National Ballet of Canada 2018/19 Annual Report
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2018/19 Annual Report Table of Contents Messages from the Artistic Director, Executive Director & Board Chair 3 Company Snapshot 4 Soaring: The Campaign for The National Ballet of Canada 5 2018/19 Performances 6 Community Engagement 19 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 25 New Initiatives 26 2018/19 Dancer Roster 29 Awards 30 Dancer Anniversaries 32 In Memoriam 34 The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra 35 The National Ballet of Canada Board of Directors 36 Our Donors 37 Staff 53 Attendance 55 Summary Financial Statements 56 Grant Thornton Auditors’ Report 57 Selected Statistics 58 Guillaume Côté is sponsored through Dancers First by Emmanuelle Gattuso, C.M. and Allan Slaight, C.M. Tanya Howard is sponsored through Dancers First by Nancy Pencer. Tanya Howard and Guillaume Côté in Being and Nothingness. Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic. national.ballet.ca 2 Messages The National Ballet of Canada “ continued to make significant gains in 2018/19 within a climate of steady leadership and fiscal balance. With the support of an engaged donor community, we were able to tour overseas, collaborate on new work, host an international competition and offer a variety of engagement programmes to our diverse audiences nationwide.” Barry Hughson, Executive Director Among the many artistic achievements of “ our 2018/19 season, I am proud to include The 2018/19 season has been a our first ever company tour to Moscow and “ continuation of everything The National St. Petersburg with three exciting ballets Ballet of Canada has come to stand for from our recent repertoire. In Toronto, we in recent years – innovation, ambition, presented the North American premiere excellence and community. We also of John Neumeier’s powerful ballet, Anna saw the successful close of our Soaring Karenina, and celebrated Xiao Nan Yu in Campaign, the largest in the company’s her chosen role of Hannah from The Merry Widow as she brought her extraordinary history and one that united our donor career on stage to a triumphant close.” community in pursuit of artistic growth.” Cornell Wright, Board Chair Karen Kain, Artistic Director Karen Kain. Barry Hughson. Cornell C.V. Wright. Photos by Karolina Kuras. national.ballet.ca 3 Company Snapshot 2018/19 90 162,433 10 years $1,492,000 performances audience members of balanced budgets operating surplus for the year 2,994 $37,449,000 $35,957,000 community engagement events 2018/19 revenue 2018/19 expenses 96,554 community engagement event attendees 4,069 members of our donor community $12,758,000 total fundraising 15 15 14 artists make their home 74 62 at The National Ballet of Canada dancers musicians wardrobe production artistic 180 staff staff staff Clockwise from top: Apprentice at a YOU dance performance. Naoya Ebe with Artists of the Ballet in The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude. Jeannine Haller and Siphesihle November at The International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize in 2019. Tanya Howard and Ben Rudisin in Night. Xiao Nan Yu’s final curtain call at The Merry Widow. Photos by Edwin Luk and Karolina Kuras. national.ballet.ca 4 Soaring: The Campaign for The National Ballet The generosity of individual and corporate donors has been on full display throughout the Campaign and has provided a powerful vote of confidence in of Canada closed at the end of the 2018/19 the current trajectory of growth. The future does not belong to the company season, not only realizing its potential but alone, but to all who delight in the power and beauty of great dance. exceeding financial expectations and raising Thank you to all donors for contributing to the Soaring Campaign and to over $104 million. the Campaign Cabinet for stewarding this historic undertaking to a successful conclusion. The impact of your generosity – on production Since its public launch on November 12, 2016, Soaring has directed quality, the dancers, the company’s ability to tour and to engage with funds to five priority areas: Artistic Excellence; New Productions; Touring; the community – will endure for generations. Community Engagement and The National Ballet of Canada Endowment Foundation. With these funds, the National Ballet has grown its repertoire of new productions, strengthened its position on the international stage Please refer to page 37 for donor recognition. through touring and expanded education and outreach initiatives designed to improve accessibility to dance. Heather Ogden is sponsored through Dancers First by Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin. Heather Ogden. Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic. national.ballet.ca 5 2018/19 Performances Visually stunning.” “ Hamburger Abendlbatt (Emergence) On Tour: Hamburg, Germany The Dreamers Ever Leave You Robert Binet The Man in Black James Kudelka Emergence Crystal Pite Großes Haus, Hamburg, Germany July 3 – 4, 2018 The National Ballet of Canada’s performances in Hamburg were generously supported by Gretchen Ross & Donald Ross, O.C. Lead philanthropic support for The Dreamers Ever Leave You is provided by The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada and The Producers’ Circle. The Man in Black and Emergence are generously supported by Gail Hutchison. Skylar Campbell is sponsored through Dancers First by Tricia Younger. Ben Rudisin is sponsored through Dancers First by an anonymous donor. Skylar Campbell and Ben Rudisin in Emergence. Photo by Karolina Kuras. national.ballet.ca 6 2018/19 Performances Full of sensitivity, surprise “ and swiftness.” The Globe and Mail Fall for Dance North Festival Paz de la Jolla Justin Peck Sony Centre for the Performing Arts Toronto, Ontario October 2018 Lead philanthropic support for Paz de la Jolla is provided by The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada, Julie Medland in memory of her husband Ted and The Producers’ Circle. Chelsy Meiss is sponsored through Dancers First by Diana St. B. Weatherall. Chelsy Meiss. Photo by Karolina Kuras. national.ballet.ca 7 2018/19 Performances On Tour: Moscow & St. Petersburg, Russia Being and Nothingness Guillaume Côté Paz de la Jolla Justin Peck Emergence Crystal Pite Stanislavsky Theatre, Moscow National Ballet of Canada October 15 – 16, 2018 “ dazzles audiences.” Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg CBC News Moscow Bureau October 19, 2018 The artists dance with such The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges Margaret “ Anne Fountain, C.M. and David Glenn Fountain, C.M. as our ecstasy, precision and skill.” Exclusive Tour Partners. Kommersant, Moscow Lead philanthropic support for Paz de la Jolla is provided by The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada, Julie Medland in memory of her husband Ted and The Producers’ Circle. “ The National Ballet of Canada Emergence is generously supported by Gail Hutchison. has few equals.” Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Moscow Greta Hodgkinson and Ben Rudisin in Being and Nothingness. Photo by Karolina Kuras. national.ballet.ca 8 2018/19 Performances An emotional whirlwind as “ powerful and varying as Tolstoy’s prose.” Pointe presents Anna Karenina A Ballet by John Neumeier November 10 – 18, 2018 Anna Karenina is a co-operation between The National Ballet of Canada, The Hamburg Ballet and The Bolshoi Ballet. Lead philanthropic support for Anna Karenina is generously provided by The Walter Carsen New Creations Fund, Richard M. Ivey, C.C., Rosamond Ivey and Tim & Frances Price, with additional support from The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada, The Producers’ Circle and Warren Sorensen in memory of Gregory Williams. Svetlana Lunkina is sponsored through Dancers First by Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C. Svetlana Lunkina. Photo by Kiran West. national.ballet.ca 9 2018/19 Performances Achingly beautiful.” “ National Post (Being and Nothingness) Choreographically brilliant. “ It combines wry wit and profound humanity.” Dance International (The Dream) The Dream Frederick Ashton Being and Nothingness Guillaume Côté November 21 – 25, 2018 Presented by Lead philanthropic support for Being and Nothingness is provided by an anonymous friend of the National Ballet, The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada and The Producers’ Circle. Harrison James is sponsored through Dancers First by Lucy White. Jillian Vanstone is sponsored through Dancers First by George & Kathy Dembroski. Jillian Vanstone and Harrison James in The Dream. Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic. national.ballet.ca 10 2018/19 Performances The holiday season “ theatrical event by which all others must be judged.” Toronto Star presents The Nutcracker James Kudelka December 8 – 30, 2018 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. Calley Skalnik is sponsored through Dancers First by an anonymous donor. Calley Skalnik and Jack Bertinshaw. Photo by Karolina Kuras. national.ballet.ca 11 2018/19 Performances Poetry, daring, expressive power “ and technical brilliance.” Fjord Review (Apollo) On Tour: Ottawa, Ontario Paz de la Jolla Justin Peck Apollo George Balanchine The Dream Frederick Ashton National Arts Centre January 31 – February 2, 2019 The company’s Canadian tours are made possible with the generous support of The John and Margaret Bahen Fund of The National Ballet of Canada, Endowment Foundation. Lead philanthropic support for Paz de la Jolla is provided by The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada, Julie Medland in memory of her husband Ted and The Producers’ Circle. Apollo is a gift from The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada. Brendan Saye is sponsored through Dancers First by Robin Vaile Robinson. Brendan Saye in Apollo. Photo by Smita Jacob. national.ballet.ca 12 2018/19 Performances Free-spirited, flirtatious “ and bubbly.” The Globe and Mail (Paquita) Apollo George Balanchine Night Julia Adam The Sea Above, The Sky Below Robert Binet Paquita Christopher Stowell, after Marius Petipa March 1 – 3 and 20 – 21, 2019 Apollo is a gift from The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada. The Sea Above, The Sky Below costume design by Erdem Moralioglu is generously supported by Suzanne Rogers.