**** Highly Recommended The Joffrey Ballet’s production of Liliom: A Ballet by John Neumeier is unique, elegant, romantic, dramatic, magnificent. Just when I think I’ve seen the best Joffrey can offer, they create something even better! Their ability to tell a complicated story without ever saying a word is unparalleled. In addition to classic ballet, Neumeier brought in elements of modern dance, jazz dance, acrobatics, even gymnastics to convey the story. Liliom is a masterpiece. C’est magnifique! 4 BIG Spotlights
Michel Legrand (The Windmills of Your Mind, Brian’s Song, I will Wait for You, The Summer Knows) wrote the evocative score for Liliom, with music to be played by an orchestra and a jazz band – life outside and life inside Playland respectively. Live accompaniment was provided by members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra (Music Director & Principal Conductor Scott Speck) and the Rob Parton Big Band, Guest Conductor Nathan Brock. Nicholas Koo was Conductor on opening night. By the way, the jazz band is on a filigreed balcony above the stage.
Joffrey Company Artists Evan Boersma & Reed Henry. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
In addition to the choreography, John Neumeier designed the costumes for Liliom and co-designed the lighting, with Jim French. Scenic Design is by Ferdinand Wõgerbauer. The production was staged by Niurka Moredo, Marlin Rademaker and Konstantin Tselikov. Liliom had its world premiere at the Hamburg State Opera in 2011.
I hope all my northwest Indiana readers remember me mentioning Evan Boersma in previous reviews. His mom, Kelly Boersma, the principal at Munster’s Frank H. Hammond Elementary School, is still beaming with pride since her son has a featured role in Liliom. In fact, The Balloon Man (Boersma) opens the ballet.
On a dark stage clutching a huge bundle of gaily colored balloons, The Balloon Man is still for a couple of minutes. He’s on his knees, slowly starting to move – stretching one leg out, straightening, kneeling, then repeating with the other leg, moving slowly across the stage. It was strange and kind of eerie, but then when The Balloon Man appeared with a bundle of white balloons, it seemed he might be an agent of death.
Joffrey Company Artists José Pablo Castro Cuevas & Victoria Jaiani. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
In kind of a prequel, The Balloon Man leads Liliom (José Pablo Castro Cuevas) back to Earth where he’s supposed to do a good deed. Meeting his son, Louis (Reed Henry), he gives him a gift – a star he’s stolen from heaven – but Louis doesn’t know him and rejects it. Angry, he hits Louis.
Liliom is a barker at an amusement park called Playland, luring people in to spend their money. He’s also lovers with Mrs. Muscat (Amanda Assucena) who owns Playland. Julie (Victoria Jaiani) and her friend Marie (Natali That) work in a restaurant at Playland. A Shy Young Man (Davide Oldano) approaches Julie, but a drunken Sailor (Alberto Velazquez) harasses her. When Ficsur (Xavier Núñez) slips him a knife, Liliom ‘saves’ her. Since Mrs. Muscat considers Liliom hers, she confronts him, then fires him.
Later, when Marie is off with her boyfriend, Wolf Beifeld (Jonathan Dole), Julie and Liliom spend time together. Their pas de deux is one of the most romantic I’ve ever seen. Meanwhile, Ficsur is trying to persuade Liliom to become a thief and Mrs. M is trying to get him to come back to Playland.
The Joffrey Ballet Ensemble. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
Liliom tries to find work, joining a crowd of unemployed men competing for jobs. Most of the men in the company appear in this foot-stomping scene.
Julie is busy helping Marie and Wolf get everything together for their wedding when Liliom appears. He’s angry and frustrated because he can’t find a job, and lashes out at Julie. Mrs. M. appears to offer him his old job which Liliom is considering, at least until Julie tells him she’s expecting.
Joffrey Company Artists José Pablo Castro Cuevas & Laila Madison. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
At the wedding, Ficsur and Liliom try robbery but everything went wrong. Ficsur got away but when Liliom got caught, he killed himself.
The Balloon Man appears with a bundle of white balloons to accompany Liliom to the beyond where he appears before the Gatekeeper (Dylan Gutierrez) who decides he’s redeemable. He spends sixteen years there while on Earth, Julie has her baby who grows up while Liliom is gone.
When The Balloon Man leads Liliom back, he finds lots of changes. Playland is abandoned, and his son is grown up.
Joffrey Company Artists José Pablo Castro Cuevas & Reed Henry. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
Other named characters: Porter (Fernando Duarte), The New Liliom (Davide Oldano), Young Louis (Sam Farster****), A Sad Clown (Jackson Miles), Employment Officer (Dylan Gutierrez).
Other groups:
- Silk Trio: Lucia Connolly, Lauren Quinn, Basia Rhoden
- Chinese Jugglers: Fabian Raschitor, Sam Stampleman
- Circus Dancers: Olivia Duryea, Amanda Illuminati
- Acrobats: Derek Drilon, Hansol Jeong
- Waiters: Elliot Jacob*, Rowan Craske**
- Visitors in Playland: Dayla Bowman, Dara Holmes, Nae Kojima, Laila Madison, Aoi Morohashi, Anabelle de la Nuez
- Couples: Coco Alvarez-Mena, Hyuma Kiyosawa; Tenley Connors, Scott Reed; Yumi Kanazawa, Fernando Duarte; Seehyun Kim, Zachary Manske; Lindy Mesmer, Aaron Renteria; Julia Rust, Edson Barbosa; Ao Wang, Wictor Hugo Pedroso
- Circus Workers: Jake Cohen*, Jack Guitreau*, Elliot Jacob*, Rowan Craske**, Devin Griffith**, Kross Michaels**
- Men Looking for Work: Edson Barbosa, Jonathan Dole, Derek Drilon, Fernando Duarte, Guillem Cabrera Espinach, Reed Henry, Hansol Jeong, Zachary Manske, Jackson Miles, Davide Oldano, Wictor Hugo Pedroso, Fabian Raschitor, Scott Reed, Aaron Renteria, Sam Stampleman, Alberto Velazquez, Jake Cohen*, Jack Guitreau*, Rowan Craske**, Devin Griffith**, Kross Michaels**
- Wedding Guests: Coco Alvarez-Mena, Olivia Duryea, Dara Holmes, Yumi Kanazawa, Nae Kojima, Laila Madison, Anabelle de la Nuez, Basia Rhoden, Julia Rust, Ao Wang, Edson Barbosa, Derek Drilon, Fernando Duarte, Hansol Jeong, Hyuma Kiyosawa, Zachary Manske, Wictor Hugo Pedroso, Scott Reed, Aaron Renteria, Sam Stampleman
- Policemen: Guillem Cabrera Espinach, Fabian Raschitor, Ireber Bilbao*
- Devils: Fernando Duarte, Zachary Manske, Wictor Hugo Pedroso, Fabian Raschitor, Scott Reed, Aaron Renteria.
*Joffrey Studio Company | ** Joffrey Academy Trainee | *** Joffrey Conservatory Student | ****Joffrey Academy Children's Program Student
Joffrey Company Artists Victoria Jaiani & Reed Henry. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
Please note that the dancers I’ve mentioned in this review might be different in the performance you attend. You can find the cast list for each performance at https://joffrey.org/performances-and-tickets/26-27-season/liliom/casting/.
The program book is available at https://joffrey.org/performances-and-tickets/26-27-season/liliom/liliom-a-ballet-by-john-neumeier-program-book/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LiliomPerformanceReminder&utm_content=version_A
Liliom is performed through September 27th at the Lyric Opera House, 20 North Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago. Valet parking is available, $35. Closest self-park option is the Poetry Garage, 201 W. Madison, $13 reduced rate available at https://joffrey.org/performances-and-tickets/plan-your-visit/directions-and-parking/
Running time is two hours, 20 minutes, with an intermission. Remaining performances are Thursday, September 24th at 7:30 pm; Friday, September 25th at 7:30 pm; Saturday, September 26th at 2:00 & 7:30 pm; and Sunday, September 27th at 2:00 pm; Single tickets start at $46. FYI (312) 386-8905 or www.joffrey.org.