20 DECEMBER 23, 26 & 27, 2020 21 DIGITAL PERFORMANCE THE NUTCRACKER SUITE Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet Tableau UNDER THE DISTINGUISHED PATRONAGE OF HER EXCELLENCY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Julie Payette, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.Q., C.D., Governor General of Canada FOUNDERS Gweneth Lloyd & Betty Farrally ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS Arnold Spohr, C.C., O.M. FOUNDING DIRECTOR, SCHOOL RECREATIONAL DIVISION Jean Mackenzie FOUNDING DIRECTOR, SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DIVISION David Moroni, C.M., O.M., D.Litt, (h.c.) ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CEO André Lewis ARTISTS Yayoi Ban, Elizabeth Lamont, Chenxin Liu, Alanna McAdie, Yosuke Mino, Yue Shi, Katie Bonnell, Stephan Azulay, Liam Caines, Ryan Vetter, Jenna Burns, Jaimi Deleau, Elena Dobrowna, Katie Simpson, Sarah Joan Smith, Amanda Solheim, Joshua Hidson, Peter Lancksweerdt, Michel Lavoie, Parker Long, Liam Saito Tymin Keown, Emilie Lewis, and Brooke Thomas ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Tara Birtwhistle PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Julian Pellicano SENIOR BALLET MASTER Johnny W. Chang BALLET MASTERS Caroline Gruber, Vanessa Léonard, Jaime Vargas SCHOOL DIRECTOR Stéphane Léonard RECREATIONAL DIVISION PRINCIPAL Nicole Kepp PROFESSIONAL DIVISION PRINCIPAL Suzanne André TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTOR Johanne Gingras STAGE MANAGER Candace Jacobson ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Ryan Bjornson Land and Water Acknowledgment We are grateful to practice our art on Treaty One land, the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation. We stand with the indigenous community and commit to build an ongoing process of reconciliation and collaboration. ISSUE NO. 217 | ISSN: 1495-9291 Cover: Yue Shi, Photo by David Cooper We are pleased to receive your feedback, comments and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is a chartered non-profit corporation questions. Send to: Marketing & Communications Department, operated by a voluntary Board of Directors, Don Leitch, Chair. Royal Winnipeg Ballet, 380 Graham Avenue, Wpg, MB, R3C 4K2 T: 204.956.0183 E: [email protected] Artisits have appeared by permission of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists 2 THE ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET To Our Audience A Message From André Lewis Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet is delighted to welcome you to The Nutcracker Suite, a holiday classic, re-imagined for the screen, and delivered right to your home. This cherished Winnipeg-based Nutcracker has been a fixture on our stage during the holiday season for over twenty years. The Nutcracker Suite tells the beloved story of young Clara and her Nutcracker Prince, Drosselmeier, the Mouse King and the Sugar Plum Fairy, with a special digital performance. Many of the famous scenes and much of the choreography returning fans remember is present in The Nutcracker Suite, alongside new story elements and incredible, new performances choreographed by the RWB Company dancers and ballet masters. The Nutcracker Suite would not be possible without the creative efforts and perseverance of the many great artists at the RWB alongside our wonderful crew, technicians and administration. We are delighted you chose to make us part of your holiday tradition. Until we can safely come together again, the RWB wishes you a merry and bright season, and all the best in the year to come. André Lewis, Artistic Director & CEO THE NUTCRACKER SUITE 3 20 21 Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet gratefully acknowledges the following support for The Nutcracker Suite. PHOTO YUE SHI AND RWB SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DIVISION STUDENT; BY DAVID COOPER TECHNOLOGY & LIVE STREAMING SPONSOR OFFICIAL PROVIDERS THE NUTCRACKER SUITE 5 Credits & Synopsis CHOREOGRAPHY Setting Galina Yordanova Our story starts at Christmas time, 1913, in a large Canadian home. It’s a Nina Menon prosperous time in a city whose population has swollen with new arrivals. RWB Artistic Staff The First World War is still half a year away. MUSIC Overture Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ‘Tis the night before Christmas and all through Clara’s house, everything and everyone is stirring. The whole family, it seems, is getting ready for the PRINCIPAL big Christmas party — cooking and wrapping, dressing and fussing. CONDUCTOR Act I Julian Pellicano SCENE I – CLARA’S BEDROOM PIANIST Donna Laube We join Clara in her room, practicing her ballet steps in front of the mirror. She wants to be perfect when she dances for her glamourous Aunt COSTUME DESIGN Josephine, a singer who has traveled all the way from Montreal on the train. Paul Daigle SCENE II – THE CHRISTMAS PARTY SCENIC DESIGN Inside the house, preparation for a holiday party are in full swing full swing Brian Perchaluk as the family, Aunt Josephine, Julien, Clara and her Godfather Drosselmeirer are busy decorating a tree and dancing with glee. Finally, all that practice LIGHTING DESIGN has paid off and Clara captivates the family with her graceful performance Marc Gagnon which includes her new Nutcracker toy. LENGTH SCENE III – CLARA’S DREAM 60 minutes We see Clara’s dream of becoming the ballerina she has always wanted to be and she dances the night away with her charming Prince, the Nutcracker, who has magically come to life. Suddenly, the dream becomes a nightmare when four bat-like creatures swoop in, led by the dark magic of a wicked sorcerer. SCENE IV – THE PARTY CONTINUES When her dream ends, Clara Clara joins her friend her friend Julien, who came to the party with her Godfather Drosselmeier, who eagerly joins her for a pas de deux, making her dreams come true. SCENE V – THE BEARS DANCE Suddenly, two uninvited house guests Filbert and Hazel make a sudden surprise appearance. 6 THE ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET SCENE VI – THE BATTLE As the clock chimes midnight, Clara finds herself surrounded by mice who scurry around her slippered feet. The Mouse King appears with his troop of mice and threatens Clara, but the handsome Nutcracker Prince comes to her rescue. In the ensuing battle, the Prince is joined by soldiers who help defend Clara from the Mouse King and his mice. In the midst of battle, the Mouse King is accidently knocked out by one of his own. Clara pleads with Godfather Drosselmeier to save her beloved Nutcracker toy from his static state and turn him into the Prince that rescued her. SCENE VII – THE MAGICAL FOREST Godfather Drosselmeier is understanding and compassionate to Clara’s pleading and to shows affection by whisking her into a magical dance that brings them to a winter wonderland where the snowflakes are all different but seem to move in perfect synchronicity. Act II SCENE VIII – THE KINGDOM Now, we settle in to enjoy the iconic performances by the inhabitants of this magical land. At last it is Clara and the Nutcracker Prince’s turn to dance. Just as the performance comes to a close, Clara wakes up, a child once again, safe in her bed. Clara wonders if her dream was real as she dances happily with her Nutcracker. THE NUTCRACKER SUITE 7 Performance Casting ACT I The Bear’s Dance The Christmas Party FILBERT CLARA Brooke Thomas Evelyn Little Sophie Robinson HAZEL Jenna Burns Alanna McAdie DROSSELMEIER The Battle Ryan Vetter CLARA Alanna McAdie AUNT JOSEPHINE Elizabeth Lamont PRINCE Yosuke Mino PARTY PEOPLE Jaimi Deleau DROSSELMEIER Yosuke Mino, Michel Lavoie, Joshua Hidson Ryan Vetter MOUSE KING Liam Saito Clara’s Dream MICE CLARA Katie Simpson, Katie Bonnell Chenxin Liu Amanda Solheim, Emilie Lewis NUTCRACKER PRINCE Elizabeth Lamont, Jaimi Deleau Yue Shi Elena Dobrowna SORCERER SOLDIERS Peter Lancksweerdt Parker Long, Tymin Keown, Stephan Azulay BATS Jenna Burns, Brooke Thomas The Magical Forest Yayoi Ban, Sarah Joan Smith CLARA Clara & Julien Duet Alanna McAdie PRINCE CLARA Sophie Robinson Yosuke Mino SNOW CORPS JULIEN Logan Shaw Ana Mekvabishvili, Irene Blanc-Zoco Julianne Chartier, Emma Duncan Lauren Saunders, Kyra Soo Margaret Weatherdon, Hannah Wiedle 8 THE ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET ACT II SPANISH Katie Bonnell, Tymin Keown The Kingdom Amanda Solheim, Parker Long CLARA Chenxin Liu ARABIAN Chenxin Liu, Sarah Joan Smith PRINCE Jenna Burns, Brooke Thomas, Yayoi Ban Yue Shi Yue Shi, Peter Lancksweerdt DROSSELMEIER Ryan Vetter RUSSIAN SUGAR PLUM FAIRY Jaimi Deleau Kyra Soo Michel Lavoie, Joshua Hidson Jaimi Deleau Irene Blanc-Zoco CHINESE WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS Yayoi Ban, Sarah Joan Smith Katie Bonnell, Katie Simpson Jenna Burns, Brooke Thomas Amanda Solheim, Emilie Lewis Finale Liam Saito, Stephan Azulay Parker Long, Tymin Keown The Company Logan Savard, Takaaki Maki *Casting last updated Dec. 16, 2020 *Casting subject to change CORPS Irene Blanc-Zoco, Margaret Weatherdon Genevieve Galea, Julianne Cartier Rachel Gibbs, Ana Mekvabishvili Lauren Sanders, Hannah Wiedle THE NUTCRACKER SUITE 9 Creative Team Biographies André Lewis | Artistic Director & CEO André Lewis has spent the majority of his career with Canada’s first professional dance company, accepting the position of Artistic Director in 1996. Since then, Lewis has been the driving force behind the new and innovative works that have dramatically rejuvenated the Company’s repertoire. Lewis has commissioned numerous blockbuster ballets such as Mark Godden’s Dracula in 1998, Jorden Morris’ critically acclaimed Peter Pan in 2006 and Moulin Rouge ® - The Ballet in 2009. He was instrumental in the 1999 creation of a new Nutcracker for the Company and in 2013, Lewis commissioned another outstanding new creation in conjunction with New York choreographer Lila York. The full-length ballet The Handmaid’s Tale was a bold adaptation of the novel of the same name by Governor General Award-winning Canadian author, Margaret Atwood. In 2014, for the RWB’s 75th anniversary season, Lewis commissioned choreographer Mark Godden to create the groundbreaking work Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation representing the many stories, both told and untold, of Indian Residential School Survivors and their families. Lewis has been a judge for the Varna International Ballet Competition, USA International Ballet Competition, and the Youth American Grand Prix.