeville Orpheum Circuit during the 1920s and 1930s, exposing many Americans to ballet for the first time with their act "The Christ Brothers". As vaudeville faded from American popular culture, Harold and Lew joined George Balanchine 's new company, American Ballet , in 1935. In 1932, Willam formed a ballet school in Portland, Oregon; in 1937, he was engaged as principal male soloist by San Francisco Opera Ballet. He became
4320-494: The first American man to dance with the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo . In 1938, the company's first major production was Coppélia , choreographed by Willam Christensen. In 1940, it staged Swan Lake , the first time that the ballet was produced in its entirety by an American company. On Christmas Eve 1944, the company staged Nutcracker —the first complete production of Tchaikovsky 's most popular piece ever danced in
4400-644: The first production by a West Coast ballet company, and the first full-length ballet, to be aired by the PBS Great Performances: Dance in America television series. Under the direction of Smuin, the ballet's 1981 production of The Tempest became the first ballet to be broadcast live (on PBS) from the War Memorial Opera House. Three years later, the 1984 PBS broadcast of the Ballet's performance of A Song for Dead Warriors earned Smuin an Emmy. The fruitful relationship between PBS and SF Ballet continues to this day, with regular broadcasts of
4480-605: The first time that a West Coast ballet company, and a full-length ballet, was shown on the PBS TV series. PBS televised three more of Smuin's SF Ballet productions, and his productions of The Tempest and A Song for Dead Warriors went on to win Emmy Awards . Smuin led the company until 1985. Helgi Tomasson's 1985 arrival as artistic director marked the beginning of a new era for San Francisco Ballet. Under Tomasson's direction, San Francisco Ballet has been recognized as one of
4560-450: The land between Randolph Street and Madison Street east of Michigan Avenue "Public Ground forever to remain vacant of buildings". Aaron Montgomery Ward , who is known both as the inventor of mail order and the protector of Grant Park, twice sued the city of Chicago to force it to remove buildings and structures from Grant Park and to keep it from building new ones. In 1890, arguing that Michigan Avenue property owners held easements on
4640-510: The most innovative ballet companies in the world due to its early and frequent commissioning of new works by aspiring choreographers around the globe, the breadth of its repertory—spanning classical ballet , neoclassical ballet , and contemporary ballet —and the diversity of its company members. The Financial Times noted in 2012, "Tomasson ... helped shatter the distinction between the US top companies and so-called 'regional companies ' ". Over
4720-422: The national ranks, and he has done so by honing the dancers into a classical style of astonishing verve and purity. San Francisco Ballet under Helgi Tomasson's leadership is one of the spectacular success stories of the arts in America." In May 1995, San Francisco Ballet hosted 12 ballet companies from around the world for UNited We Dance: An International Festival. The festival commemorated the 50th anniversary of
4800-413: The park land, Ward commenced legal actions to keep the park free of new buildings. In 1900, the Illinois Supreme Court concluded that all landfill east of Michigan Avenue was subject to dedications and easements. In 1909, when he sought to prevent the construction of the Field Museum of Natural History in the center of the park, the courts affirmed his arguments. As a result, the city has what are termed
4880-497: The performing arts renaissance in Chicago and has been favorably reviewed for its acoustics , sightlines , proscenium and for providing a home base for numerous performing organizations. Although it is seen as a high caliber venue for its music audiences, the theater is regarded as less than ideal for jazz groups because it is more expensive and larger than most places where jazz is performed. The design has been criticized for traffic flow problems, with an elevator bottleneck. However,
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#17327757642944960-433: The rare position of being one of three major orchestras in a single city. The orchestra debuted at the end of 1975 with Nutcracker and has met with both audience and critical acclaim ever since, becoming known by the 1990s as one of the world's finest ballet orchestras. SFBO toured with the SF Ballet's touring company from 1978 until 1984. It has accompanied many prestigious international ballet companies that have toured to
5040-1115: The repertory season. The school also runs a pre-ballet program for children ages 4–7; after completing the program, students of age who wish to continue study must audition in order to continue at the school. The faculty of the San Francisco Ballet School has long been known for its excellence and diversity of background. As of January 2017, it is led by the Artistic Director Helgi Tómasson and Director Patrick Armand. The illustrious faculty includes Patrick Armand, Cecelia Beam, Sandrine Cassini, Kristi DeCaminada, Karen Gabay, Jeffrey Lyons, Rubén Martín Cintas, Ilona McHugh, Pascal Molat (Trainee Program Assistant), Anne-Sophie Rodriguez, Jaime Diaz (Strengthening), Dexandro "D" Montalvo (Contemporary), Brian Fisher (Contemporary), Dana Genshaft (Contemporary dance and conditioning), Henry Berg (Conditioning), Leonid Shagalov (Character), Jamie Narushchen (Music), and Daniel Sullivan (Music). The guest faculty for 2017 includes Sofiane Sylve (Principal Guest). Founded in 1975 to serve as San Francisco Ballet's official permanent orchestra, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra (SFBO) holds
5120-575: The role from 1946 until 1950. In 1951, he joined his brother Willam as co-director of San Francisco Ballet. When Willam moved to Salt Lake City later that year, Lew took over as full director of SF Ballet; he held the position until 1976, when Michael Smuin joined him as co-director. Lew Christensen remained SF Ballet co-director until 1984, the year of his death. After leaving the vaudeville circuit in 1935, Harold Christensen danced with American Ballet, San Francisco Opera Ballet, Kirstein's Ballet Caravan , and San Francisco Ballet until his retirement from
5200-424: The role. Admission into the school is by audition only. Students may apply for financial aid and merit-based scholarships. Advanced students may be invited to join the SFBS Trainee Program, a one- to two-year pre-professional program established in 2004. Up to 150 students are chosen by audition to dance in the yearly SF Ballet production of Nutcracker . The most advanced students may also dance with SF Ballet in
5280-425: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Harris Theater . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harris_Theater&oldid=1117908783 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
5360-518: The same time, with the benefit that they share a loading dock , rehearsal rooms and other backstage facilities. The entire auditorium is in a cube 100 feet (30.5 m) on a side, so all the seats are relatively close to the stage. The seating capacity is 1,499, with approximately 600 main floor seats, 500 raised orchestra level seats and 400 balcony seats. The modern orchestra pit , which can be closed, accommodates 45 musicians. The seats are maplewood; carpeting and walls have
5440-426: The school from 1975 to 1985; he oversaw the move to its current state-of-the-art facilities on Franklin Street in 1983. In 1985, new SF Ballet artistic director Helgi Tomasson appointed Nancy Johnson as school head. Lola de Avila joined as associate director from 1993 to 1999, followed by Gloria Govrin beginning in 1999. In 2006, de Avila returned to serve as associate director until 2012, when Patrick Armand stepped into
5520-413: The signing of the United Nations Charter , which took place at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center . In fall 2008, as part of the company's 75th anniversary celebration, San Francisco Ballet embarked on a critically acclaimed four-city American tour with engagements at Chicago's Harris Theater for Music and Dance , New York City Center , Southern California's Segerstrom Center for
5600-419: The stage in 1946. In 1940, his brother Willam invited him to become director of the San Francisco Ballet School , and in 1942 he and Willam purchased the SF Ballet. Harold continued to serve as the school's director until his retirement in 1975. Emmy Award winning choreographer and dancer James Starbuck was a principal dancer with the San Francisco Opera Ballet from 1935-1938; and left the company to become
5680-406: The summer and fall, and presents Nutcracker in December at the War Memorial Opera House. In 1991, San Francisco Ballet performed in New York City for the first time in 26 years, returning in 1993, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2013. Following the initial tour, The New York Times proclaimed, "Mr. Tomasson has accomplished the unprecedented: He has pulled a so-called regional company into
5760-491: The theater has a wonderful stage, describes the theater as a blessing for both audiences and arts organizations because its high-profile confers "instant prominence and credibility to musicians and presenters". Reich feels it is a less than perfect jazz music venue because of its "cavernous" size and high rental cost ($ 4,750 in 2008, plus costs for stagehands). Nonetheless, Delacoma describes it as "an astonishingly beautiful place to listen to music. Its acoustics cradle sound like
5840-531: The theater was used on average 262 days a year for 112 different performances with audiences at about 65 percent of capacity. When the Harris Theater opened, it served as the home venue for a dozen founding music and dance groups: Chicago Ballet , Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Sinfonietta , The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago , Hubbard Street Dance Chicago , Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Lyric Opera Center for American Artists , Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum , Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago , Music of
5920-407: The theater's first year of profitability in fiscal year 2007; it had net income of $ 1.3 million on revenues of $ 8.2 million. In July 2007 , Mikhail Baryshnikov made his first visit to Chicago as a performer in seven years, with two shows at the theater. The theater began to present its own music series of touring groups in its fifth season (2008–09), which put it in competition with
6000-524: The theater's prominent location and its underground design to preserve Millennium Park have been praised. Although there were complaints about high priced events in its early years, discounted ticket programs were introduced in the 2009–10 season. The Harris Theater was built to fill the need for a modern performance venue in downtown Chicago, which would be a new home for previously itinerant performing arts companies. Such troupes were never sure from year to year where they would be able to perform; for example,
6080-422: The theater's success it is able "to present an increasing number of risky, sometimes boundary-busting events the likes of which audiences will hear nowhere else in the area". However, von Rhein notes that the theater's size poses a challenge to the performers attempting to fill its seats, and feels that it overemphasizes high-priced events. In 2009–2010, the theater introduced a pair of discounted ticket programs:
6160-660: The theater's underground design and the Millennium Park Garage entrance causes many theater goers to miss the spatial grandeur of the lobby, and has led to complaints about the time it takes to descend the many stairs to the theater. The theater has a rooftop terrace that is available for private events. The Harris Theater is located beneath and directly north of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park's outdoor performance venue. The theater and pavilion were built adjacent to each other at about
6240-522: Was broadcast nationally on PBS's Great Performances: Dance in America , and also internationally. DVDs of the Nutcracker and The Little Mermaid performances were released in 2008 and 2011, respectively. CD recordings of the complete score of Nutcracker and Shinji Eshima's RAkU were released in 2010 and 2012, respectively. The company has garnered numerous accolades and awards. In 2005, San Francisco Ballet won its first Laurence Olivier Award , in
6320-619: Was founded in 1933 as part of the San Francisco Operatic and Ballet School when Gaetano Merola , the founder of the San Francisco Opera , perceived a need for an institution where dancers could be trained to perform in opera productions. The school was under the direction of ballet director Adolph Bolm from 1933 to 1938. Willam Christensen became director from 1938 to 1940, followed by his brother Harold Christensen from 1942 until 1975. Richard L. Cammack directed
6400-544: Was named the official residence of San Francisco Ballet. In 1973, Michael Smuin became co-artistic director of San Francisco Ballet with Lew Christensen; Smuin had danced with the Company from 1953 to 1961. Under his direction, the national and international profile of SF Ballet was raised significantly by the broad success of productions such as 1977's Romeo and Juliet , which aired on the PBS series Great Performances : Dance in America in 1978. This televised performance marked
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