DANCE NEWS: NBOC announces 2010-11 Season
9 Feb'10

Magic comes to ballet

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

It will be a season bracketed by fairy tales, but as usual Karen Kain and the NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA are relying more on hard work and impressive dancing to illuminate their 2010-11 season, than on magic wands — which seem in short supply right now anyway.

The new season, announced by artistic director Kain at a news conference Monday, begins in November with a revisiting of James Kudelka’s acclaimed production of CINDERELLA, paired with a mixed program highlighted by the company premiere of British choreographer Wayne McGregor’s acclaimed CHROMA, featuring a set by architect John Pawson and a score by the rock band The White Stripes.

CHROMA will be paired with a revisiting of Crystal Pite’s Dora Award-winning EMERGENCE and with George Balanchine’s SERENADE.

For the full-length ballet in the winter season, the company will revisit Nicholas Beriozoff’s DON QUIXOTE after a decade-long hiatus, before presenting a mixed program that includes both Balanchine’s THEME AND VARIATIONS and his APOLLO, paired with the company premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s 2006 creation RUSSIAN SEASONS.

The NBOC’s summer 2011 season will open with an all-new production titled ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND from choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and composer Joby Talbot, in a co-production with the UK’s Royal Ballet, where the work will premiere earlier in the year. The summer’s mixed program will comprise Balanchine’s MOZARTIANA, Maurice Bejart’s SONG OF A WAYFARER and Twyla Tharp’s IN THE UPPER ROOM.

In addition to the regular Christmas offering of Kudelka’s THE NUTCRACKER, the NBOC will host the Ninth International Competition for the Erik Bruhn Prize, honouring the memory of the company’s one-time artistic director in the 25th anniversary of his death.

Kain also announced that before the company launches its 2010-11 season at the Four Seasons, it will pay a return visit in October to Quebec City, after an absence of 20 years. That will be followed by performances in Montreal, before making the company’s annual pilgrimage to Ottawa.

NBOC executive director Kevin Garland opened the news conference on a high note, with news that the company’s fall 2009 season had exceeded financial projections, as had last year’s staging of THE NUTCRACKER, which enjoyed a record turnout. That means things are looking promising for the coming season, despite the fact the company roster has been trimmed from 62 dancers to 58.

Garland reminded everyone that the harmonized sales tax, due to kick in July 1, will raise the price of ballet tickets, an increase that can be avoided by purchasing a subscription early.