National Ballet of Canada Nijinsky casting November 2014 -updated

	Vaslav Nijinsky	Romola Nijinsky	Serge Diaghilev
Sat Nov 22 @ 730 pm	Guillaume Côté	Xiao Nan Yu*	Evan McKie*
Sun Nov 23 @ 2 pm	Skylar Campbell	Sonia Rodriguez	Piotr Stanczyk
Wednesday Nov 26 @ 730 pm	Guillaume Côté	Xiao Nan Yu*	Evan McKie
Thursday Nov 27 @ 2 pm	Francesco Gabriele Frola*	Svetlana Lunkina*	Piotr Stanczyk
Thursday Nov 27 @ 730 pm	Skylar Campbell	Sonia Rodriguez	Piotr Stanczyk
Friday Nov 28 @ 730 pm	Guillaume Côté	Xiao Nan Yu*	Evan McKie
Sat Nov 29 @ 2 pm	Skylar Campbell	Sonia Rodriguez	Piotr Stanczyk
Sat Nov 29 @ 730 pm	Francesco Gabriele Frola*	Svetlana Lunkina*	Piotr Stanczyk
Sunday Nov 30 @ 2 pm	Guillaume Côté	Xiao Nan Yu*	Evan McKie

Updated November 18.

* = debut

All casting subject to change.

All performances at the Four Seasons Centre, Toronto.

To purchase tickets: 

http://national.ballet.ca/performances/season1415/Nijinsky/#/#frame0

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Season 2 of city.ballet starts November 4

aol.com's successful behind-the-scenes look at New York City Ballet returns for a second season! You can subscribe here:
http://on.aol.ca/show/517887470.471-city-ballet/517995636

Rumour has it we will get an inside look into the lives of Sara Mearns and Chase Finlay, among others.

If you love ballet, please check out my season of outstanding ballet trips by clicking here.

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National Ballet of Canada Manon casting

	Manon	Des Grieux	Lescaut	Lescaut's Mistress
Sat Nov. 8, 730 pm	Sonia Rodriguez	Guillaume Côté	Francesco Gabriele Frola	Svetlana Lunkina
Sun Nov 9, 2 pm	Jillian Vanstone	Harrison James	James Whiteside*	Jordana Daumec
Wed Nov 12, 730 pm	Sonia Rodriguez	Guillaume Côté	Francesco Gabriele Frola	Svetlana Lunkina
Thurs Nov 13, 2 pm	Jillian Vanstone	Harrison James	James Whiteside*	Jordana Daumec
Thurs Nov 13, 730 pm	Sonia Rodriguez	Guillaume Côté	James Whiteside*	Jordana Daumec
Fri Nov 14, 730 pm	Greta Hodgkinson	Marcelo Gomes*	Jack Bertinshaw	Svetlana Lunkina
Sat Nov 15 , 2 pm	Jillian Vanstone	Harrison James	Francesco Gabriele Frola	Jordana Daumec
Sat Nov 15, 730 pm	Sonia Rodriguez	Guillaume Côté	TBA	TBA
Sun Nov 16, 2 pm	Greta Hodgkinson	Marcelo Gomes*	Jack Bertinshaw	Svetlana Lunkina

*Guesting from American Ballet Theatre

Updated November 10

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Great Season ticket deal at National Ballet of Canada

The National Ballet of Canada is once again offering its "Premium Rush Subscription": you pay for a 5th Ring seat but get upgraded to best available seating the day before your performance. A fantastic deal at only $363 for 6 performances, considering that a 6-performance subscription in a guaranteed seat in the Orchestra is $1110!

Premium Rush Subscription Limited Time Offer Our best subscription deal is back. A limited number of Premium Rush subscriptions are now available. See a full season of six ballets for only $363. Your seat is guaranteed and you will be upgraded, subject to availability, before the performance. You could sit anywhere in the Four Seasons Centre – the Orchestra, Grand Ring or Ring 5.* How it works: 1.     Select a Wednesday or Thursday evening subscription 2.     Upon ordering, you will receive an email confirmation including all of your performance dates. 3.     One week prior to each performance, you will receive an email reminder with information about the ballet you are about to see. 4.     At 5:00 pm the day before each performance, you will receive your tickets (including your seat location) by email. It’s as simple as that. Manon, Nijinsky, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chroma, Ratmansky & Côté and The Sleeping Beauty – the 2014/15 Season is a brilliant selection of the very best in classical and contemporary ballet. Purchase a Premium Rush subscription today and see six ballets for an incredible price. Performance dates: 7:30 pm Wednesday Evening 7:30 pm Thursday Evening Manon NOV 12 NOV 13 Nijinsky NOV 26 NOV 27 Chroma MAR 4 MAR 5 Alice MAR 25 MAR 26 Ratmansky & Côté JUN 3 JUN 4 Sleeping Beauty JUN 10 JUN 11 To order call 416 (1 866) 345 9595 (not available online). Box office hours > *upgrading is subject to availability on a per performance basis at the discretion of The National Ballet of Canada If you love ballet, please check out my season of outstanding ballet trips by clicking here. GET MORE BALLET OUT OF LIFE WITH TOURS EN L'AIR Use the buttons below to share this post on facebook, twitter, by email, or other social media. Follow me  on twitter: @thewordlady on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katherine.barber.37 You can sign up to have my ballet updates delivered directly to your inbox here.

Ballerina Heather Ogden talks about exercise in pregnancy

National Ballet of Canada Principal Dancer Heather Ogden (expecting her first baby in December this year) will appear in a feature on exercise in pregnancy on CTV News with health reporter Pauline Chan.  
This will air on
CTV 6 o’clock news tomorrow (Thursday October 16) nationwide, around 6:30 pm, 
then again on Friday’s Noon news if they have time for it. 
Plus it’ll be online at toronto.ctvnews.ca under the heading Video, click on the Lifetime category. 

If you love ballet, please check out my season of outstanding ballet trips by clicking here.

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Bolshoi Legend of Love broadcast casting and synopsis

Live Broadcast October 26 (times vary, check your local cinema)

Cast
Mekhmene Banu - Maria Allash
Farhad - Dennis Rodkin
Shirin - Anna Nikulina 


Choreographer: Yuri Grigorovich Designer: Simon Virsaladze Lighting Designer: Mikhail Sokolov

Synopsis

Act I

Scene 1
The palace of Queen Mekhmene Banu is plunged in mourning — her young sister, Shireen, is dying. The Vizier and the courtiers are full of anxiety. Mekhmene Banu is in despair. A Stranger, who appears out of the blue, says he will cure the Princess but, in return, Mekhmene Banu must sacrifice her beauty. In order to save the life of her sister whom she loves deeply, Mekhmene Banu accepts the Stranger’s cruel terms. Shireen is brought back to life.
Scene 2
In the palace square, the young court painter, Ferkhad, suddenly comes across Queen Mekhmene Banu and Princess Shireen who are taking a walk, surrounded by courtiers and the palace guard. The two sisters exchange gazes with Ferkhad and love for the young painter is born in their hearts. The procession moves off. Ferkhad is entranced by the beauty of the young Shireen. In the hope of seeing Ferkhad, Shireen secretly returns to the square. The two young people are greatly attracted to each other.


Act II

Scene 3
Mekhmene Banu is overcome by passion for Ferkhad. Nothing can distract her thoughts from the handsome youth. She realizes in despair that now she has lost her beauty, she will be unable to win his love.
Scene 4
The young Shireen dreams of happiness with her loved one: the thought that they may soon meet gives her great joy and also fills her with anxiety. Ferkhad makes his way into Shireen’s chamber and the lovers elope from the palace. Torn by jealousy, Mekhmene Banu orders that the lovers be seized. The fugitives are caught. The lovers’ pleas that they be granted their happiness are in vain. Mekhmene Banu sets Ferkhad an impossible task: in order to win Shireen, he must first bore a hole through the iron mountain which blocks the way of a water source to people. For the sake of his love, Ferkhad is willing to attempt the impossible. He bids farewell to Shireen.

Act III

Scene 5
Ferkhad, who is in the mountains, dreams that he has gained access to the water and before him he sees his beloved Shireen.
Scene 6
Mekhmene Banu is tormented by her passion for Ferkhad and remorse. She dreams she is beautiful again and that Ferkhad loves her. Shireen runs into the room and breaks into Mekhmene Banu’s reveries starting to implore her sister not to punish Ferkhad with whom she’s in love. Mekhmene Banu understands her like nor other and makes the last decision.They rushed away from the palace.
Scene 7
After having heard about Ferkhad’s great deal the people in the high expectation came to see him in the mountains. Queen Mekhmene Banu and Shireen appear surrounded by their suite. Overcome by happiness at their meeting, the lovers throw themselves into each other’s arms. The princess tries to take him away. But Ferkhad seeing speechless entreaty of the people dying from thirst Ferkhad makes a decision to stay in the mountains so as to accomplish a feat for the sake of love to the people and Shireen. Everyone is full of respect for his great altruism.

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Nureyev portrait exhibition and play in Florida

St Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts shows Wyeth’s Nureyev portraits

	Image courtesy of MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, ST. PETERSBURG “Mort de Noureev” (2001), by Jamie Wyeth, mixed media, is part of the collection of the Brandywine River Museum of Art and is currently featured in Wyeth’s Portraits of Rudolf Nureyev: Images of the Dancer at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.

ST. PETERSBURG – The encounter between Jamie Wyeth (born 1946), one of America’s most gifted artists and portrait painters, and dance icon Rudolf Nureyev was destined to produce fascinating, revealing works.

Wyeth’s Portraits of Rudolf Nureyev: Images of the Dancer from the Brandywine River Museum of Art will open Saturday, Oct. 11, and will continue through Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, at the Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive NE, St Petersburg, FL.

This exhibition will feature 19 stellar examples, along with three sketchbooks, five costumes, and even a pair of Nureyev’s Capezio ballet slippers. Three paintings are large-scale.

Jennifer Hardin, Hazel and William Hough chief curator and a specialist in American art, has selected the works in close consultation with the Brandywine River Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The Brandywine has one of the most important collections of art by members of the Wyeth family.

On Sunday, Oct. 12, at 3 p.m. Dr. Amanda C. Burdan, associate curator at the Brandywine, will present a Collectors Circle lecture, “Wyeth and Nureyev, a Grande Révérence,” which is free and open to the public with MFA admission.
In his portraits of Nureyev, Wyeth created a painted version of a ballet révérence, the sequence of steps performed at the end of every class to demonstrate the dancers’ esteem for their instructor. Burdan will look at Wyeth’s methods and interpretive choices as he attempted to capture the essence of Nureyev and his artistry.

The exhibition opening will also coincide with the Florida premiere of David Rush’s play, “Nureyev’s Eyes,” at American Stage Theatre Company. The award-winning playwright imagines what the encounters and conversations may have been like between Jamie Wyeth and Rudolf Nureyev. Rush conducted extensive research in writing his play and studied Wyeth’s work at the Brandywine. The limited two-week run is set for Wednesday, Oct. 15, through Sunday, Oct. 26. For tickets, visit www.americanstage.org. 

About the artist

James Browning (Jamie) Wyeth is the son of Andrew Wyeth and grandson of N.C. Wyeth. Other relatives are also talented artists. In fact, Jamie Wyeth left public school after the sixth grade to study art in a rigorous way with his Aunt Carolyn, as well as other subjects with private tutors. His father would also critique his work. Later, Andrew would seek Jamie’s reaction to his own paintings. Unlike his father who preferred egg tempera and watercolor, Jamie has always loved the “juiciness” of oil.

By the time he was 18, Wyeth was represented in noted public and private collections. He met Nureyev in 1974 through Renaissance man Lincoln Kirstein, co-founder of the New York City Ballet whose portrait he painted. He praised the then teenager as “the finest American portrait painter since the death of John Singer Sargent.”

As a young man in New York, Wyeth studied anatomy in the Harlem Hospital morgue and also frequented Andy Warhol’s Factory. The two artists painted portraits of each other, which were shown in a 1976 exhibition at the Coe-Kerr Gallery. Among his many other telling portraits are those of Presidents John F. Kennedy (commissioned by family members after his death) and Jimmy Carter, his wife Phyllis and father Andrew, people in Chadds Ford, even family dogs and livestock. At 20, he had an impressive solo exhibition at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is currently presenting a retrospective of more than 100 works, which is attracting large crowds and was featured in the August issue of Vanity Fair.

Wyeth completed his Nureyev portraits, including posthumous works, between 1977 and 2001. He did not set out to capture Nureyev performing. In fact, most of the portraits capture the artist at a still point, though still radiating extraordinary energy and concentration. Paintings like “Nureyev – Don Quixote – White Background,” “Mort de Noureev” and “Curtain Call” all completed in 2001 after the dancer’s death, are particularly poignant.

In a 2002 New York Times interview with Mel Gussow, Wyeth called Nureyev “a phantom figure.” He followed the dancer around, attending rehearsals, watching him putting on his makeup, sketching from the wings. Even though the process was intense, the two became friends.

Wyeth’s Portraits of Rudolf Nureyev features both the study for and the Don Quixote Poster (1977/2003) and an ethereal painting of the dancer against a white background (2001) in a ballet which loomed large in his career. He produced the first full-length version of Don Quixote in the West. His gorgeous tunic for the ballet is also included in the MFA exhibition, which is full of wonderful surprises like this. To see Rudolf Nureyev through the eyes of Jamie Wyeth is a rare privilege.

If you love ballet, please check out my season of outstanding ballet trips by clicking here.

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BOOKING NOW! London Ballet Trip, February 2015

Carlson Wagonlit Victor Travel

101 - 8800 Dufferin Street, Concord, ON L4K 0C5

TICO Ontario registration #1892647

presents

Tours en l'air

Ballet Holidays

escorted by

Canada's Word Lady,

Katherine Barber

London, England

18-28 February 2015

11 days, 10 nights

4 performances by the

Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet

This ballet-filled package also offers you lots of free time to take in several plays, visit London's great art galleries and museums, or just stroll through the city's beautiful parks admiring the crocuses and primroses of early spring.

Wed. 18 February: LONDON

Arrive London; check in to the centrally located Strand Palace Hotel. 5 minutes walk from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and less than 10 minutes walk to all of London's top West End theatres and the National Theatre. 7 minutes walk to Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery.

Thurs. 19 February: LONDON

Morning at leisure. Get to know your fellow ballet lovers over a classic English afternoon tea for lunch, followed by afternoon performance of Royal Ballet, Swan Lake, starring Marianela Nunez and Thiago Soares*. Evening at leisure. Optional performance of Royal Ballet, Swan Lake, starring Sarah Lamb and Carlos Acosta* (subject to ticket availability).

Fri. 20 February: LONDON

Day at leisure. Evening: optional trip by train to Milton Keynes for Matthew Bourne's New Adventures: Edward Scissorhands

Sat. 21 February: LONDON

(day trip to BIRMINGHAM)

Transfer by train to Birmingham (1 ½ hours). 3-course lunch. Birmingham Royal Ballet matinee: two classics of their type – Balanchine's sublime Serenade and Twyla Tharp's energetic In the Upper Room, along with Outstanding Emerging Choreographer Bessie Award-winner Jessica Lang's Lyric Pieces. Return by train to London.

Sun. 22 February: LONDON

Day at leisure. Optional day trip to Oxford with morning walking tour of the colleges.

Mon. 23 February: LONDON

Day at leisure. Suggested activity: visit Rubens and His Legacy: Van Dyck to Cézanne at the Royal Academy or the exhibition of dresses worn by Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, and Diana, Princess of Wales from the 50s to the 80s at Kensington Palace.

Tues. 24 February: LONDON

Morning at leisure. Suggested activity: Visit the impressive Impressionist collection at the Courtauld Gallery, 4 minutes walk from the hotel. Afternoon: Backstage tour of the Royal Opera House. Visit to the Royal Ballet School (to be confirmed). Evening at leisure

Wed. 25 February: LONDON

Private guided tour of the Victoria & Albert Museum dance collection, then visit the special exhibition “The Wedding Dress 1775-2014”. Evening: Meeting of the Ballet Association (guest speaker tba)

Thurs. 26 February LONDON

(day trip to BIRMINGHAM)

Transfer by train to Birmingham (1 ½ hours). Visit to Elmhurst School for Dance, the feeder school for Birmingham Royal Ballet. Matinee performance of Birmingham Royal Ballet: Coppelia. Return by train to London.

Fri. 27 February: LONDON

Day at leisure. Evening: farewell 3-course dinner followed by Royal Ballet, Onegin, starring Laura Morera and Federico Bonelli.*

Sat. 28 February: LONDON

Check out of hotel and depart London. (You may extend your stay if you wish).

*All casting subject to change

 

BALLET BUCKET LIST*:

♥ Birmingham Royal Ballet's eye-candy production of Coppélia, to Delibes's joyous and melodious score
♥ The Royal Ballet performing at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
♥ Cranko's heart-rending Onegin

♥ Serenade

* Your checklist for ballets, companies, performers, experiences that every ballet lover should have at least once in their life.

Total Package CA$3999 per person

based on double occupancy

Single supplement: CA$1000 (single bed)

CA$1850 (double bed)

All prices valid till 5 November 2014

Please note that you are able to use RBC Reward Points and/or any RBC Certificates you may have towards the purchase of any or all components of these travel arrangements.

REGISTRATION AND DEPOSIT DUE DATE:

5 NOVEMBER 2014

LAND-ONLY PACKAGE allows you the flexibility of arranging travel from your most convenient departure point, and extending your stay if you wish. Carlson Wagonlit Victor Travel's experienced agents will be happy to assist you.

To register or for more information, contact

Katherine Barber

416.693.4496 

toursenlair@gmail.com

Package price includes:

10 nights twin share accommodation with daily hot and cold buffet breakfast in the centrally located 3 1/2-star Strand Palace Hotel (travellers wishing to share will be put in touch with one another)

Two 3-course meals; 1 afternoon tea

Orchestra seats for 3 performances; front circle seats for Coppelia

Guided tour of the Royal Opera House

Private guided tour of the Victoria & Albert Museum dance collection, and admission to the special exhibition “The Wedding Dress 1775-2014”

Free wi-fi in hotel room

Two day excursions by train to Birmingham

Visit to the Royal Ballet School

Visit to Elmhurst School for Dance

Taxis to and from train stations for day trips to Birmingham
Daily off-peak Zone 1-2 London Transport Travelcard

All taxes, service fees, and surcharges

Not included:

Airfare

Items of a personal nature, e.g. phone calls

Meals and transfers not specifically mentioned in this itinerary; optional and suggested activities in this itinerary

Beverages with meals

Cancellation and hospital/medical insurance

Terms and Conditions:

Non-refundable initial deposit of CA$1500 per person is required at time of registration, no later than 5 November2014, to secure your space**.

Single supplement and optional cancellation and hospital/medical insurance also payable at this time.

Final payment due 6 January 2015, and total package price is fully non-refundable.

All cancellations must be received in writing at Carlson Wagonlit Victor Travel to the attention of Lucy Nati.

RBC out-of-province health insurance and trip cancellation insurance are available through Carlson Wagonlit Victor Travel and STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. Price will vary according to birthdate. Premium must accompany the deposit and is non-refundable.

**Deposit is fully refundable in the event of cancellation of the trip by the travel agent

Please note that this program must be sold as a package. Extra hotel nights can be added on (subject to availability), but we cannot offer individual components separately or break the package into shorter installments. As a significant benefit of the Tours en l'air package is sharing the complete experience with those with common interests, we do not offer an “accommodation only” or “ballet only” option.

Travellers wishing to share will be

put in touch with one another

Travellers requiring a walker or non-motorized wheelchair for any portion of the trip are welcome with a companion

Swan Lake



Serenade


Onegin


Coppelia

Katherine Barber

Tours en l'air

www.toursenlair.blogspot.com

201 Hanson St, Toronto, ON Canada M4C 1A7 416.693.4496

BALLET MAKES LIFE BETTER

GET MORE BALLET OUT OF LIFE WITH TOURS EN L'AIR

Follow me on twitter: @thewordlady 

If you love ballet, please check out my other outstanding ballet trips by clicking here and please let me know if you are even tentatively interested in any of them.

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