National Ballet of Canada 2016-17 season

The National Ballet of Canada’s 2016/17 Season

Touring
The Winter’s Tale
July 28 – 31, 2016, David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City

The Dreamers Ever Leave You^† , AGO Lawren Harris Project
August 31 – September 10, 2016

World Ballet Day
October 4, 2016

Fall Season
Cinderella
November 12 – 20, 2016

The Twelfth International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize
November 15, 2016

Onegin
November 23 – 27, 2016

Holiday Season
The Nutcracker
December 10 – 31, 2016

Touring
Onegin
January 19 – 21, 2017, National Arts Centre, Ottawa

Winter Season
Pinocchio^†
March 11 – 24, 2017

Genus* & The Concert (Or, The Perils of Everybody)
March 29 – April 2, 2017

Summer Season
A Streetcar Named Desire*
A Ballet by John Neumeier
June 3 – 10, 2017

MAD HOT BALLET Gala
June 6, 2017

Swan Lake
June 15 – 25, 2017

^† World Premiere
* Company Premiere

  2016/17 Season

The Fall Season in Toronto will open with Cinderella, November 12 – 20, 2016. Choreographed by James Kudelka, Cinderella utilizes to the full the appeal of the fairy tale preserving its dramatic, satiric and comic elements.  Less a conventional rags to riches story, Cinderella enchants with romance, wit and humour. Prokofiev’s vibrant score, Art Deco-inspired designs by David Boechler and innovative lighting by Christopher Dennis complete this stunning production.

The Twelfth International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize returns on November 15, 2016. Legendary Danish dancer Erik Bruhn held a special relationship with the National Ballet. Revered as one of the greatest classical dancers of the 20th century, Mr. Bruhn was a gifted choreographer and Artistic Director of the National Ballet from 1983 until his untimely death in 1986. As part of his legacy, he created The Erik Bruhn Prize. First held in 1988, the competition showcases some of the finest young dancers from the top companies in the world between the ages of 18 and 23, making it an evening of rich and exciting artistry.

The Fall Season continues with one of the finest of modern full-length narrative ballets, Onegin, November 23 – 27, 2016. Based on Alexander Pushkin’s classic verse novel Eugene Onegin, Onegin is choreographed by John Cranko and set to the music of Tchaikovsky with stunning sets by Santo Loquasto and lighting by James F. Ingalls. A favourite amongst audiences and dancers alike, Onegin enthralls with its emotionally gripping story, fully realized characters and challenging choreography.

The holiday favourite, The Nutcracker, choreographed by James Kudelka with beautiful sets and costumes designed by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, is onstage December 10 – 31, 2016.

One of the most captivating and enduring of all children’s stories, Pinocchio will be adapted into a full-length ballet by British choreographer Will Tuckett, Guest Principal Character Artist with The Royal Ballet. A humourous, moving and often dark re-telling of the original tale, Pinocchio captures the adventures of the famous wooden boy with inventive choreography and unforgettable stagecraft. Set to a commissioned score by Paul Englishby with designs by Colin Richmond, libretto by Alasdair Middleton and lighting by Oliver Fenwick, Pinocchio makes its world premiere March 11 – 24, 2017.

The Winter Mixed Programme features the North American premiere of Wayne McGregor’s breathtaking Genus, inspired by Darwin’s Origin of Species and set to a score by Joby Talbot and Deru. It is presented with Jerome Robbins’ quirky parody The Concert (Or, The Perils of Everybody), March 29 – April 2, 2017.

The Summer Season features the Canadian premiere of A Streetcar Named Desire, choreographed by John Neumeier, June 3 – 10, 2017. Inspired by Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece about the demise of the old American south, Mr. Neumeier has transformed the story into a compelling dance drama shaped by the emergence of a new America, set to music by Prokofiev and Alfred Schnittke.

The 2016/17 season concludes with Swan Lake. One of the central works of the classical ballet canon, Swan Lake has enthralled audiences since it premiered in Moscow in 1877. Choreographed by James Kudelka in 1999 with Santo Loquasto’s opulent sets and costumes, Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and lighting by Robert Thomson, Swan Lake is onstage June 15 – 25, 2017.

The National Ballet tours to the Lincoln Center Festival with The Winter’s Tale by Christopher Wheeldon at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, July 28 – 31, 2016. This is the National Ballet’s first appearance at the festival and the second touring engagement to Lincoln Center under Ms. Kain’s tenure. The company last toured there in 2014 with Mr. Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The company returns to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa with Onegin January 19 – 21, 2017, where the company has toured annually since 1969.

In partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), The National Ballet of Canada will present a new commission, The Dreamers Ever Leave You, August 31 – September 10, 2016, by Choreographic Associate Robert Binet. Inspired by the art of Canadian artist Lawren Harris (the focus of the upcoming AGO exhibition, The Idea of North: The Paintings of Lawren Harris), Mr. Binet will create an immersive ballet capturing the dynamic forms and emotional themes of Harris’ work, evoking isolation, transcendence and mysticism. Performed by Artists of the National Ballet inside a gallery space at the AGO, and accompanied by live music composed by Lubomyr Melnyk, the performance will give the audience freedom to move through the gallery space. Timed tickets go onsale exclusively to National Ballet subscribers and AGO members on March 22, and to the public on March 24, www.ago.net.

The National Ballet will partner once again with The Australian Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet and San Francisco Ballet for World Ballet Day on October 4, 2016, providing extraordinary behind the scenes access to life at some of the world’s leading ballet companies.

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

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