Harris Theater’s 2023-24 season includes return of the New York City Ballet and a reimagined ‘Jungle Book’

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance has announced its 20th anniversary season, which will celebrate community, collaboration and innovation by bringing together artists from genres such as jazz, electronic, classical music, Latin folk, spoken word, ballet and contemporary dance.

Highlights of the 2023-24 season include a Resident Company festival; “Carnival of the Animals,” a new work co-commissioned by the Harris; the Chicago premiere of Akram Khan Company’s “Jungle Book reimagined,” and the world premiere of a storyteller-style program by jazz singer and songwriter Jazzmeia Horn.

Resident Company Celebration (Sept. 9): The season begins with a festival that will include performances, educational activities and special events featuring independent artists, community partners and more than 20 of the theater’s resident companies, such as the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, Chicago Philharmonic, Giordano Dance Chicago and South Chicago Dance Theatre.

Marquis Hill, Mix at Six (6 p.m. Sept. 27): This Chicago trumpeter makes his Harris debut by opening the season’s Mix at Six series. Hill is an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader known for mixing musical genres like contemporary and classic jazz, hip hop, R&B, Chicago house and neo-soul.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: “American Panorama,” Chamber Music Series (7:30 p.m. Oct. 3): The start of the season’s Chamber Music Series focuses on uplifting music and includes works by Harry Thacker Burleigh, Antonín Dvořák, Arthur Foote and Aaron Copland.

Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily: “Love in Exile” (7:30 p.m. Oct. 11): This marks the first time that Aftab, Iyer and Ismaily are collaborating on a new project all about looking for identity and freedom, and finding that through music and love.

Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists: J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor, (7:30 p.m. Oct. 20) and L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (7:30 p.m. Oct. 21): Gardiner comes to the Harris as part of a limited North American tour. He conducts the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists in two programs.

Akram Khan Company: “Jungle Book reimagined” (7:30 p.m. Nov. 9-10, 2 p.m. Nov. 11): Khan and his team have reworked the classic story by Rudyard Kipling by putting a refugee dealing with the consequences of climate change in the role of Mowgli.

Nella Rojas, Mix at Six (6 p.m. Nov. 15): This Grammy Award-winning artist combines Venezuela’s folklore roots, modern production and Andalusian inspirations.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: “Brandenburg Concertos,” Chamber Music Series (7:30 p.m. Dec. 13): CMS returns with Bach’s complete “Brandenburg Concertos.” The six concertos will be performed in their original instrumentation, though each year, they are done in a different order.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: An Evening with David Finckel and Wu Han, featuring Richard Lin, violin; Tim Ridout, viola, Chamber Music Series (7:30 p.m. Jan. 25, 2024): The first half of the program features Debussy’s Sonata for Cello and Piano, while the second half includes Dvořák’s Piano Quartet No. 2.

Jazzmeia Horn, Mix at Six and Family Series (6 p.m. Feb. 2, 2024, 2 p.m. Feb. 3, 2024): Horn makes her Harris debut as part of the Mix at Six series. The jazz singer and songwriter won the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition. She’ll then present a storyteller-style program as part of the Family Series.

Los Angeles Master Chorale/Peter Sellars: “Music to Accompany a Departure” (7:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 2024): Director Peter Sellars, conductor Grant Gershon and the Los Angeles Master Chorale make their Harris debut. The program contemplates saying goodbye in hard times.

Black Grace (7:30 p.m. March 1, 2024, Family Series 2 p.m. March 2, 2024): This contemporary dance company from New Zealand draws from Samoan and New Zealand cultures. The company makes its Chicago debut on the HTP Mainstage. The weeklong engagement will include conversations, workshops and performances. The Family Series matinee is aimed at young audiences and will include audio description and ASL interpretation.

New York City Ballet: Masters at Work: “Balanchine + Robbins” (7:30 p.m. March 21, 2024, 2 p.m. March 23, 2024): NYCB returns to Chicago as it celebrates its 75th anniversary season. The company brings two programs celebrating the past, the present and the future. The first features work by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, George Balanchine, Frédéric Chopin, Jerome Robbins and Paul Hindemith.

New York City Ballet: “21st Century Choreography” (7:30 p.m. March 22-23, 2024): This second NYCB program features works by Caroline Shaw, Justin Peck, Arvo Pärt, Christopher Wheeldon, Pam Tanowitz, James Blake and Kyle Abraham.

Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Wendy Whelan, Francesca Harper: “Carnival of the Animals” (7:30 p.m. April 10, 2024): Spoken word artist and activist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, dancer Wendy Whelan and choreographer Francesca Harper present a new evening-length work rooted in the 1886 Camille Saint-Saëns composition.

Dubhe Ensemble, featuring Joseph Conyers, Chamber Music Series (7:30 p.m. April 25, 2024): Dubhe Ensemble makes its Harris Debut, led by founder and artistic director Joseph Conyers. The chamber music collective features Melissa White (violin), Juan-Miguel Hernandez (viola) and Yumi Kendall (cello).

Alexis Lombre, Mix at Six (6 p.m. May 7, 2024): Lombre is known for her signature mix of avant-garde, hip-hop, R&B, gospel and jazz. She makes her Harris debut with an evening featuring new material from her upcoming album.

Subscriptions are on sale now for the Harris Theater Presents Mainstage, Mix at Six, Family Series and Chamber Music Series at 312-334-7777 and harristheaterchicago.org