ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET REPERTOIRE
1 , PHOTO COURTESY OF RWB ARCHIVES, LEFT: YOSHIKO KAMIKUSA, PHOTO BY SIMEON RUSNAK KAMIKUSA, PHOTO YOSHIKO LEFT: OF RWB ARCHIVES, COURTESY IN GISELLE , PHOTO RWB COMPANY COVER:
A leading cultural institution, Royal Winnipeg Ballet has earned a national and international reputation for its impassioned artistry and technical virtuosity, and has received widespread critical acclaim for extraordinary performances of diverse classical and contemporary repertoires.
Founded in 1939, Royal Winnipeg Ballet holds the distinction of being the first and only ballet company in North America to hold the “Royal” designation and is also one of the oldest ballet companies on the continent. In 1953, RWB received its royal title, the first granted under the reign of Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet first began to tour Canada in 1945; it completed its first American tour in 1954. In 1975, the RWB toured Israel and was the first Canadian ballet to visit the country. For its 70th anniversary, the RWB returned to Israel and was greeted by audiences in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa with resounding accolades. In 2014, RWB toured China as part of its 75th Anniversary Season. The RWB spends anywhere from five to 20 weeks a year on the road, performing in centres large and small. The RWB has performed in the United States, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and in every Canadian province.
Over time, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet has expanded its repertoire to include bold, innovative new works that embody creative excellence and engage audiences in an ongoing commitment to the vitality of this unique art form. Ballets such as The Handmaid’s Tale based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, Dracula, Nutcracker, Moulin Rouge® –The Ballet and Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation are great examples of the fine balance between the classical traditions and the boldness of contemporary ballet, which in turn has given this ensemble of artists a unique style. Now after 77 years, the energy and exuberance of its versatile dancers are Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s enduring signature. RWB SCHOOL STUDENT, PHOTO BY STANISLAV BELYAEVSKY BY STANISLAV PHOTO RWB SCHOOL STUDENT,
4 Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Divison
Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division is well known across the country and around the world for providing excellence in dance education. Founded in 1970 by celebrated teacher and former RWB Company Principal Dancer David Moroni C.M., O.M., D.Litt, (h.c.), the RWB School offers classical ballet training based on the Russian system along with a full program of study in complementary dance forms. Under the direction of Arlene Minkhorst since 2004, the RWB School has prepared thousands of dancers and dance teachers for meaningful employment in the profession. Alumni have gone on to exciting careers in all facets of the dance industry and currently make up 76% of the RWB Company and over half of the RWB School’s artistic faculty.
Each year the RWB School travels the globe in search of talented dancers to join one of three full time programs: Ballet Academic (Ages 10+), Aspirant (Post-Secondary), and Teacher Training. Auditions are held in cities across Canada and in the United States and students who are unable to attend an audition may send in a video application accepted until May 1.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION VISIT RWB.ORG/SCHOOL
5
André Lewis | Artistic Director
Approaching nearly 43 years with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, 22 of them as Artistic Director, André Lewis has spent most his career with Canada’s first professional dance company. A native of Gatineau, Québec, Lewis began his dance training in Ottawa before being accepted into the Professional Division of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in 1975. He joined the RWB Company in 1979 where he enjoyed an accomplished career as a dancer for over ten years. In 1996, Lewis was appointed Artistic Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
In 1998 Lewis commissioned Mark Godden’s blockbuster production Dracula and was instrumental in the 1999 creation of a new Nutcracker for the Company. In 2002, Lewis brought to Winnipeg the thrilling and passionate Carmina Burana by Mauricio Wainrot, and he presented a new version of The Sleeping Beauty. In 2003, he commissioned Godden to create The Magic Flute and in 2004 he brought in Val Caniparoli to create A Cinderella Story. Lewis commissioned choreographer and RWB alumnus Jorden Morris to create Peter Pan for the Company in 2006. For RWB’s 70th anniversary, Lewis commissioned Morris to create Moulin Rouge® – The Ballet. In 2011, Lewis commissioned Godden to create Svengali, an explosive look at the original master of mind control.
In 2012, Lewis and John McFall co-commissioned Twyla Tharp’s The Princess & The Goblin, based on the children’s novel by George MacDonald. In 2013, Lewis commissioned another new creation in conjunction with choreographer Lila York. The full-length ballet The Handmaid’s Tale is a bold adaptation of the novel by Margaret Atwood.
For RWB’s 75th season, Lewis commissioned Godden to create Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation representing the many stories, told and untold, of Indian Residential School Survivors and their families. This commissioned piece, which coincided with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, received national critical acclaim and is based on a story by Joseph Boyden.
In 2017, the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada honoured Lewis for outstanding indigenous leadership for initiating Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation, alongside Tina Keeper and the late Elder Mary Richard.
7 ARGENTINA Manitoba Markham CURACAO Kyoto REPUBLIC OF Buenos Aires Brandon Mississauga Williamstad Matsudo CHINA Rosario Dauphin Nepean Nagoya Kaohsiung CYPRUS Flin Flon Niagara Falls Osaka Taichung ARUBA Nicosia Taipei Ornajestad Manitou Niagara-On-The-Lake Sapporo CZECHOSLOVAKIA The Pas North Bay Tokyo REPUBLIC OF AUSTRALIA Bratislava Thompson Oakville Yokohama SINGAPORE Adelaide Brno Virden Orillia Singapore Brisbane Kosice JAMAICA Winnipeg Oshawa Canberra Prague Kingston RUSSIA New Brunswick Ottawa Melbourne Moscow Owen Sound EGYPT LIECHTENSTEIN Bathurst St. Petersburg Sydney Schaan Campbellton Peterborough Alexandria SCOTLAND BERMUDA Edmundston Port Arthur Cairo MALAYSIA Glasgow Hamilton St. Catharines Kuala Lumpur Fredericton ENGLAND Edinburgh Sarnia BRAZIL Moncton Liverpool MEXICO Sault Ste. 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Warren Los Cruces Savannah Rochester Victoria Ottumwa OREGON Val Caniparoli’s A Cinderella Story
Remember when families gathered around the television set on a Saturday night? That era, the 1950’s, is the setting for Val Caniparoli’s A Cinderella Story, a retro retelling of your favourite fairy tale.
Experience a new way to tell a familiar story as electric choreography melds with Richard Rodgers’ music, all arranged for a live jazz orchestra by legendary Winnipeg bandleader Ron Paley.
California-based choreographer Val Caniparoli’s work has been seen around the globe with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.
“The world premiere of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s full-length Cinderella is a runaway hit. The delighted audience erupted in cheers after the first act with an ovation usually reserved for a curtain call.” - Paula Citron, The Globe and Mail, Oct. 23, 2004
BASED ON THEMES BY LIBRETTO LENGTH Richard Rogers Sheryl Flatow & 2 hours, 11 minutes Val Caniparoli CHOREOGRAPHY WORLD PREMIERE Val Caniparoli LIGHTING & (ROYAL WINNIPEG SOUND DESIGN BALLET) MUSIC Alexander V. Nichols October 20, 2004 ARRANGEMENTS & ORCHESTRATIONS ASSISTANT TO THE Ron Paley SCENIC DESIGNER Tom Richardson SCENIC & COSTUME DESIGN NUMBER OF DANCERS Sandra Woodall 26
10 BOTTOM LEFT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTO BY YOSUKE MINO, TOP & MIDDLE LEFT: RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: SOPHIA LEE AND JOSH REYNOLDS, PHOTOS BY RÉJEAN BRANDT 11 Carmina Burana
It must have been spring when composer Carl Orff discovered the lusty manuscripts of defrocked monks who had traded in their vows for concerns of the flesh. Orff was so inspired that he created Carmina Burana – music that has become known as his masterpiece.
Argentinean dancemaker Mauricio Wainrot has matched the exuberance of Carl Orff’s music with sensual and powerful choreography. A true feast for the senses!
“The unforgettable Carmina Burana was a boiling cauldron of choreography” - Garth Buchholtz, The Winnipeg Free Press, May 3, 2002 “By turns capricious, romantic, lusty and often reminiscent of youthful folk dancing, it’s a cornucopia of movement and carefully staged tableaux” - Pat St. Germain, Winnipeg Sun, May 3, 2002
CHOREOGRAPHY LIGHTING DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE Mauricio Wainrot David Morrison (ROYAL BALLET OF FLANDERS) MUSIC NUMBER 1998 Carl Orff, Carmina OF DANCERS 26 ROYAL WINNIPEG Burana BALLET PREMIERE
SET & COSTUME LENGTH May 1, 2002 DESIGN 1 hour, 3 minutes Carlos Gallardo
12 LEFT: RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: FORMER RWB DANCER TARA BIRTWHISTLE (1991-2011), PHOTOS COURTESY RWB ARCHIVES 13 Dracula
Burned into the public psyche over the past one hundred years, the name Dracula evokes dread and horror - but, most of all, fascination. A legend, a classic novel, the subject of countless movies since the earliest days of celluloid - Dracula is brought to life once again with Mark Godden’s inventive choreography. Dracula marked the first time that Godden created a full-length ballet. Complete with flying bats, dancing gargoyles and mysterious transformations, Mark Godden’s Dracula is contemporary ballet at its atmospheric finest.
“… an original, made-in-Canada, full-length story ballet that combines wit, intelligence, theatricality and fine dancing in one very entertaining package.” - Michael Crabb, Arts Today, October 26, 1998 “Mark Godden’s Dracula is a ballet that will live on. This is Gothic ballet at its most appealing. From opening prologue to final scene, there is rumour of longevity to the production, a hint of the magic that makes the myths of Dracula so immortal.” - The Edmonton Journal, March 3, 1999 “I was utterly seduced… I’ve been bitten.” - Robert Enright, CBC Radio, October 23, 1998
CHOREOGRAPHY SET & COSTUME LENGTH Mark Godden DESIGN 2 hours 11 minutes Paul Daigle MUSIC WORLD PREMIERE Gustav Mahler LIGHTING DESIGN (ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET) (excerpts from David Morrison October 21, 1998 Symphonies NUMBER OF DANCERS #1, #2, #9) 26
14 TOP LEFT: RWB COMPANY, MIDDLE LEFT: FORMER RWB DANCER LIANG XING (2014-2017) AND KATIE BONNELL, BOTTOM LEFT: YOSUKE MINO AND RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: FORMER RWB DANCER LIANG XING (2014-2017) AND SOPHIA LEE, PHOTOS BY RÉJEAN BRANDT 15 Peter Pan
Perfect for families and anyone who never wants to grow up, Peter Pan is a magical flight filled with family entertainment, fantasy and marvelous thrills.
Peter Pan tells the story of Peter, who invites Wendy to Neverland to be the mother of his gang of Lost Boys. Many adventures ensue, including the near-death of Tinker Bell and a climactic confrontation with Peter’s nemesis, the pirate Captain Hook.
“If happy thoughts and a sprinkling of fairy dust really were all you needed to fly, audiences attending the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s performance of Peter Pan would be airborne about three minutes into Act I.” - Natasha Gautier, Ottawa Citizen, January 2009
CHOREOGRAPHY LIGHTING DESIGN NUMBER Jorden Morris Bill Williams OF DANCERS 26 MUSIC ASSOCIATE Sir Benjamin Britten, LIGHTING DESIGN LENGTH Eric Coates, Robert Mravnik 2 hours 17 minutes
Sir Edward Elgar, FIGHT DIRECTOR WORLD PREMIERE Ron Goodwin, Daniel Ford Beavis (ROYAL WINNIPEG Montague Phillips BALLET) FLYING SEQUENCES December 22, 2006 SCENERY & COSTUME DESIGN Flying by Foy Anne Armit
16 TOP LEFT: JO-ANN SUNDERMEIER, MIDDLE LEFT: FORMER RWB DANCER LIANG XING (2014-2017) AND RWB COMPANY, BOTTOM LEFT: RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: ALANA MCADIE, YOSUKE MINO AND RWB SCHOOL STUDENTS, PHOTOS BY RÉJEAN BRANDT 17 Romeo & Juliet
What is more beautiful than falling in love for the first time...again? Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy is given a beautiful and thought-provoking telling in this masterpiece of dance and drama. The splendour of sixteenth- century Verona is recreated by the magnificent sets and costumes of Toer van Schayk in this full-length ballet that demands the most of a dancer’s personal capacity to create a role.
“Rudi van Dantzig’s inventive choreography is as fresh and engaging as it was in its RWB première in 1981.” - Holly Harris, Winnipeg Free Press, 2014 “The balcony scene delivers what we’ve come to expect from a traditional Romeo + Juliet, but still manages to feel fresh.” - Salena Kitteringham, Edmonton Journal, 2014
CHOREOGRAPHY LIGHTING DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE Rudi van Dantzig Nicholas Cernovitch (DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET) MUSIC NUMBER 1965 Serge Prokofiev OF DANCERS 26 ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET PREMIERE SCENERY & COSTUME DESIGN LENGTH September 30, 1981 Toer van Schayk 2 hours 29 minutes
18 RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS BY DAVID COOPER 19 Moulin Rouge® – The Ballet
Moulin Rouge® – The Ballet has been seen by over 100,000 people across North America and has elicited cheers and ovations wherever it tours. Along with a rousing French themed soundtrack, the ballet features high-kicking choreography and a passionate story of love, ambition and heartbreak.
Turn of the century Paris … a city of exquisite contradiction. The heady elixir of personal freedom bred lifestyles both reckless and addictive. Drawn to Paris by the city’s passion, a flame fuelled by the hearts of lovers and the souls of poets, Matthew and Nathalie tempt fate as they seek love and destiny at the infamous cabaret – The Moulin Rouge®.
“I am willing to bet that this show, which played to sold-out houses in Ottawa, will continue to wow audiences wherever it tours.” - Le Droit, 2010 “Moulin Rouge ®- The Ballet is a triumph ... stunningly beautiful ... it’s moments like this that make ballet fans out of people who think they don’t like ballet.” - Atlanta InTown, 2010 (Atlanta Ballet)
CHOREOGRAPHER SET & PROPERTIES NUMBER Jorden Morris DESIGN OF DANCERS Andrew Beck 26 MUSIC Various Composers LIGHTING DESIGN LENGTH Pierre Lavoie 2 hours, 15 minutes COSTUME DESIGN Anne Armit & DRAMATURGE WORLD PREMIERE Rick Skene (ROYAL WINNIPEG Shannon Lovelace BALLET) MAKE-UP DESIGN October 17, 2009 Melissa Gibson
In the spirit of the Moulin Rouge of Paris, Moulin Rouge® is a registered trademark of Moulin Rouge S.A.
20 LEFT: RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS BY VINCE PAHKALA, LEFT MIDDLE: PHOTO BY MICHELLE BLAIS 21 The Handmaid’s Tale
Artistic Director André Lewis commissioned this bold adaptation of Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel of the same name. Acclaimed New York-based choreographer Lila York preserves the work’s prophetic spirit and human story, creating a powerful and poignant interpretation of the gripping tale. Deftly attuned to highlighting the narrative’s dark romanticism, forbidden desires and domineering regime, York’s dance drama transports audiences, with thrilling effect, to a society where human rights have been stripped away. Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2015, is brought to life by the extraordinary athleticism and theatricality of the RWB dancers, set to a pastiche score.
“York’s vision breathes new life into a venerable Canadian classic while literally embodying the story’s dark forces, with its sobering message as timely — and relevant — as ever” – Winnipeg Free Press
BASED ON SCENIC DESIGN NUMBER OF DANCERS THE NOVEL BY Clifton Taylor 26 Margaret Atwood ASSOCIATE SCENIC LENGTH CHOREOGRAPHY DESIGN 1 hour, 55 minutes Lila York Anshuman Bhatia WORLD PREMIERE MUSIC LIGHTING DESIGN (ROYAL WINNIPEG James McMillan, Clifton Taylor BALLET) ArvoPärt, and others &Anshuman Bhatia October 16, 2013
COSTUME DESIGN PROJECTIONS DESIGN Liz Vandal Sean Nieuwenhuis
22 TOP & BOTTOM LEFT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS BY LEIF NORMAN, MIDDLE LEFT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTO BY VINCE PAHKALA, RIGHT: FORMER RWB DANCERS ALEXANDER GAMAYUNOV (2001-2014) AND AMANDA GREEN (2004-2016), PHOTO BY RÉJEAN BRANDT 23 Swan Lake
Swan Lake is perhaps the best-known classical ballet of all time. The work also enjoys the prestige of being one of Tchaikovsky’s three full-length ballets, with Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty completing the trio. Surprisingly, however, Swan Lake was not a success when it first appeared in Russia in 1877. This 1895 version, with choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, fared better.
Swan Lake is the story of Odette, a princess who has been turned into a swan by the wicked von Rothbart. Each night, Odette and her companions enjoy a few precious hours as human beings. On one such occasion she meets and falls in love with Prince Siegfried, who promises to rescue her. Their plans are foiled by von Rothbart who transforms his daughter Odile to resemble Odette in order to trick the Prince. However, not even evil von Rothbart can destroy their love, for Odette and Siegfried are reunited in the hereafter.
CHOREOGRAPHY SCENERY & WORLD PREMIERE Marius Petipa, COSTUME DESIGN (MARYINSKY Peter Farmer THEATRE, Lev Ivanov ST. PETERSBURG)
MUSIC LIGHTING DESIGN January, 1895 Nicholas Cernovitch Pyotr Ilyich ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET PREMIERE Tchaikovsky NUMBER OF DANCERS May, 1987 STAGED BY 40
Galina Yordanova LENGTH 2 hours 19 minutes
24 TOP LEFT: YAYOI BAN AND RWB GUEST DANCER MAKSIM CHUKARYOV (2015), PHOTO BY LEIF NORMAN, MIDDLE & BOTTOM LEFT: RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: YAYOI BAN AND DMITRI DOVGOSELETS, PHOTOS BY SAMANTA KATZ 25 Nutcracker
This sparkling holiday tradition is a festive feast for the senses with enchanting costumes, timeless choreography and a brilliant score by Tchaikovsky. Nutcracker features endearing Canadian scenes like a snowy pond hockey game and a battle on Parliament Hill.
What could be more fun for the family than to join young Clara’s Christmas fantasy, where toys come to life, the Sugar Plum Fairy spreads her magic and a mischievous bear steals the Christmas pudding. A holiday classic for the whole family!
“a captivating fantasy…rapturously romantic.” - Winnipeg Free Press, 2011
“Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker is Picture Perfect.” - The Georgia Strait
CHOREOGRAPHY SCENIC DESIGN LENGTH Galina Yordanova Brian Perchaluk 2 hours, 4 minutes and Nina Menon LIGHTING DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE MUSIC Michael J. Whitfield (ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET) Pyotr Ilyich NUMBER Ottawa’s National Tchaikovsky OF DANCERS Arts Centre, COSTUME DESIGN 26 December 2, 1999 Paul Daigle
26 TOP LEFT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTO BY VINCE PAHKALA, MIDDLE LEFT: CHENXIN LIU, DMITRI DOVGOSELETS AND RWB SCHOOL STUDENTS, BOTTOM LEFT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS COURTESY OF RWB ARCHIVES, RIGHT: YOSHIKO KAMIKUSA AND FORMER RWB DANCER LUZEMBERG SANTANA (2013-2017) 27 Hikarizatto
“I am interested in dance that does not merely refer to itself. Art is a way of gaining insight into human existence. We look at art and see our inner self, the possibilities we have never realized, the dark secrets we want to hide. Of all art forms, dance is the most true to life.” – Itzik Galili
The North American Premiere of Hikarizatto was the first work by Tel Aviv born choreographer Itzik Galili, performed by the RWB. Rhythmic drumming accompanies Galili’s trademark off-balance, hyper-kinetic movement.
“Galili creates kaleidoscopic dazzle with varied lifts, sky-high kicks and male- female entanglements happening simultaneously on different depth planes.” - Winnipeg Free Press
“The audience reaction – whistles, yells, standing ovation – was absolutely deserved.” - Winnipeg Free Press
CHOREOGRAPHY COSTUME & WORLD PREMIERE Itzik Galili LIGHTING DESIGN (STUTTGART BALLET) Itzik Galili April 2004 MUSIC Percossa NUMBER OF DANCERS ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET PREMIERE “Hikarizatto” 20 May 9, 2007 (Niels van Hoorn and LENGTH Janwillem van der Poll) 20 minutes
28 LEFT: RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: JO-ANN SUNDERMEIER AND FORMER RWB DANCER JAIME VARGAS (2004-2011), PHOTOS COURTESY RWB ARCHIVES 29 Svengali
Mark Godden’s choreographic genius brings us an explosive new look at the original master of mind control. This RWB creation takes its inspiration from a film treatment born of the fevered imagination of international film sensation Guy Maddin.
Yearning for public recognition, Svengali escapes the repression of his mother’s ballet studio to a decadent world reminiscent of mid-century Weimar, where he finds the beautiful and malleable young dancer, Trilby. Under Svengali’s entrancing influence, Trilby is transformed into the darling of the ballet world, but her star ultimately rises beyond Svengali’s powerful emotional grasp.
This complex psychological drama will unfold with riveting choreography by the creative powerhouse behind RWB’s Dracula, and shades of Maddinesque irreverence, as Svengali’s family secrets and sinister purposes are revealed.
“Svengali is beautiful, challenging and a visual turn-on. The ballet is, simply, a triumph, danced with explosive discipline by this talented company.” - Robert Enright, CBC
“It’s the subtleties that make this work so interesting - unexpected darts, flops and twists that punctuate more classical technique.” - Jenna French, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, November 2011
CREATED & BASED ON THE LIGHTING DESIGN CHOREOGRAPHED BY NOVEL TRILBY BY Pierre Lavoie Mark Godden George du Maurier NUMBER OF DANCERS MUSIC BASED ON A FILM 26 Sergei Rachmaninov, TREATMENT BY Franz Liszt, Philip Guy Maddin LENGTH 2 hours 2 minutes Glass, Richard COSTUME DESIGN Strauss, Amsterdam Paul Daigle WORLD PREMIERE Klezmer Band, Flying (ROYAL WINNIPEG Bulgar Klezmer Band SCENIC DESIGN BALLET) Andrew Beck October 19, 2011
30 RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS COURTESY RWB ARCHIVES 31 The Ecstasy of Rita Joe
The Ecstasy of Rita Joe is an adaptation of George Ryga’s play of the same name. It is a deeply moving ballet centering around a young Aboriginal woman who leaves the reservation in hope of finding a better life in the city. With little schooling and a poor grasp of the English language, Rita Joe cannot support herself. She quickly becomes entrapped in a desolate world of prostitution and drug addiction.
The Ecstasy of Rita Joe was originally commissioned in 1971 by the Manito- ba Indian Brotherhood Association to mark the centenary of the signing of Indian Treaties Number 1 and 2.
“It’s said that when you’re being swallowed by an ocean, your whole life, both the good and the bad, flashed before your eyes. And so it is with Rita Joe, an aboriginal girl about to be swallowed up in a sea of city faces – her dreams and memories jumbled together in an unreal reality.”
FROM THE ORIGINAL STAGED BY LENGTH PLAY BY Arnold Spohr 40 minutes George Ryge COSTUMES AND WORLD PREMIERE CHOREOGRAPHY LIGHTING DESIGN (ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET) Norbert Vesak Norbert Vesak July 27, 1971 MUSIC ORCHESTRATION in Ottawa Ann Mortifee Earl Stafford
LYRICS AND AUDIO DIRECTION DIALOGUE Philip Keatly George Ryga
32 LEFT: FORMER RWB DANCER TARA BIRTWHISTLE (1991-2011), RIGHT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS COURTESY RWB ARCHIVES 33 Twyla Tharp’s The Princess and the Goblin
Over her long and illustrious career, Twyla Tharp has brought ballet into the popular imagination the world over and her work has irrevocably changed the face of modern dance. Tharp’s defining new ballet is an adaptation of a fairy tale by Victorian fantasy novelist George MacDonald, who is credited with inspiring authors W.H. Auden, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
The story follows young Princess Irene on a courageous quest to the underworld as she discovers the town’s children being kidnapped by the goblins. Guided by her Great-Grandmother, the heroine rescues the children against the odds in a transformative and inspiring story of humility and forgiveness.
“Enchanting and funny…a powerful image of love. [Tharp] has succeeded here where so many have failed…a children’s ballet tightly woven with movement motifs and layered with symbolic meanings that adults can appreciate.” – New York Times, 2012
“Intriguing & moving” – Wall Street Journal, 2012
BASED ON A STORY BY LIGHTING DESIGN INTERNATIONAL George MacDonald Donald Holder CO-PRODUCTION WITH ATLANTA BALLET CONCEIVED, COSTUME DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE DIRECTED & Anne Armit CHOREOGRAPHED (ATLANTA BALLET) Twyla Tharp SCENIC DESIGN February 10, 2012
MUSIC Caleb Levengood CANADIAN PREMIERE (ROYAL WINNIPEG Franz Schubert NUMBER OF DANCERS BALLET) 26 ORIGINAL MUSIC, October 17, 2012 ARRANGED & LENGTH ORCHESTRATED Richard Burke 1 hour 21 minutes
34 RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS BY SIMEON RUSNAK 35 In Tandem
In Tandem is a dynamic choreographic journey that stands apart due to its energetic and pulsing movements that have been characterized as “stretchy”, “edgy” and “angular”. Commissioned by the Works & Process Series of the Guggenheim Museum, In Tandem fuses classical ballet vocabulary with contemporary language.
Choreographed by Peter Quanz, this neo-classical ballet is set to the 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning “Double Sextet” by American composer, Steve Reich. The music’s vibrant and swift rhythm carries the dancers from beginning to end through their suspenseful movements, unmistakably echoing both the darker and lighter moods of the performance.
As Quanz’s breakthrough ballet, In Tandem overflows with social charm and fleeting suggestions of the fundamental confrontations any love-based relationship must face. Fast-paced and pointed, this ballet is a modern inspection of some of our deepest and most unbridled emotions.
“Quanz has created a suspenseful choreographic journey…” - Matthew Oshinsky, The Star-Ledger, September 2009
“Of all the pieces the Ontario-based choreographer has created in the past 10 years, In Tandem is easily the smartest.” – Gary Smith, Dance International, Winter 2009
CHOREOGRAPHY LIGHTING DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE Peter Quanz Marc Parent September 11, 2009
COMMISSIONED BY NUMBER OF DANCERS ROYAL WINNIPEG Steve Reich 6 BALLET PREMIERE July 29, 2010 COSTUME DESIGN LENGTH Anne Armit 23 minutes
36 LEFT: FORMER RWB DANCER MAUREYA LEBOWITZ (2007-2011), RIGHT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS BY RICHARD TERMINE 37 Going Home Star - Truth and Reconciliation
Commissioned by Artistic Director André Lewis, Going Home Star - Truth and Reconciliation explores the world of Annie, a young, urban First Nations woman adrift in a contemporary life of youthful excess. But when she meets Gordon, a longhaired trickster disguised as a homeless man, she’s propelled into a world she’s always sensed but never seen. Not only do they travel the streets of this place but also the roads of their ancestors, learning to accept each other’s burdens as the two walk through the past and toward the future. Together, both Annie and Gordon learn that without truth, there is no reconciliation.
“The trauma of residential schools is writ large as the company’s strong dancers eat up the stage. This is a ballet that looks very good.” - Paula Citron, The Globe and Mail, October 2014
“It has visibly catalyzed the entire company; I have never seen the RWB dance better” – Robert Enright, CBC, 2014
CHOREOGRAPHER SET DESIGN NUMBER Mark Godden KC Adams OF DANCERS 26 STORY BY LIGHTING DESIGN Joseph Boyden Pierre Lavoie LENGTH 1 hour, 52 minutes MUSIC PROJECTION DESIGN Christos Hatzis Sean Nieuwenhuis WORLD PREMIERE (ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET) COSTUME DESIGN ASSOCIATE Paul Daigle PRODUCER October 1, 2014 Tina Keeper
38 TOP LEFT: SOPHIA LEE, PHOTO BY RÉJEAN BRANDT, MIDDLE LEFT: RWB COMPANY, BOTTOM LEFT: SOPHIA LEE AND FORMER RWB DANCER LIANG XING (2014-2017), RIGHT: RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS BY SAMANTA KATZ 39 The Sleeping Beauty
Journey to an enchanted kingdom where good triumphs over evil through a single kiss. Relive the magic of your favourite childhood fairy tale with its cast of storybook characters including Princess Aurora, Prince Désiré, Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots. The Sleeping Beauty marries the soaring music of Tchaikovsky with the stunning choreography of Marius Petipa, one of ballet’s most gifted creators. With lavish sets, stunning costumes and thrilling classical dance, this ballet will enchant audiences of all ages.
“Lavish, beautiful & very richly textured…you won’t see it done better anywhere else in the world.” - CBC Radio, 2002
“Sleeping Beauty is sheer romantic spectacle, with exquisite dancing and lovely costumes” - Halifax Daily News, October 30, 2002
CHOREOGRAPHER SET & PROPERTIES WORLD PREMIERE Marius Petipa DESIGN January 16, 1890 Michael Eagan MUSIC ROYAL WINNIPEG Pyotr Illyich LIGHTING DESIGN BALLET PREMIERE Tchaikovsky Michael J. Whitfield March 13, 2002
COSTUME DESIGN LENGTH Shannon Lovelace, 145 minutes Anne Armit
40 LEFT: JO-ANN SUNDEREMEIER, RIGHT: SOPHIA LEE, PHOTOS COURTESY OF RWB ARCHIVES 41 Giselle
Giselle has been hailed as one of the greatest of all ballets and a supreme achievement of the Romantic era. Based on the German legend of the Wilis, it tells the story of young women whose love was never fulfilled because of intervening powers. In the evening, the Wilis rise from their graves and dance in the moonlight. Their beauty attracts young men, but the Wilis are as dangerous as they are irresistible, compelling the men to dance until they die.
“Joy, innocence, betrayal, death and salvation are conveyed in floating or vital images which are always beautiful, and often tremulously fragile.” - The Edmonton Sun, 1995
CHOREOGRAPHY SCENARIO WORLD PREMIERE Peter Wright, Théophile Gautier June 28, 1841 after Jules Perrot, and Henri Vernoy ROYAL WINNIPEG Jean Coralli and de Saint Georges BALLET PREMIERE Marius Petipa SCENERY & December 26, 1982 STAGED BY COSTUME DESIGN Catherine Taylor Peter Farmer
MUSIC LIGHTING DESIGN Adolphe Adam Nicholas Cernovitch
PRODUCED BY LENGTH Peter Wright 115 minutes
42 LEFT: RWB COMPANY, RIGHT: SOPHIA LEE AND RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS BY STANISLAV BELYAEVSKY 43 The Magic Flute
From the creative team of Dracula comes a delightful concoction blending romance, enchantment, fantasy and an extraordinary journey from darkness into light. The Magic Flute features the sublime music of Mozart, the inventive choreography of Mark Godden and the exquisite dancers of the RWB. Dashing heroes, dastardly villains, damsels in distress, captivating comic sidekicks - and a flute with magical powers - abound in this opulent production designed by Paul Daigle. A dazzling showcase for the RWB’s seductive style!
The ballet received its world premiere in Winnipeg before touring to Ontario, Quebec and Western Canada in 2003/04 season. The Magic Flute was also part of the National Arts Centre’s Mozart Festival in Ottawa in January 2004.
“Bold, audacious, provocative, never boring … keeps you on the edge of your seat.” - CBC Radio 2003
“Luxuriate in the RWB’s vivid performance of a new ballet that is a boldly original departure” - National Post, 2003
CHOREOGRAPHER LIGHTING DESIGN CO-PRODUCED BY Mark Godden Pierre Lavoie National Arts Centre
MUSIC SOUND DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE Wolfgang Jean-Pierre Coté (ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET) Amadeus Mozart LENGTH October 22, 2003 SET & COSTUME 2 hours, 25 minutes DESIGN Paul Daigle
44 RWB COMPANY, PHOTOS COURTESY OF RWB ARCHIVES 45 The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Set to the final movement of Schubert’s Symphony #9,The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude displays all of the traditional components of classical dance: tutus, pointe shoes, virtuosity and lyricism. From the full-length Six Counter Points, this ballet for three women and two men provides a breathtaking display of classical technique that serves to illustrate the way in which Forsythe sees the ballet vocabulary as part of a range of choreographic possibilities.
An affectionate homage to Petipa and Balanchine in its courtly partnering, structure and speedy, precise allegro work, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude nonetheless belongs to present time in its celebration of the dancers’ ability to make technical difficulty into a triumph of physical mastery and in its self- aware embodiment of a whole tradition of dance.
“The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude was speedy and full of adrenaline, showcasing the dancers’ ability and technical mastery” - 204 (blog), 2014
CHOREOGRAPHY COSTUME DESIGN LENGTH William Forsythe Stephen Galloway 11 minutes
MUSIC LIGHTING DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE Franz Schubert, William Forsythe (FRANKFURT BALLET) Allegro Vivace from January 20, 1996 Symphony #9 in C NUMBER OF DANCERS ROYAL WINNIPEG Major BALLET PREMIERE 5 November 7, 2012
46 LEFT: SOPHIA LEE AND DMITRI DOVGOSELETS, PHOTO BY RÉJEAN BRANDT Luminous
From the internationally-acclaimed choreographer and RWB alumnus Peter Quanz, whose In Tandem wowed New York audiences at the Guggenheim Museum in 2009 comes a gorgeous new work that explores romantic relationships at different stages of life. Playful, intimate and poignant, the moonlit ballet is “by far the finest new work commissioned by Hong Kong Ballet … [in] two decades…” (The Financial Times, 2010).
The award-winning Quanz has created for the world’s leading ballet companies including Kirov Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Britain’s Royal Ballet.
Luminous was first developed at the National Choreographers Initiative, Molly Lynch, Director, presented by Irvine Barclay Theatre, July 2010.
“Quanz holds nothing back in this ballet of enormous depth and beauty” - Holly Harris, Uptown Magazine, June 6, 2012
CHOREOGRAPHY LIGHTING DESIGN WORLD PREMIERE Peter Quanz Robert Mravnik (HONG KONG BALLET) September 24, 2010 MUSIC NUMBER OF DANCERS Marjan Mozetich 8 ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET PREMIERE COSTUME DESIGN LENGTH May 9, 2012 Anne Armit 23 minutes
PHOTO OF AMANDA GREEN (2004-2016) AND TRISTAN DOBROWNEY (2008-2016), PHOTO COURTESY OF RWB ARCHIVES 47 Mixed Rep
The Four Belong LED Celts Seasons CONCEPTION & CHOREOGRAPHY CHOREOGRAPHY CHOREOGRAPHY Shawn Hounsell Lila York CHOREOGRAPHY Norbert Vesak James Kudelka COSTUME DESIGN MUSIC MUSIC Shawn Hounsell Paddy Moloney, Bill STAGING Syrinx Ruyle, traditional Peter Ottman RUN TIME ORIGINAL COSTUMES 6 mins COSTUME DESIGN MUSIC & LIGHTING Tunji Dada A. Vivaldi “Four Norbert Vesak Seasons”, LIGHTING DESIGN NUMBER OF DANCERS National Arts James F. Ingalls Orchestra 2 RUN TIME Pinchas Zukerman LENGTH 22 mins COSTUME DESIGN 8 minutes
Denis Lavoie WORLD PREMIERE (ROYAL WINNIPEG LIGHTING DESIGN BALLET) David Finn January 11, 1973
PROJECTIONS & SCENIC EFFECTS Chris Wise
48 LEFT: DMITRI DOVGOSELETS AND CHENXIN LIU IN BELONG, RIGHT: JO-ANN SUNDERMEIER AND JOSH REYNOLDS IN LED, PHOTOS BY SIMEON RUSNAK Angels in the Miroirs Le Jazz Hot Pas D’Action Architecture CHOREOGRAPHY CHOREOGRAPHY CHOREOGRAPHY & Mark Godden Jacques Lemay LIBRETTO CHOREOGRAPHY Brian Macdonald Mark Godden MUSIC MUSIC Maurice Ravel, Henry Mancini MUSIC MUSIC Miroirs Franz von Suppé Aaron Copland COSTUME DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN Jacques Lemay DÉCOR AND COSTUME COSTUME DESIGN DESIGN Paul Daigle Paul Daigle RUN TIME By Chance LIGHTING DESIGN 5 mins SET DESIGN RUN TIME Jeff Herd Mark Godden and 20 mins Paul Daigle RUN TIME 30 mins LIGHTING DESIGN Jeff Herd
RUN TIME 30 mins A FULL LIST OF REPERTOIRE IS AVAILABLE AT RWB.ORG AT IS AVAILABLE A FULL LIST OF REPERTOIRE
LEFT: RWB COMPANY IN MIROIRS, RIGHT: SOPHIA LEE AND STEPHAN AZULAY IN LE JAZZ HOT, PHOTOS BY SIMEON RUSNAK 49 Touring Information
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet first began to tour Canada in 1945 and completed its first American tour in 1954. Today, the Company spends between five to 20 weeks a year on the road, performing in centres both large and small.
The average touring company is approximately 40 people, including 26 dancers, 7 to 8 technical crew, and 4 to 6 staff and management. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet has developed touring infrastructure, of its over 50-year history of touring, which allows most of our productions to be setup and performed on the same day.
GENERAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS • Optimal performing area is 48 feet (14.5 m) wide, by 50 feet (15 m) deep. However, smaller spaces can be accommodated with prior consultation with the RWB’s production department. • The stage should have a minimum of 28 working line sets available, relatively evenly distributed from the smoke pocket to a minimum distance of 40 feet (12 m) upstage of the smoke pocket. • The battens should be a minimum width of 55 feet (16.75 m), made of 1- ½ inch I.D. Schedule 40 steel pipe (or equivalent). • Each line set must be capable of safely carrying 1000 lbs above pipe weight,and must travel to a minimum height of 55 feet (16.75 m) above the stage floor. • Free wing space of 15 feet (4.5 m) each side, offstage of the legs with 22 feet (6.5 m) of overhead clearance unobstructed as well as an unobstructed upstage cross over. Ideally there should also be a scenery dock for storage and preparation of props and scenery.
DRESSING ROOMS We require, at minimum, one male and one female dressing room capable of accommodating 26 to 40 dancers in total.
50 RIGHT: YAYOI BAN AND DMITRI DOVGOSELETS, PHOTO BY LEIF NORMAN PHOTO BAN AND DMITRI DOVGOSELETS, YAYOI RIGHT:
51 CANADA, INTERNATIONAL, & RENTAL INQUIRIES
David Warburton DIRECTOR, TOURING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 204.957.3477 | [email protected] 380 GRAHAM AVENUE, WINNIPEG, MB, CANADA, R3C 4K2
UNITED STATES, CHINA & HONG KONG INQUIRIES
Todd Jordan VICE PRESIDENT, PAQUIN ARTIST AGENCY 1.204.988.1133 | 1.204.988.1135 [email protected] 468 STRADBROOK AVENUE, WINNIPEG, MB, CANADA, R3L 0J9
RWB.ORG/BOOKINGS
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