So excited to make it to the first performance after working on this show for over a year and a half!!!

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In September 2014, absurdist marching band Mucca Pazza experienced a monumental – but glorious! – defeat at Orchestra Hall at the hands of the Chicago Sinfonietta. Together, they played Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and recounted the history of the French invasion of Russia; Mucca Pazza, in its role as Napoleon’s Grand Armée, was ultimately vanquished by the cold Russian winter. C’est la vie, c’est la guerre.

Much like Napoleon, Mucca Pazza remains undaunted, and they’re gearing up for a rematch with the Sinfonietta this May. The sparring ensembles will perform selections from Prokofiev’s gorgeous Romeo and Juliet, including Prokofiev’s original, rarely-performed, censored-by-Stalin happy ending!

In addition to the Prokofiev, the May performances will feature the premiere of a brand new orchestral arrangement of Mucca Pazza’s unreleased tune War of Amusements, (composed by Mucca Pazza percussionist Andy Deitrich and orchestrated by the group’s Artistic Director Ronnie Kuller), a joyfully ridiculous medley of celebrated endings from the standard orchestral repertoire, beautiful video work by Jim Newberry and Mark Comiskey, and a custom-painted matryoshka toy theater brought to life by puppeteer extraordinaire Diane Mair.

Praise + Punk: The Ending of All Endings performances:

Saturday, May 12, 2018, 8PM @ Wentz Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave Naperville, IL 60540
Monday, May 14, 2018, 7:30PM @ Symphony Center, 220 S Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60604

Tickets and detailed program information can be found at the Chicago Sinfonietta website.