The National Ballet of Canada returns to Vancouver with three performances in celebration of its 60th anniversary at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on September 23 and 24 at 8 pm with a matinee on September 25 at 2 pm. This tour will be presented as part of Ballet BC’s 2011-12 season.
[Olivia Clark and Jimmy Orrante in The Man in Black. Photo credit: Will Shively, courtesy of Ballet Met]
The National Ballet of Canada will present an exciting mixed repertoire, including several Vancouver premieres. Established as a classical company by Celia Franca in 1951, the National Ballet of Canada remains the only Canadian ballet company to present a full range of traditional full-length classics.
The company’s repertoire includes works by Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, William Forsythe, James Kudelka, Jiří Kylián, John Neumeier, Rudolf Nureyev, Glen Tetley, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor and Alexei Ratmansky. In addition to its classical repertoire, the company embraces contemporary works and encourages both the creation of new ballets and the development of Canadian choreographers.
[Sonia Rodriguez with Artists of the Ballet, the second detail. Photo credit: Cylla von Tiedemann]
The upcoming performances will include three Vancouver premieres:
the second detail, choreographed by the great ballet provocateur William Forsythe, opens the evening with attitude, featuring an electronic score and hard-edged, playfully physical choreography that will inspire all who attend.
The Man in Black, choreographed by James Kudelka, is a celebration of American working class grit and of the man whose voice embodied it, Johnny Cash. The choreography, like the six Cash songs that inspire it, is an ode to the human spirit.
[Artists of the Ballet Emergence. Photo credit: Cylla von Tiedemann]
Choreographed by Canadian Crystal Pite, Emergence is a riveting work that captures the hidden world of insects through innovative choreography that has won awards and critical acclaim across the country.
Ballet BC Artistic Director Emily Molnar is “thrilled to have the National Ballet return to Vancouver with this beautifully crafted repertoire and the company’s talented dancers. It’s a wonderful opportunity for our audiences to enjoy the company in a vibrant and diverse selection of dynamic works.”
Throughout its 60 year existence, The National Ballet of Canada has performed for over 10 million people. The company has toured throughout Canada, the US, and throughout the world including Great Britain, Germany, The Netherlands, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, Italy and Mexico.
Tickets for The National Ballet of Canada’s performance can be purchased through Ticketmaster either via phone 1.855.985.2787 (855.985.ARTS) or online. Tickets range in price from $52.50 to $102.50 (including HST).
For more information, the Ballet BC website or follow @balletbc on Twitter.
Emergence is generously sponsored by Gail Hutchison.
Sponsors include TD Bank Group as presenting sponsor of the 2011 Western Canada Tour, Air Canada, the Official Airline of the 2011 Western Canada Tour, and Performance Sponsor London Drugs (for the September 24th performance). the second detail is a gift from the Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada.
