Ballet lovers, mark your calendars!  In celebration of the Joffrey Ballet’s 20th anniversary here in Chicago they are presenting Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake. Not only is this the Chicago premier of this ballet, it is the first time the Joffrey will be performing any performance of Swan Lake in its 60-year history.

Wheeldon was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Ballet to choreograph this piece in 2004. This version is set in 19th century Paris, when Tchaikovsky was writing the piece in Moscow. Painter Edgar Degas was gaining notoriety in Paris during this time as well, and Wheeldon has integrated Degas paintings into the beginning choreography.

“There is something so fresh and so well-integrated about his idea. He is a master story-teller with an innate sense of musicality” says artistic director Ashley Wheater, who endeavors to bring re-conceived ballets to audiences in Chicago.

The Joffrey Ballet performs Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake Wednesday, October 15 through Sunday, October 26, Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway for only 10 performances. For a full performance schedule and to purchase tickets visit: http://joffrey.org/swanlake.