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2014/15 Season Announced Canadian Premiere of The Tempest by World Premiere by Guillaume Côté Tours to Los Angeles and Ottawa Future Projects: The Winter’s Tale and Le Petit Prince

February 3, 2014… , Artistic Director of The National of , today announced the 2014/15 season. The season features the Canadian premiere of The Tempest by Alexei Ratmansky and the return of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, after an absence of 16 years. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by and Nijinsky by are back due to popular demand and Principal Dancer and Choreographic Associate Guillaume Côté will create a new work. The 2014/15 season will continue the company’s touring activity with performances in Los Angeles and Ottawa.

“The National Ballet of Canada has always taken special pride in its ability – and willingness – to embrace and engage with many different kinds of dance, from the traditional classical canon to works of experimental urgency," says Ms. Kain. “The 2014/15 season is an especially rich demonstration of our company’s range and commitment to a diverse and challenging repertoire and is a testament to the National Ballet's openness and commitment to the many varieties of classical dance."

The 2014/15 Season

The National Ballet of Canada will return to The Music Center in Los Angeles with Romeo and Juliet by Alexei Ratmansky, July 10 – 13, 2014. This is the National Ballet’s second engagement at the prestigious Music Center. The company first toured to The Music Center in 2012 with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

The National Ballet will tour the acclaimed production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for an expanded six performance run to Canada’s National Arts Centre in Ottawa April 9 – 12, 2015, where the company has toured annually since 1969.

The Fall Season in Toronto will begin with Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, November 8 – 16, 2014. Not performed since 1998, Manon, is one of MacMillan’s – and modern ballet’s – most dramatically powerful works.

The Fall Season continues with Nijinsky by John Neumeier, back by popular demand. Hailed as “a triumph of dramatic intensity” by the Toronto Star and “a jewel in the crown for the National” by The Globe and Mail, Nijinsky was a great success when it made its Canadian premiere in 2013. The National Ballet is the only company outside of The to have performed Nijinsky, which runs November 22 – 30, 2014.

The Holiday Season features the perennial favourite, by James Kudelka, December 13, 2014 – January 3, 2015.

The Winter Season opens with ... black night's bright day ... by James Kudelka, which was created as part of the Innovation programme in 2013. It will be presented with Chroma by Wayne McGregor, an audience favourite, March 4 – 8, 2015.

Following the winter mixed programme is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Christopher Wheeldon, March 14 – 29, 2015. The Eleventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize will round out the Winter Season on March 24, 2015.

The Summer Season features Being and Nothingness by Guillaume Côté, a four-part reflection in dance set to music by Philip Glass, May 30 – June 7, 2015. Being and Nothingness (Part 1) was presented as part of Innovation in 2013 and praised by audiences and critics alike. It is presented with the Canadian premiere of The Tempest by Alexei Ratmansky, an elegant and beautifully condensed evocation of the Shakespeare play, set to music by Sibelius and sets and costumes by Santo Loquasto. The Tempest is a co- production of the National Ballet and .

The 2014/15 season concludes with The Sleeping Beauty by , a ballet that epitomizes, perhaps better than any other, the meaning of . Staged by Karen Kain and refurbished and restored to its original splendor, The Sleeping Beauty runs June 10 – 14, 2015.

Future Projects

The company is part of and developing several future projects for upcoming seasons. The Winter’s Tale, a new full-length ballet by the same creative team behind Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, composer , designer Bob Crowley and lighting designer , will make its Canadian premiere in the 2015/16 season. The Winter’s Tale is the company’s second co-production with , Covent Garden, and will premiere in London on April 10, 2014.

A new full-length adaptation of the well-known novella Le Petit Prince by ‎Antoine de Saint- Exupéry is currently in development. The first workshop in July 2013 brought together the creative team of choreographer Guillaume Côté, composer Kevin Lau, librettist Adam Gopnik, designer Michael Levine and multi-media director Ben Shrinian. A second workshop is scheduled this spring. Le Petit Prince will make its world premiere in the 2015/16 season.

Watch the 2014/15 Season Announcement Video with Karen Kain >

2014/15 Media Kit >

The National Ballet of Canada’s 2014/15 Season

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto Fall Season Manon November 8 – 16, 2014

Nijinsky November 22 – 30, 2014

Holiday Season The Nutcracker December 13, 2014 – January 3, 2015

Winter Season ... black night's bright day ... & Chroma March 4 – 8, 2015

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland March 14 – 29, 2015

The Eleventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize March 24, 2015

Summer Season Being and Nothingness† & The Tempest* May 30 – June 7, 2015

The Sleeping Beauty June 10 – 14, 2015

Gala June 17, 2015

Touring Romeo and Juliet July 10 – 13, 2014, The Music Center, Los Angeles

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland April 9 – 12, 2015, Canada’s National Arts Centre, Ottawa

† World Premiere * Company Premiere

Tickets: $26 – $249, including 13% HST

Venue: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen Street West, Toronto

Box Office: The box office is located at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts (145 Queen Street West) or call 416 (toll free 1 866) 345 9595. Tickets can also be purchased online at national.ballet.ca

Website: national.ballet.ca

BMO Financial Group presents Nijinsky.

Lead philanthropic support for Nijinsky is provided by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, an anonymous friend of the National Ballet, The Producers’ Circle and The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada.

TD Bank Group presents The Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker is made possible by generous financial support from production underwriters Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Lawrence & Ann Heisey and an anonymous friend of the National Ballet.

… black night’s bright day … is generously supported by an anonymous friend of the National Ballet and The Producers’ Circle.

Lead philanthropic support for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland provided by an anonymous friend of the National Ballet with additional support generously provided by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Richard M. Ivey, C.C., Rosamond Ivey, Robert & Judith Lawrie and Wallace McCain & Margaret McCain, C.C.

Generously supported by The Monument Trust in memory of Simon Sainsbury.

The Eleventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize is presented by John and Claudine Bailey.

Being and Nothingness & The Tempest are generously supported by The Producers’ Circle: John & Claudine Bailey, David Binet, Susanne Boyce & Dr. Brendan Mullen, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, Kevin & Roger Garland, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Rosamond Ivey, Hal Jackman Foundation, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, Joan & Jerry Lozinski, The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Sandra L. Simpson and Noreen Taylor & David Staines, O.C.

The Sleeping Beauty is made possible by generous contributions from Margaret Fleck & Jim Fleck, O.C., The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Gretchen Ross and Nancy Pencer & Michael Benjamin.

Lead philanthropic support for Romeo and Juliet is provided by Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., with additional generous support from Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, an anonymous friend of the National Ballet and Walter Carsen, O.C.

The touring of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa is made possible with support from Jerry and Joan Lozinski and The Honourable Margaret McCain, C.C.

Ottawa Tour Transportation Sponsor: Via Rail Canada

Lead philanthropic support for The Winter’s Tale is provided in part by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Richard M. Ivey, C.C. and The Producers’ Circle.

Lead philanthropic support for Le Petit Prince is provided in part by The Producers’ Circle.

Guillaume Côté is sponsored through Dancers First by Emmanuelle Gattuso and Allan Slaight.

The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Economic Development & Culture Department; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage, through the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages; and the Government of Ontario through the Honourable Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

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For more information, please contact: [email protected]

2014/15 Season Overview Fall Season November 8 – 16, 2014 Four Seasons Centre Manon for the Performing Arts

November 22 – 30, 2014 Four Seasons Centre Nijinsky for the Performing Arts

Holiday Season December 13, 2014 – Four Seasons Centre The Nutcracker January 3, 2015 for the Performing Arts

Winter Season March 4 – 8, 2015 Four Seasons Centre … black night’s bright day … & for the Performing Arts Chroma

March 14 – 29, 2015 Four Seasons Centre Alice’s Adventures in for the Performing Arts Wonderland

March 24, 2015 Four Seasons Centre The Eleventh International for the Performing Arts Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize

Summer Season May 30 – June 7, 2015 Four Seasons Centre Being and Nothingness† & for the Performing Arts The Tempest*

June 10 – 14, 2015 Four Seasons Centre The Sleeping Beauty for the Performing Arts

June 17, 2015 Four Seasons Centre Gala for the Performing Arts

Touring

July 10 – 13, 2014 The Music Center, Romeo and Juliet Los Angeles

April 9 – 12, 2015 Canada’s National Arts Centre Alice’s Adventures in Ottawa, Ontario Wonderland

† World Premiere * Company Premiere

Karen Kain C.C., LL.D., D.Litt., O.Ont. Artistic Director

Artistic Director Karen Kain has led The National Ballet of Canada with great success for the past eight years. Her many accomplishments include returning the company to the international stage, commissioning exciting new work and forming partnerships with leading ballet companies such as The Royal Ballet.

Long recognized as one of the most gifted classical dancers of her era, noted for her compelling characterizations and versatility as a performer, she is one of Canada’s most renowned and committed advocates for the arts. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Ms. Kain received her training at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto, joining the National Ballet in 1969.

In 1971, Ms. Kain was awarded the Silver Medal in the Women’s Category at the prestigious International Ballet Competition in and, along with Frank Augustyn, received a special prize for Best . Subsequently, she embarked on a remarkable international career performing with such companies as Paris Opéra Ballet, Roland Petit’s Le Ballet de Marseilles, the , London Festival Ballet and Vienna State Opera Ballet. Throughout her career she developed a close creative partnership with Rudolf Nureyev and often performed with him.

Ms. Kain retired from dancing following a farewell tour in 1997 and took up the position of Artist-in-Residence with the company (later expanded to that of Artistic Associate). She became Artistic Director in 2005.

Barry Hughson Executive Director

Barry Hughson has served the performing arts field for 21 years as a professional arts executive. In 2014, he joined The National Ballet of Canada as Executive Director.

Mr. Hughson was previously Executive Director of , the fourth largest in the USA. Under Mr. Hughson’s leadership, Boston Ballet achieved several key milestones, including the retirement of its long term debt, completing a multi-million dollar renovation of the Ballet’s headquarters, and international tours to Canada, , Finland, and the UK. Over his five year tenure, the organization raised more than $60 million dollars in contributed revenue through annual fund contributions and special funding initiatives. In addition, total earned revenue, including ticket sales and school tuition, increased by more than 20% over the same period.

As an arts advocate, consultant and educator, Mr. Hughson has had teaching and speaking engagements in the USA, Europe and South America. He serves on the Board of Trustees of Dance/USA, and chairs the Manager’s Council for the largest member dance companies. He is a founding member of Dance/USA’s National Leadership Council for Dance, and serves as a mentor to emerging arts executives through the Institute for Leadership Training.

Mr. Hughson began his career as a dancer with The Washington (DC) Ballet, where he performed classical and contemporary repertoire at the Kennedy Center and on tour throughout the world. In 1990, he was the only American male dancer awarded a prize at the New York International Ballet Competition and has held a decade-long affiliation with the nationally recognized Baltimore School for the Arts.

David Briskin Music Director and Principal Conductor

One of the foremost ballet conductors at work today, David Briskin is renowned for the scope of his repertoire and the depth and beauty of his interpretations.

Before joining The National Ballet of Canada in 2006, Mr. Briskin served as conductor with American Ballet Theatre in New York City for seven years, directing performances at the House, City Center and numerous opera houses around the world. In demand as a guest conductor, Mr. Briskin has worked with such companies as , and among many others.

Mr. Briskin served as Conductor for The Juilliard School’s Dance Division from 1993 to 2005. In 2013, Mr. Briskin made his debut with The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden and will return to conduct the world premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s and Joby Talbot’s The Winter’s Tale in 2014 (a co-production with the National Ballet).

In addition to his work in dance, Mr. Briskin has appeared with the Pittsburgh, Detroit, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Windsor, Cincinnati Pops and Singapore Orchestras; the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, among others. In 2008, Mr. Briskin was appointed Assistant Professor and Director of the Orchestral Studies at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music.

The National Ballet of Canada A Brief History

One of the top international ballet companies, The National Ballet of Canada was founded in 1951 by Celia Franca. A company of 70 dancers with its own orchestra, the National Ballet has been led by Artistic Director Karen Kain, one of the greatest ballerinas of her generation, since 2005.

Renowned for its diverse repertoire, the company performs traditional full-length classics, embraces contemporary work and encourages the creation of new and the development of Canadian choreographers. The company’s repertoire includes works by Sir , , John Cranko, Rudolf Nureyev, Glen Tetley, John Neumeier, William Forsythe, James Kudelka, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor, Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon.

The National Ballet of Canada has toured extensively throughout the world, most recently to Sadler’s Wells in London , The Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C and The Music Centre in Los Angeles.

Quotes

“What Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has in abundance is extraordinary skill, versatility and spirit of the Canadian dancers.” Los Angeles Times, 2012

“The National Ballet of Canada's Alice is a wonderland… technical brilliance, comedy, acting and élan by Canada's premiere ballet company, an impressively disciplined ensemble that I wish would visit these parts more often… a perfect show for all audiences.” The OC Register, 2012

“Company of the Year: The National Ballet of Canada.” The Globe and Mail, 2011

"The National Ballet of Canada is a beautiful company, full of young talent and old wisdom… The future of The National Ballet of Canada is in wonderful hands" Dancing Times, 2010

Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan Staged by: Patricia Ruanne & Karl Burnett Music: Jules Massenet, arranged and orchestrated by Martin Yates Set and Costume Design: Peter Farmer Lighting Design: Robert Thomson

World Premiere: The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden London, , March 7, 1974 The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: May 2, 1996

Performance Dates: November 8 – 16, 2014 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

Based on a the late 18th-century novel by Abbé Prévost, Manon follows the fortunes of the eponymous courtesan, whose ill-fated love for the naïve student des Grieux drives her from the Parisian demi-monde to the swamps of Louisiana.

Manon dispenses the mythical and allegorical themes of narrative dance and presents a story that is grounded in a historical context with complex characters who are fueled by greed and lust. Returning to The National Ballet of Canada’s stage for the first time in 16 years, Manon is one of Kenneth MacMillan’s – and modern ballet’s – most dramatically powerful works.

Quotes

“MacMillan used all the modern dramatic techniques at his disposal to engage our emotions, then filled his scenes with choreography that is a wonder to watch.” The Toronto Star, 1998

“Manon is ballet at its finest... A triumph for The National Ballet of Canada.” Toronto Sun, 1996

“Raw, earthy Manon a superb ballet... The high inventiveness of the choreography makes for compelling spectacle all on its own.” The Globe and Mail, 1996

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Sir Kenneth MacMillan Choreographer, Manon

Sir Kenneth MacMillan was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1929. He grew up in Great Yarmouth where he took his first ballet lessons with Phyllis Adams and studied at the Sadler’s Wells (now The Royal Ballet) School on a scholarship in 1945. There he worked with Ninette de Valois and and became a fine classical dancer.

In 1946, Sir Kenneth joined the newly formed Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet (SWTB) and in 1948, was promoted to the Sadler’s Wells Ballet at Covent Garden. He returned to the SWTB in 1952 and began choreographing for their new choreographic group. His first ballet, Somnambulism, set to a symphonic jazz score by Stan Kenton, was the hit of the SWTB’s first Sunday evening performance on February 1, 1953. Thereafter, Sir Kenneth’s ballets ranged from abstract works of pure dance to large-scale company works, including The Rite of Spring, Romeo and Juliet and Song of the Earth.

From 1966 to 1969, Sir Kenneth worked as Director of Deutsche Oper Berlin, staging The Sleeping Beauty and as well as making short ballets, including the one-act version of Anastasia. In 1970, he returned to London as Director of The Royal Ballet, succeeding Sir Frederick Ashton.

From 1984 to 1989, Sir Kenneth was the Associate Director of American Ballet Theatre, staging many of the works in the company’s repertoire. He was also the Artistic Associate of Houston Ballet and staged Manon for the company’s 1992/93 season.

Sir Kenneth died on October 29, 1992 during a performance of Mayerling at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Until his sudden death, he continued to work for The Royal Ballet as the company's Principal Choreographer. In 1996, Sir Kenneth was posthumously awarded The Vaslav Nijinsky Medal.

BMO Financial Group Presents

Nijinsky A ballet by John Neumeier

Choreography, Sets*, Costumes* and Lighting Design: John Neumeier *based partly on original sketches by Léon Bakst and Alexandre Benois Music: Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Dmitri Shostakovich Lighting Reconstruction: Ralf Merkel

Premiere: The Hamburg Ballet, Hamburg, , July 2, 2000 The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: March 2, 2013

Lead philanthropic support for Nijinsky is provided by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, an anonymous friend of the National Ballet, The Producers’ Circle and The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada.

Performance Dates: November 22 – 30, 2014 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

Few dance figures compare to that of Vaslav Nijinsky. Although few performers matched his greatness, his passion, physicality and the adoration that he received from audiences he created the model for male dancing throughout the early 20th century.

Part memory-ballet and part biographical narrative, Nijinsky explores the world that shaped its subject and his efforts to assert the art form for which he became so revered. A moving and unforgettable ballet of the borderline between genius and madness, Nijinsky is a brilliant homage to the man known as “Le Dieu de la Danse”.

Quotes

“Nijinsky is definitely a jewel in the crown for the National.” The Globe and Mail, 2013

“A triumph of dramatic intensity… the National Ballet rises to the challenge of presenting John Neumeier’s Nijinsky, a spectacular, sprawling, surreal and often mind-bending homage to ballet’s most legendary male dancer.” The Toronto Star, 2013

“Nijinsky soars to intense heights… richly detailed production” National Post, 2013

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John Neumeier Choreographer, Set, Costume and Lighting Designer, Nijinsky

John Neumeier was born in 1942 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he received his first dance training. He continued his dance studies in Chicago as well as at Marquette University in Milwaukee where he created his first choreographic works. After further ballet study both in Copenhagen and at The in London, John Cranko invited him in 1963 to join , where he progressed to and continued his choreographic development.

In 1969, Ulrich Erfurth appointed Mr. Neumeier Director of Ballett Frankfurt, where he soon caused a sensation due to his new interpretations of such well-known ballets as The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet. In 1973, he joined The Hamburg Ballet as Director and Chief Choreographer and, under his direction, The Hamburg Ballet became one of the leading ballet companies on the German dance scene and soon received international recognition. In 1972, he set his first work for The National Ballet of Canada, Don Juan with Rudolf Nureyev in the title role and in 1993, he created Now and Then for Karen Kain.

As a choreographer, Mr. Neumeier has continually focused on the preservation of ballet tradition, while giving his works a modern dramatic framework. His ballets range from new versions of evening-length story ballets to musicals and to his symphonic ballets, especially those based on Gustav Mahler’s compositions, as well as his choreographies to sacred music. His latest creation for The Hamburg Ballet, Christmas Oratorio I-VI, premiered in 2013.

Mr. Neumeier holds the Dance Magazine Award (1983), Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and French Order of Arts and Letters and the Legion of Honour. In 2006, he was awarded the prestigious Nijinsky Award for Lifetime Achievement. He received the Herbert von Karajan Musikpreis in 2007 and the Deutscher Jubiläums Tanzpreis in 2008. In 2007, he was made an honorary citizen of the city of Hamburg. In 2012, he accepted the Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation.

Mr. Neumeier established the John Neumeier Foundation in 2006 with the aim of preserving his collection of dance and ballet-related objects and making them available to the public. The Foundation maintains and houses his repertoire and related materials for the city of Hamburg.

In 2011, Mr. Neumeier founded Germany’s National Youth Ballet, a creative young company of eight dancers based at the Balletzentrum in Hamburg that tours internationally and performs in schools, retirement homes and prisons.

TD Bank Group presents

The Nutcracker

Choreography and Libretto: James Kudelka, O.C. Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Set and Costume Design: Santo Loquasto Lighting Design:

Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, December 21, 1995

The Nutcracker is made possible by generous financial support from production underwriters Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Lawrence & Ann Heisey and an anonymous friend of the National Ballet.

The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges its collaboration with Canada's National Ballet School in the production of The Nutcracker.

This production is dedicated to Celia Franca and Betty Oliphant. With respect, admiration and gratitude. – JK

Performance Dates: December 13, 2014 – January 3, 2015 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

The National Ballet of Canada’s comical and touching version of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s Christmas tale was created in 1995 and has been enthralling audiences ever since. It is a refreshingly traditional version of the story, replete with the wonder and amazement of childhood dreams and the appeal of fantasy for adults and children alike.

Re-setting the story to Imperial , the ballet is revered for its natural wonder and dreamlike astonishment, all conveyed in breathtaking choreography. The entire production is a glittering, enchanting gem of a ballet, a work that is at once deeply familiar and forever new.

Quotes

“ /4 Joy is palpable in this production” The Toronto Star, 2013

“The Nutcracker still a wonderfully fresh holiday sugar plum” The Globe and Mail, 2013

“The National Ballet’s Nutcracker is for kids from one to 92” National Post, 2013

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“ /5 A magical Christmas tapestry weaved out of threads spun by composer Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky, author E.T.A. Hoffman, choreographer James Kudelka and designer Santo Loquasto.” 24 Hours, 2013

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James Kudelka, O.C. Choreographer, The Nutcracker, ... black night’s bright day ...

James Kudelka is widely acknowledged as one of North America’s most innovative choreographers. His mastery of both classical ballet and modern, contemporary dance has earned him commissions from companies – some 25 in all – as stylistically diverse as American Ballet Theatre, Chicago’s Hubbard Street Dance and BJM DANSE MONTRÉAL.

Even as a student at Canada’s National Ballet School, Mr. Kudelka demonstrated a choreographic interest in exploring innovative approaches. While adept in the classical ballet vocabulary, he infuses it with a contemporary sensibility acquired from his intense interest in modern movement idioms.

Mr. Kudelka’s work covers an impressive range, from virtuoso pas de deux, through large- scale and always arresting adaptations of such classics as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Cinderella, to boldly innovative creative collaborations with dancers, designers and musicians.

Mr. Kudelka has never been afraid to tackle psychologically challenging subject matter in his story ballets – he views dance as a primary medium of artistic discourse – and through his gift for movement metaphor infuses poetic, emotional meaning into his many non-narrative works.

After nine distinguished years as Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada (1996 to 2005), Mr. Kudelka continues to undertake collaborative projects that engage and challenge him as a choreographer.

... black night’s bright day ...

Choreography: James Kudelka, O.C. Music: Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Stabat Mater Costume Design: Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell for Hoax Couture Lighting Design: Jeff Logue based on original concepts by James F. Ingalls

Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Toronto, November 22, 2013

… black night’s bright day … is generously supported by an anonymous friend of the National Ballet and The Producers’ Circle.

Performance Dates: March 4 – 8, 2015 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

James Kudelka’s latest work for The National Ballet of Canada, created as part of its most recent Innovation programme, is his first for the company since 2005 and is filled with technical brilliance and emotional conviction.

... black night’s bright day ... is a powerful exploration of grief, the desperate hold it exercises, and the human need to come to terms with it. Set to Pergolesi’s hauntingly beautiful Stabat Mater, the ballet is the work of a great Canadian choreographer at his finest.

Quotes

“a masterpiece.” The Globe and Mail, 2013

“a deeply moving piece about grief and all the emotions (shock, anger, hurt, despair) that one experiences when losing a loved one.” National Post, 2013

“The movement is constantly surprising, inventive and shorn of embellishment” Toronto Star, 2013

Chroma

Choreography: Wayne McGregor Staged by: Odette Hughes Music: Joby Talbot and Jack White, The White Stripes Set Design: John Pawson Costume Design: Moritz Junge Lighting Design: Lucy Carter

Premiere: The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, UK, November 17, 2006 The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: November 24, 2010

Chroma is produced in association with The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.

Performance Dates: March 4 – 8, 2015 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

An undeniable sensation when it made its company premiere in 2010, Chroma, choreographed by Wayne MacGregor, is set to a score by British composer Joby Talbot and includes unique orchestrations of songs by The White Stripes alongside Talbot’s own original compositions. A luminous exploration of “the architecture of the human body”, Chroma is a rare work that redefines the future of modern dance.

When it made its world premiere at The Royal Ballet in 2006, Chroma received a Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Choreography, Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production, South Bank Show Award for Dance and two additional Laurence Olivier Award nominations in 2007. The National Ballet of Canada was the first company outside of The Royal Ballet to perform this thrilling work.

Quotes

“Chroma, a dazzling example of cutting-edge, pushed-to-the-extreme ballet by Wayne McGregor...” The Toronto Star, 2012

“Chroma clearly ranks among the greatest classics of .” The Globe and Mail, 2012

“An edgy, sexy romp that gives the audience a chance to savour the artistry of dancers” Toronto Sun, 2012

“muscular poetry that socks you in the gut…” The Hamilton Spectator, 2012

Wayne McGregor Choreographer, Chroma

Wayne McGregor was born in Stockport, UK in 1970 and studied dance at University College Bretton Hall and the José Limón Institute in New York City. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, resident company of Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London, for which he has created over 30 works. Mr. McGregor is also Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet.

Recently, Mr. McGregor choreographed Atomos for Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, Raven Girl for The Royal Ballet and Borderlands for San Francisco Ballet. In 2014 he will premiere The Art of Fugue at The Royal Ballet. He has created new works for , Stuttgart Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, , NDT1 and among others.

Mr. McGregor has also choreographed and directed for opera including productions for Teatro alla Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Scottish Opera and . Theatre credits include Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Ring Round the Moon (West End); with Ian McKellen; The Woman in White (London & Broadway); Cloaca (The Old Vic); A Little Night Music, Antony and Cleopatra (National Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing, You Never Can Tell (Peter Hall Company); and Cleansed (Royal Court).

He has choreographed for film and television including Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire and has been the subject of films including Wayne McGregor – Across The Threshold, A South Bank Show (ITV1), In The Spirit Of Diaghilev (BBC4) and La Danse by Fred Wiseman.

Mr. McGregor was named a CBE Commander of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Dance in the 2011 New Year Honours List. Other awards include three Critics’ Circle Awards for Amu, Chroma and Infra; Prix Benois de la Danse for Infra in 2009; Choreographer of the Year from Ballet Tanz in 2009; South Bank Show and Movimentos Awards for Entity in 2009; Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for Chroma in 2007; two Time Out Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2001 and 2003; IMZ Dance Screen Award in 2002; Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2004; and South Bank Show Award for Dance in 2007.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon Original Music: Joby Talbot Scenario: Nicholas Wright Set, Costume and Properties Design: Bob Crowley Lighting Design: Natasha Katz Projection Design: Jon Driscoll and Gemma Carrington Sound Design: Autograph

Premiere: The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, London, UK, February 28, 2011 The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: June 4, 2011

A co-production of The National Ballet of Canada and The Royal Ballet (UK).

Lead philanthropic support provided by an anonymous friend of the National Ballet with additional support generously provided by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Richard M. Ivey, C.C., Rosamond Ivey, Robert & Judith Lawrie and Wallace McCain & Margaret McCain, C.C.

Performance Dates: March 14 – 29, 2015 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

Lewis Carroll’s charming and hilarious children’s classic is given a ballet treatment by British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon that is the very measure of the original. Outrageously theatrical, with stunning sets and costumes by Bob Crowley and set to an energetic, riveting score by Joby Talbot, Mr. Wheeldon revisits many of the familiar characters from the book but in a way that feels like we’re meeting them for the first time.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland enthralled audiences when it premiered in 2011 with its mind-boggling stagecraft, excellent choreography and perfect blend of classical dance and sheer entertainment.

Quotes

"Over the course of nearly three hours, the theatrical wonders of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's three-act Alice's Adventures in Wonderland keep tumbling and flowing into place." The Wall Street Journal, 2013

“The National Ballet of Canada's Alice is a wonderland…” The OC Register, 2012

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“a brilliantly theatrical, superbly designed (by Bob Crowley) extravaganza of color and costume, madcap action and fluent dance” The New York Times, 2011

“an Alice whose wit, speed and invention have lifted the whole story ballet genre into the 21st century… This Alice looks set to become a classic.” The Guardian, 2011

“combined with Talbot's slightly deranged score, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland feels like the first ever authentically 21st-century story ballet. Curiouser and curiouser.” Time Magazine, 2011

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Christopher Wheeldon Choreographer, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Christopher Wheeldon joined New York City Ballet (NYCB) in 1993 and was promoted to Soloist in 1998. He served as NYCB’s first-ever Artist in Residence in 2000/01 and was named NYCB’s first Resident Choreographer in July 2001. Since then, he has choreographed at least one ballet a year for NYCB. Outside the ballet world, Mr. Wheeldon has choreographed Dance of the Hours for the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Ponchielli’s La Gioconda (2006), as well as ballet sequences for the feature film Center Stage (2000) and Sweet Smell of Success (2002) on Broadway.

In 2007, Mr. Wheeldon founded Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company. In 2009, Mr. Wheeldon worked with Richard Eyre on a production of the opera Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera House and in 2010, his new version of The Sleeping Beauty had its premiere with The . His new full-length ballet Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was created as a co-production of The National Ballet of Canada and The Royal Ballet and premiered at the Royal Opera House on February 28, 2011. Thirteen Diversions (created for American Ballet Theatre, 2011) and Les Carrillons world premiere formed an all Wheeldon evening at the NYCB in January 2012. In 2014, Mr. Wheeldon will be creating a full-length version of The Winter’s Tale for The Royal Ballet and directing and choreographing a musical version of An American in Paris which will premiere in Paris at the Châtelet Theatre.

Mr. Wheeldon’s awards include the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center, the American Choreography Award, a Dance Magazine Award, the London Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Ballet for Polyphonia and two Olivier Awards for Aeternum, choreographed in 2013 for The Royal Ballet. Mr. Wheeldon’s recent production of Cinderella won the 2013 Benois De La Danse.

World Premiere

Being and Nothingness

Choreography: Guillaume Côté Music: Philip Glass Costume Design: pretty, fancy by Krista Dowson

Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Toronto, May 30, 2015 Being and Nothingness (Part 1) Premiere: Festival Ballet Providence, Providence Rhode Island, October 3, 2013 The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Toronto, November 22, 2013

Being and Nothingness is generously supported by The Producers’ Circle: John & Claudine Bailey, David Binet, Susanne Boyce & Dr. Brendan Mullen, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, Kevin & Roger Garland, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Rosamond Ivey, Hal Jackman Foundation, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, Joan & Jerry Lozinski, The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Sandra L. Simpson and Noreen Taylor & David Staines, O.C.

Guillaume Côté is sponsored through Dancers First by Emmanuelle Gattuso and Allan Slaight.

Performance Dates: May 30 – June 7, 2015 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

Being and Nothingness is a four-part reflection of a key theme in Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential philosophy. Set to music by Philip Glass, Guillaume Côté explores the shifting moments of consciousness that shape the nature of human identity constructed against the horizon of non-being.

Being and Nothingness (Part 1) was originally presented as part of The National Ballet of Canada’s second Innovation programme in 2013.

Quotes

“Côté, who in addition to being the company’s is also now a Choreographic Associate, has crafted a riveting seven-minute solo for Greta Hodgkinson, in which she appears to be battling some powerful inner demons.” National Post, 2013

“Côté was able to provoke a thoughtful expression of the inner struggle that lies at the heart of our desire to exercise our free will.” Elle Canada, 2013

Guillaume Côté Choreographer, Being and Nothingness

Best known to audiences of The National Ballet of Canada as one of the company’s most gifted and dynamic performers, Guillaume Côté is also a choreographer of unique vision and talent. In 2013, in addition to his position as a Principal Dancer, Mr. Côté assumed the role of Choreographic Associate with the company.

As a dancer, Mr. Côté’s versatility, accomplished technique and strong sense of the theatrical moment have made for a large number of powerfully etched performances in his time onstage. He brings those same virtues to bear on his choreography, which is characterized by a rich physicality and a complex and often suddenly shifting emotional tenor. As a composer, Mr. Côté understands both the technical and dramatic centrality of music in the condition of the dance work and as a consequence, his ballets are forged with a careful attention to the symbiosis of musical and physical effect.

Mr. Côté’s work No. 24, set to music by Paganini, won third prize at Hanover’s 25th International Competition in 2011 and entered the National Ballet’s repertoire in 2013. In 2012, his work Enkeli won the Audience Choice Award for Best Choreography at The Tenth International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize and Silence Screams Venom was performed at the company’s Diamond Anniversary Gala. That same year, his work for ProArteDanza, Fractals: a pattern of chaos, was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Choreography.

In 2012, Mr. Côté choreographed and starred in the short film Lost in Motion, which was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film’s sequel, Lost in Motion II, which was released in late 2013, was also choreographed by Mr. Côté and will make its film festival debut at the Dance on Camera Festival in New York City in February 2014. Both films received rave reviews and have been viewed more than 1.5 million times online.

Company Premiere

The Tempest

Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky Music: Jean Sibelius Dramaturgy by: Mark Lamos Set & Costume Design: Santo Loquasto Lighting Design: Robert Wierzel

Premiere: American Ballet Theatre, New York City, New York, October 30, 2013 The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: May 30, 2015

A co-production of The National Ballet of Canada and American Ballet Theatre.

The Tempest is supported by The Producers’ Circle: John & Claudine Bailey, David Binet, Susanne Boyce & Dr. Brendan Mullen, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, Kevin & Roger Garland, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Rosamond Ivey, Hal Jackman Foundation, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, Joan & Jerry Lozinski, The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Sandra L. Simpson and Noreen Taylor & David Staines, O.C.

Performance Dates: May 30 – June 7, 2015 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

The Tempest, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, is an elegant and beautiful evocation of the play. Set to the music of Sibelius, Ratmansky captures the narrative detail and characterization of the original drama and translates it into a gorgeous dance that explores the nature of creative power.

The Tempest is a co-production of The National Ballet of Canada and American Ballet Theatre and made its premiere at the David H. Koch Theatre in New York City in 2013.

Quotes

“The ballet’s poetry — reminding us that Mr. Ratmansky is the most poetic choreographer in ballet today — is loveliest in the pas de deux for the innocent lovers’ Miranda and Ferdinand.” The New York Times, 2013

“Ratmansky’s major achievement—a Tempest that rings true as both an homage to Shakespeare and an accomplishment in itself.” New York Observer, 2013

Alexei Ratmansky Choreographer, The Tempest

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Alexei Ratmansky is a choreographer and former . He is Artist-in-Residence at American Ballet Theatre and former Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Ballet, having trained under Pyotr Pestov and Alexandra Markeyeva at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Prior to his appointment as Artistic Director, Mr. Ratmansky was a Principal Dancer with the Kiev Ballet, Canada’s and The Royal Danish Ballet.

Mr. Ratmansky has created ballets for the , Paris Opéra Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, , New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, Australian Ballet, , Teatro alla Scala, Kiev Ballet and the State Ballet of Georgia, as well as for , Nina Ananiashvili, Wendy Wheelan and . His 2003 work, The Bright Stream, created for the Bolshoi Ballet, led to his appointment as Artistic Director of the company the following year. For the Bolshoi, he choreographed full-length productions of The Bolt (2005) and Lost Illusions (2011) and re-staged Le Corsaire (2007) and Flames of Paris (2008). His works for Mariinsky Ballet include Cinderella (2002) and Little Humpbacked Horse (2009). In 2011, he created Psyche for Paris Opéra Ballet, Romeo and Juliet for the National Ballet and in 2013, he created Opera for Teatro alla Scala.

The Critics’ Circle in London named the Bolshoi Ballet Best Foreign Company under Mr. Ratmansky’s direction in 2005 and 2007 and he received their National Dance Award for The Bright Stream. He received the 2005 Prix Benois de la Danse for his choreography of Anna Karenina for The Royal Danish Ballet. In 2011, Mr. Ratmansky received the New York Dance and Performance Award for Outstanding Production for The Bright Stream. He was named a MacArthur Fellow and was selected as a Rolex Mentor by the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative in 2013.

His ballets for New York City Ballet include Russian Seasons, Concerto DSCH and Namouna and for American Ballet Theatre, On the Dnieper, Seven Sonatas, Dumbarton and The Nutcracker.

The Sleeping Beauty

Produced, originally staged and with additional choreography: Rudolf Nureyev after Marius Petipa Staged by: Karen Kain, C.C. Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Set and Costume Design: Nicholas Georgiadis Lighting Design:

Premiere: Teatro alla Scala, Teatro alla Scala Opera House, Milan, , September 22, 1966 The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Ontario September 1, 1972

The Sleeping Beauty is made possible by generous contributions from Margaret Fleck & Jim Fleck, O.C., The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Gretchen Ross and Nancy Pencer & Michael Benjamin.

Performance Dates: June 10 -14, 2015 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

The Sleeping Beauty is a ballet that epitomizes, perhaps better than any other, the meaning of classical ballet and has captivated and entertained audiences since its premiere in St. Petersburg in 1890. Rudolf Nureyev’s adaptation of The Sleeping Beauty, which he set on The National Ballet of Canada in 1972, is the great dancer’s act of homage to the art form to which he devoted his life.

Set to the music of Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty was refurbished and restored to its original splendour to open the National Ballet’s inaugural season in 2006 in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Quotes

“ /4 With such dancing this Beauty never slumbers.” Toronto Star, 2012

“This Sleeping Beauty is a grand jewel in the National Ballet of Canada’s repertoire. Not only does it feature a treasure trove of classical riches it once again proves why this company is among the best in the world.” National Post, 2012

“dazzling… the National Ballet glitters in this gem of a production.” The Globe and Mail, 2012

Rudolf Nureyev Choreographer, The Sleeping Beauty

Russian-born Rudolf Nureyev completed his dance training at the renowned Kirov Ballet School. After graduation, he was immediately invited to partner the Kirov's prima ballerina, Natalia Dudinskaya.

In 1961, Mr. Nureyev defected from Russia while on tour with the Kirov Ballet in Paris. He joined the Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas and began to appear as a Guest Artist with over 30 international companies including The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Danish Ballet, Paris Opéra Ballet and New York City Ballet.

Mr. Nureyev first danced with The National Ballet of Canada in 1965 in La Sylphide. In 1972, he returned to stage his production of The Sleeping Beauty and performed extensively with the company during the 1970s and 1980s. He was director of the Paris Opéra Ballet in from 1983 to 1990.

Rudolf Nureyev died in Paris on January 6, 1993.