House Programme - The Nutcracker by National Ballet of Canada

presents

December 10 – December 31, 2021 national.ballet.ca

#TheNutcrackerNBC

Antony Tcherny and Yana Rakevich. Photo by Karolina Kuras. Cover: Jillian Vanstone. Photo by Karolina Kuras.

The National Ballet of Canada’s creative home is on the sacred and traditional territories of the Anishinabek, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Haudenosaunee and Huron-Wendat. We acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaty signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa peoples. We support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is particularly important at this time as we are more aware of the devastating impact of Residential Schools and the mass graves discovered. These horrendous revelations challenge all of us to be more attentive to, and do more, to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The National Ballet of Canada is grateful to have the opportunity to work, dance and create on these lands and we thank the past, present and future caretakers of this land for their stewardship.

The land we are performing on today has been home to dance and storytelling traditions of Indigenous people since time immemorial. We encourage you to experience and support the work of the many extraordinary Indigenous dance artists working in Canada today. The National Ballet of Canada recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Tribal Vision Dance, Red Sky Performance and DNA Stage on a variety of projects and we hope you will follow their work at the links below: Tribal Vision Dance I www.tribalvisiondance.com I IG @tribalvisiondance Red Sky Performance I www.redskyperformance.com I IG @redskyperformance DNA Stage I www.dnastage.ca I IG @dnastage

The Nutcracker Original choreography by James Kudelka O.C.

- adjusted by the company with the consent of the choreographer.

Choreography and Libretto: James Kudelka O.C. Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Set and Costume Design: Santo Loquasto Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton Canada’s National Ballet School Rehearsal Director: Laurel Toto, assisted by Kate Garrett, Ian Parsons, Yoo Sang Hong and Phillip Payne Répétiteurs: Peter Ottmann, Christopher Stowell, Magdalena Popa, Rex Harrington O.C., Xiao Nan Yu and Robert Binet Guest Rehearsal Assistants: Greta Hodgkinson, O.Ont., Alejandra Perez-Gomez, Rebekah Rimsay, Stephanie Hutchison, Piotr Stanczyk, Sonia Rodriguez and Tomas Schramek The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra World Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Toronto, December 21, 1995 This production of The Nutcracker is dedicated to Celia Franca and Betty Oliphant. With respect, admiration and gratitude. J.K. The Nutcracker is made possible by generous financial support from production underwriters Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Lawrence and Ann Heisey and an anonymous friend of the National Ballet.

Running Time Act I 50m Intermission 20m Act II 50m The performance will run approximately 2h. The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the support of the following:

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage via the Endowment Incentives component of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.

The Government of Ontario through the Honourable Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through Toronto Arts Council

The National Ballet of Canada operates under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. The National Ballet of Canada is a member of the Canadian Dance Assembly and Dance/USA.

The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada

national.ballet.ca

The National Ballet of Canada Celia Franca, C.C., Founder Karen Kain, C.C., Artistic Director Emerita

George Crum, Music Director Emeritus

Hope Muir Artistic Director Designate

Barry Hughson Executive Director

David Briskin Music Director and Principal Conductor

Christopher Stowell Associate Artistic Director

Magdalena Popa Principal Artistic Coach

Peter Ottmann Senior Ballet Master

Rex Harrington, O.C. Artist-in-Residence

Greta Hodgkinson, O.Ont. Artist-in-Residence

Xiao Nan Yu Artistic Coach

Robert Binet Curator and Producer, CreativAction and Special Initiatives

Maria Seletskaja Conductor-in-Residence

Skylar Campbell, Guillaume Côté, Jurgita Dronina, Naoya Ebe, Koto Ishihara, Harrison James, Svetlana Lunkina, Evan McKie, Siphesihle November, Heather Ogden, Tina Pereira, Sonia Rodriguez, Ben Rudisin, Brendan Saye, Piotr Stanczyk, Jillian Vanstone Stephanie Hutchison, Alejandra Perez-Gomez, Rebekah Rimsay Jack Bertinshaw, Jordana Daumec, Spencer Hack, Jeannine Haller, Tanya Howard, Alexandra MacDonald, Chelsy Meiss, Jenna Savella, Calley Skalnik, Donald Thom Brenna Flaherty, Hannah Galway, Christopher Gerty, Kathryn Hosier, Miyoko Koyasu, Noah Parets, Genevieve Penn Nabity, Kota Sato Trygve Cumpston, Shaelynn Estrada, Jason Ferro, Giorgio Galli, Selene Guerrero-Trujillo, Monika Haczkiewicz, Ayano Haneishi, Peng-Fei Jiang, Tirion Law, Shené Lazarus, Antonella Martinelli, Scott McKenzie, Larkin Miller, Jaclyn Oakley, Clare Peterson, Meghan Pugh, Teagan Richman-Taylor, Alexander Skinner, Tene Ward, Jennifer Watembach, Isaac Wright, Daina Zolty RBC Apprentice Programme / YOU dance: Ross Allen, Gabriel Buell, Nina Gentes, Albjon Gjorllaku, Connor Hamilton, Sophie Lee, Lindy Mesmer, Arielle Miralles, Emma Ouellet, Brigid Walker, Christopher Waters, Oliver Yonick

Robert Binet Guillaume Côté Alysa Pires Choreographic 6 Associates

Joysanne Sidimus Guest Balanchine Répétiteur

Michael Lewandowski Assistant Stage Manager

Jeff Morris Liliane Stilwell Stage Managers

Stephanie Hutchison Pointe Shoe Manager/ Assistant Ballet Mistress

Orchestra David Briskin, Music Director and Principal Conductor Violin 1 Aaron Schwebel, Concertmaster Lynn Kuo, Assistant Concertmaster James Aylesworth Jennie Baccante Bethany Bergman+ Patrick Goodwin+ Sheldon Grabke Nancy Kershaw Sonia Klimasko-Leheniuk Yakov Lerner Jayne Maddison Wendy Rogers Paul Zevenhuizen Violin 2 Dominique Laplante, Principal 2nd Violin Jamie Kruspe, Assistant Principal 2nd Violin Terri Croft+ Hiroko Kagawa+ Emily Kruspe+ Clara Lee+ Aya Miyagawa Xiao Grabke Csaba Koczó Rebekah Wolkstein+ Joanna Zabrowarna* Violas Shelia Jaffé, Principal Joshua Greenlaw, Assistant Principal Valerie Kuinka Johann Lotter Nicholaos Papadakis+ Angela Rudden Beverley Spotton*

Cellos Maurizio Baccante, Principal Marianne Pack, Assistant Principal Olga Laktionova Elaine Thompson Andrew McIntosh Paul Widner Basses Jonathan Yeoh, Acting Principal Robert Speer, Acting Assistant Principal Travis Harrison+ Robert Wolanski+

Trumpets Richard Sandals, Principal Mark Dharmaratnam Robert Weymouth Trombones Charles Benaroya, Principal David Archer Dave Pell, Bass Trombone Tuba Sasha Johnson, Principal

Harp Flutes Lucie Parent, Principal* Leslie J. Allt, Principal Heidi Elise Bearcroft, Acting Principal+ Shelley Brown, Piccolo Maria Pelletier Celeste Edward Connell Oboes Andrei Streliaev Mark Rogers, Principal Tympani Karen Rotenberg Michael Perry, Principal * Lesley Young, English Horn Andrew Rasmus, Acting Principal Clarinets Percussion Max Christie, Principal Gary Kidd, Bass Clarinet Kristofer Maddigan, Principal Mark Mazur Emily Marlow Andrew Rasmus Bassoons Music Librarian Jerry Robinson, Acting Principal Jacques Forest Elizabeth Gowen Horns Jessie Brooks, Principal Derek Conrod* Christine Passmore+ Gary Pattison Scott Wevers

Orchestra Personnel Manager and Music Administrator Raymond Tizzard

* On Leave + Additional Musician

national.ballet.ca

Synopsis Act I It’s the night before Christmas in 19th-century Russia and Marie, Misha, their parents and their beloved nursemaid Baba are busy preparing for the annual Christmas Eve party at their country estate. As the curtain rises, Peter, the stable boy (and Marie’s and Misha’s best friend), is sweeping the barn one last time before the guests arrive. Marie and Misha burst into the barn, squabbling furiously despite the patient efforts of Baba and Peter to calm them down. Suddenly a rat scuttles across the floor, disrupting everything until Peter outsmarts it. Four neighbouring families arrive and the dancing begins. All of a sudden, a mysterious man dressed in red appears in a sleigh. It’s Nikolai, the unpredictable uncle who lives down the road, whose alarming spins and flamboyant gestures both terrify and delight the company. Magically he tweaks bright fresh oranges from the guests’ ears, hats and clothes, as well as producing a pair of dancing Bears, one of them on skates. To crown everything, Nikolai unhitches his old Horse and, to everyone’s amazement, they energetically dance together. Nikolai has brought special gifts for all the children, but after all the presents have been handed out, there is nothing left for Marie. Quickly Nikolai gives Marie a Nutcracker in the shape of a handsome soldier which he’d intended for her parents. The continuing hostilities between Marie and Misha erupt once more as they fight over the Nutcracker until their father confiscates it. Baba takes Marie and Misha back to the house to put them to bed but inevitably their skirmishes begin again – this time, it’s a competition to see who can stay awake the longest. Eventually they fall asleep and their magnificent dream begins.

Just as the clock strikes twelve, Nikolai arrives, stranger and wilder than ever. Taking pity on poor Marie, he returns her Nutcracker, tucks it beneath the nursery Christmas tree and vanishes from sight. Ominously, the children’s beds begin to rock and shake, waking Marie and Misha. Their Christmas tree has come to life and the Nutcracker has grown, his features have somehow been transformed to look exactly like their friend Peter. Other toys, too, have magically come to life and a regiment of wolfhounds rides in, only to be vanquished by demonic cats. Then an evil brigade of mice invades the room to attack the cats. Meanwhile, the cruel Tsar of the Mice challenges the Nutcracker to mortal combat and all seems lost. With the ingenuity of despair Marie and Misha save the Nutcracker by combining forces to banish the frenzied cats and dogs and they conquer the Tsar of the Mice with their feather pillows. In relief and sheer exhaustion, Marie, Misha and the Nutcracker collapse on the bed. The bed begins to move again but this time it carries them on a magical journey. Through icelaced trees and feathery snowflakes they see the Snow Queen, supported by two Icicles. Marie, Misha, and the Nutcracker dance joyfully with the snowflakes and the Snow Queen bestows upon them a magnificent gift: a beautiful ice-boat attended by unicorns.

Act II The ice-boat carries the children and the Nutcracker to the secret Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy, who lives in a beautiful Fabergé egg at the centre of a golden palace, carefully guarded by her loyal courtiers. Nikolai and Baba, transformed into the Grand Duke and Duchess, are there to greet them. Naturally, the courtiers are eager to discover how their unexpected guests happened to find the palace and beg the Nutcracker, Marie and Misha to recount their marvellous adventures. As a reward for the children’s courage and compassion, the courtiers order a splendid banquet that mingles grown-up food with childhood favourites. The first course, much to the children’s delight, is Chocolate, with a delicate Spanish flavouring. The second, Coffee, heralds the pleasures of adulthood – and oddly enough, quite the opposite of anyone’s expectations, its sinuous fumes put the child-courtiers to sleep! Embarrassed by the courtiers’ inattentiveness, Misha and Marie wake everyone up just in time to enjoy the spectacle of four inept royal chefs trying to catch the poultry course.

At last four zany Waiters bring in a magical table while the chefs attempt to put the finishing touches on the great repast. When the feast is finally prepared, Marie and Misha assume the places of honour and enjoy a food fight in what may be their last chance to misbehave as young children. Suddenly all traces of winter have gone and the palace gates burst open to admit a single Bee and a host of Flowers to dance in the warm spring breeze. In the midst of all this excitement, Marie and Misha have noticed that the Nutcracker has fallen deeply in love with the Sugar Plum Fairy. All at once the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy begins to vanish and the children find themselves in their own room being put to bed by Baba. As Marie and Misha fall back to sleep just before daybreak, the Nutcracker and the Sugar Plum Fairy bid them goodbye. Somehow during this night the children have passed together through the magical yet natural portal between childhood and adolescence, and somehow they know that their lives will never again be quite the same. Henceforth, like their friend the Nutcracker, they will set forth to find and follow their own dreams.

There follow two dances that hint at the loving nature of parenthood: a bright, cheerful Trepak for the Nutcracker and a dance for Baba as a shepherdess and a Sheep-princess pursued by a Fox.

national.ballet.ca

Cast Conductors David Briskin, Music Director and Principal Conductor (Dec 23 mat, Dec. 24, 27, 28 mat, 29, 30) Nathan Brock, Guest Conductor (Dec 10, 11, 12, 14, 18 eve, 19 mat, 21 mat, 23 eve, 28 eve, 31) Geneviève Leclair, Guest Conductor (Dec 15, 16, 17,18 mat, 19 eve, 21 eve, 22) ACT I Scene 1, A Barn Peter, a stable boy Naoya Ebe (Dec 10, 15, 18 mat, 22, 29) Guillaume Côté (Dec 11 mat, 16, 21 eve) Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 11 eve, 17) Harrison James (Dec 12 mat, 18 eve, 23 eve, 28 eve, 31) Skylar Campbell (Dec 12 eve, 19 mat, 21 mat, 24) Siphesihle November* (Dec 14, 19 eve, 27, 30 mat) Christopher Gerty (Dec 23 mat, 28 mat, 30 eve)

Marie and Misha’s parents Tanya Howard or Alejandra Perez-Gomez or Stephanie Hutchison Christopher Gerty or Jonathan Renna† or Peng-Fei Jiang Uncle Nikolai Donald Thom (Dec 10, 11 mat, 14, 16, 19 eve, 21 eve, 23 mat, 27, 29 eve, 31)

Marie Miley Morriss

Spencer Hack

(Dec 10, 12 eve, 15, 21 mat, 23 mat, 28 eve, 30 mat)

Ben Rudisin*

Sophia Leishman

(Dec 12 mat, 15, 18 eve, 23 eve, 28 eve, 30 mat)

(Dec 11 mat, 18 mat, 19 eve, 23 eve, 24, 28 mat, 31)

Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 12 eve, 19 mat, 21 mat, 24)

(Dec 11 eve, 17, 18 mat, 22, 28 mat, 30 eve)

Suvichada Pranviriya (Dec 11 eve, 16, 17, 19 mat, 22, 29)

Lana Obtinario (Dec 12 mat, 14, 18 eve, 21, 27 mat, 30 eve)

Misha, Marie’s brother Owen Kincade

Parents, Children, Aunts, Uncles, Servants, Bears and a Horse Artists of The National Ballet of Canada and Students of Canada’s National Ballet School Scene 2, The Battle of the Tsar of the Mice

(Dec 10, 12 eve, 15, 21 mat, 23 mat, 28 eve, 30 mat)

Lucas Ayranto (Dec 11 mat, 18 mat, 19 eve, 23 eve, 24, 28 mat, 31)

Sidney Fu Arnold (Dec 11 eve, 16, 17, 19 mat, 22, 29)

Eli McCready-Branch (Dec 12 mat, 14, 18 eve, 21 eve, 27, 30 eve)

Baba, Marie and Misha’s nurse Stephanie Hutchison (Dec 10, 12 mat, 15, 18 eve, 22, 23 eve, 28 eve, 30 mat, 31)

Rebekah Rimsay

The Nutcracker Naoya Ebe (Dec 10, 15, 18 mat, 22, 29) Guillaume Côté (Dec 11 mat, 16, 21 eve) Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 11 eve, 17) Harrison James (Dec 12 mat, 18 eve, 23 eve, 28 eve, 31) Skylar Campbell (Dec 12 eve, 19 mat, 21 mat, 24) Siphesihle November* (Dec 14, 19 eve, 27, 30 mat) Christopher Gerty (Dec 23 mat, 28 mat, 30 eve) The Tsar of the Mice Kota Sato or Larkin Miller or Spencer Hack

(Dec 11 mat, 14, 16, 18 mat, 19 eve, 21 eve, 27, 28 mat, 29)

Alejandra Perez-Gomez (Dec 11 eve, 12 eve, 17, 19 mat, 21 mat, 23 mat, 24, 30 eve)

Dogs, Cats and Mice Artists of The National Ballet of Canada Goat and Rooster Haruto Yamasaki and Hamish Lowe or Ben Alexander and Ethan Clarisey

Scene 3, The Land of Snow Snow Queen and her Icicles Calley Skalnik, Larkin Miller, Trygve Cumpston

Grand Duke Nikolai Donald Thom (Dec 10, 11 mat, 14, 16, 19 eve, 21 eve, 23 mat, 27, 29, 31)

(Dec 10, 12 mat, 16, 21 eve, 29)

Spencer Hack

Chelsy Meiss, Peng-Fei Jiang, Brendan Saye (11 mat, 14, 18 mat, 23 eve, 30 eve) Svetlana Lunkina, Naoya Ebe, Harrison James

(Dec 11 eve, 17, 18 mat, 22, 28 mat, 30 eve)

(Dec 11 eve, 17, 19 eve, 24, 30 mat)

Svetlana Lunkina, Kota Sato, Spencer Hack (Dec 12 mat, 15, 21 mat, 23 mat, 28 eve) Genevieve Penn Nabity*, Ben Rudisin, Brendan Saye (Dec 12 eve, 19 mat) Tanya Howard, Donald Thom, Giorgio Galli (Dec 18 eve, 22, 28 mat) Genevieve Penn Nabity, Ben Rudisin, Christopher Gerty (Dec 27, 31) Snow Maidens Artists of The National Ballet of Canada Unicorns Students of Canada’s National Ballet School INTERMISSION ACT II The Palace of the Sugar Plum Fairy Courtiers, Guards, Ladies-in-Waiting Students of Canada’s National Ballet School The Sugar Plum Fairy Tina Pereira (Dec 10, 15, 18 mat, 22, 29) Heather Ogden (Dec 11 mat, 16, 21 eve) Jillian Vanstone (Dec 11 eve, 12 eve, 17, 19 mat, 21 mat, 24)

Jurgita Dronina (Dec 12 mat, 18 eve, 23 eve, 28 eve, 31) Tirion Law* (Dec 14, 19 eve, 27, 30 mat) Calley Skalnik (Dec 23 mat, 28 mat, 30 eve) Empress Dowager Baba Stephanie Hutchison (Dec 10, 12 mat, 15, 18 eve, 22, 23 eve, 28 eve, 30 mat, 31)

Rebekah Rimsay

(Dec 11 mat, 14, 16, 18 mat, 19 eve, 21 eve, 27, 28 mat, 29)

Alejandra Perez-Gomez (Dec 11 eve, 12, 17, 19 mat, 21 mat, 23 mat, 24, 30 eve)

Ben Rudisin*

(Dec 12 mat, 15, 18 eve, 23 eve, 28 eve, 30 mat)

Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 12 eve, 19 mat, 21 mat, 24) Spanish Chocolate Clare Peterson or Miyoko Koyasu or Shaelynn Estrada, Tene Ward or Genevieve Penn Nabity or Monika Haczkiewicz, Isaac Wright or Alexander Skinner or Noah Parets Ayano Haneishi or Hannah Galway or Tirion Law, Brenna Flaherty or Selene Guerrero-Trujillo or Jennifer Watembach or Daina Zolty or Shené Lazarus,Teagan Richman-Taylor or Teagan Richman-Taylor or Jason Ferro Arabian Coffee Chelsy Meiss or Kathryn Hosier, Evan McKie or Christopher Gerty or Ben Rudisin Tanya Howard or Antonella Martinelli or Jaclyn Oakley, Brendan Saye or Kota Sato or Peng-Fei Jiang A Sheep Miyoko Koyasu (Dec 10, 12 mat, 12 eve, 16, 18 mat, 19 eve, 21 mat, 23 mat, 23 eve, 28 eve, 31)

Jeannine Haller

(Dec 11 mat, 15, 19 mat, 22, 28 mat, 30 eve) )

Clare Peterson

(Dec 11 eve, 14, 17, 18 eve, 21 eve, 24, 27, 29, 30 mat)

A Fox Siphesihle November (Dec 10, 16, 21 mat, 23 eve, 28 eve, 31)

Giorgio Galli (Dec 11 mat, 15, 21 eve, 24, 29) Larkin Miller (Dec 11 eve, 12 eve, 17, 18 eve, 19 mat, 22, 27, 30 mat)

Noah Parets* (Dec 12 mat, 14, 18 mat, 19 eve, 23 mat, 28 mat, 30 eve)

national.ballet.ca

Waiters Albjon Gjorllaku or Alexander Skinner, Isaac Wright or Oliver Yonick, Ross Allen or Christopher Waters or Teagan Richman-Taylor, Jason Ferro or Scott McKenzie or Noah Parets Chefs Students of Canada’s National Ballet School

A Bee Tanya Howard (Dec 10, 11 mat, 15, 19 mat, 23 mat, 29)

Jeannine Haller* (Dec 11 eve, 16, 19 eve, 23 eve, 28 eve) Hannah Galway* (Dec 12 mat, 18 mat, 21 eve, 27, 30 eve)

Selene Guerrero-Trujillo

(Dec 12 eve, 17, 21 mat, 24, 30 mat)

Genevieve Penn Nabity* (Dec 14, 22) Tirion Law* (Dec 18 eve, 28 mat, 31) Flowers and Branches Artists of The National Ballet of Canada

Koto Ishihara and Harrison James. Photo by Karolina Kuras.

* Debuts Guest Artist

†

 Includes additional dancers Camilla Agraso, Benjamin Alexander, Alexis Bull, Ethan Clarisey, Maya Fazzari, Avery Grierson,

Riku Hirakoba, Isabella Kinch, Hamish Lowe, Jane Park, Keira Sanford, Pravda Tranfield, Haruto Yamasaki, Inara Wheeler and Hannah Zucht by kind permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and Mavis Staines, Artistic Director and CEO of Canada’s National Ballet School. All casting subject to change.

FEEL THE WONDER.

iA Financial Group is proud to partner with The National Ballet of Canada in support of this year’s very special performance of The Nutcracker.

A Guide to The Nutcracker Colourful, innovative and full of brilliant dancing, James Kudelka’s The Nutcracker has been lighting up the holiday season since 1995. Can’t decide where to look first? Read on for some fun and interesting facts about this spectacular production.

A New Twist on a Holiday Classic Marius Petipa choreographed the original Nutcracker ballet in 1892 based on an adaptation of E.T.A Hoffmann’s story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Kudelka imagines the story in a new way, moving the setting from Germany to 19th century Russia and adding drama, dancing and spectacle to rival a large Broadway show. Instead of Clara, there are two children at its centre – warring siblings Marie and Misha – whose journey to the kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy is a coming-of-age that brings friendship and self-knowledge along with the usual treats. Watch For: Marie and Misha arguing at the holiday party and then gradually starting to cooperate as they battle the Mouse Tsar. Fun Fact: The Nutcracker features 11 different backdrops to evoke the Russian setting, along with Cossack costumes, onion domes, a samovar and a traditional Russian feast.

Larger than Life The Nutcracker was designed to an enormous scale by Santo Loquasto with lighting by Jennifer Tipton. It was the first ballet in The National Ballet of Canada repertoire to have computer-automated scenery and, even today, the Sugar Plum Fairy’s 25-foot Fabergé egg is one of the company’s largest set pieces. Watch For: The Christmas tree growing at midnight. At its largest, the tree is 20 feet wide with over 700 handmade ornaments. Fun Fact: The Nutcracker shares a technical trick with the Toronto production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. The remote controlled ice boat in the Land of Snow is modelled on the one the Phantom uses to guide Christine to his lair.

Clockwise from top: Harrison James and Koto Ishihara. Arianna Barillas, Jack Bertinshaw and Mathew Skradski. Jenna Savella with Artists of the Ballet. Artists of the Ballet. Photos by Karolina Kuras.

It’s Winter! The Nutcracker may be a holiday ballet but winter weather doesn’t usually make an appearance until the blustery snow scene at the end of Act I. Traditionally, the opening party takes place indoors with guests in formal attire. But Kudelka takes the party outside, to a barn in rural Russia, where winter is all part of the fun. Watch For: Children throwing snowballs, pulling sleds and dancing in warm woolen coats and scarves as Uncle Nikolai arrives in a dramatic furlined coat and hat. Fun Fact: The setting for the holiday party may be a reference to Kudelka’s childhood home on a farm in Newmarket, Ontario.

The Score Few classical scores are more recognizable than Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, which was scored for a large orchestra and incorporates children’s toys for the holiday party and a youth chorus for the Land of Snow. Tchaikovsky also composed the music for two other of Petipa’s great classical works, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. Listen For: The twinkling sound of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s solo. The sound is made by an instrument called the celesta and Tchaikovsky was one of the first composers to use it.

Animal Magic Kudelka makes abundant use of animals in his production, often showcasing them in place of toys as a source of wonder and delight. They include puppet chickens, remote-controlled rats, shimmering Unicorns, Dogs, Cats, a life-sized Horse and two furry Bears, one of them on rollerblades! He even added a Bee to the famous Waltz of the Flowers. Watch For: The Goat and Rooster who pop out from the top of the children’s beds during the battle scene. Fun Fact: In ancient legend, animals can speak on Christmas Eve, prompting some families to mark the holidays with them.

Fun Fact: The Nutcracker is the most popular and well-known ballet in the world and the music is synonymous with Christmas time. However, the score was not well-received initially and Tchaikovsky himself never saw the great success his work would become.

national.ballet.ca

Selected Biographies

Hope Muir Artistic Director Designate

Barry Hughson Executive Director

David Briskin Music Director and Principal Conductor

Hope Muir is an acclaimed dancer, teacher and director whose 33-year career spans two continents and a range of classical and contemporary styles. Born in Toronto, she is one of the first graduates of Peter Schaufuss’ London Festival Ballet School and a former dancer at English National Ballet, Rambert Dance Company and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2009, Hope assisted Crystal Pite with the creation of Emergence for the National Ballet and has since helped to stage the work internationally. She has assisted numerous choreographers in this capacity, staging work by Christopher Bruce, Javier De Frutos and Helen Pickett, among others. Hope is the former Assistant Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet and the current Artistic Director of Charlotte Ballet in North Carolina, where she expanded the repertoire and established the highly successful Choreographic Lab. She officially assumes the role of Artistic Director with The National Ballet of Canada on January 1, 2022.

Barry Hughson joined The National Ballet of Canada as Executive Director in 2014. Since that time, the company has accelerated its trajectory of artistic growth, fiscal responsibility, community engagement and international acclaim. In 1988, Mr. Hughson began his professional career as a dancer with The Washington Ballet, performing at the Kennedy Center and internationally. After retiring as a performer, he served as Executive Director at a variety of arts institutions in the US, including The Warner Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Boston Ballet. Mr. Hughson is deeply engaged with the international arts community and is sought-after as a speaker at industry events around the world. For nine years, he served on the board of Dance/USA, North America’s largest service organization for professional dance. In partnership with Dance/USA and The Royal Ballet, Mr. Hughson spearheaded the first meeting of North American and European executive dance leadership in 2015. In Canada, Mr. Hughson serves as Vice-Chair of the Canadian Dance Assembly and as a member of the Coordinating Committee for Respectful Workplaces in the Arts, where he chaired the working group responsible for the development of a nationwide Code of Conduct for the Live Performing Arts.

Music Director and Principal Conductor of The National Ballet of Canada since 2006, David Briskin is widely recognized as one of contemporary ballet’s most accomplished conductors. Prior to moving to Canada, Mr. Briskin lived and worked for 23 years as a conductor in New York City, working in opera, ballet and in concert. He conducted for seven years with American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City Center and in major opera houses throughout the world, and was a seasonal conductor for New York City Ballet. He has conducted for nearly all the major North American ballet companies. Highly in demand internationally as a guest conductor, Mr. Briskin has appeared with The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, The Royal Swedish Ballet and The Royal Danish Ballet, where in 2021/22 he will conduct productions of Romeo and Juliet and La Sylphide at The Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen and on tour throughout Denmark. He will also make his first appearance this season with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Briskin has appeared with orchestras and opera companies throughout Europe, Asia and North America including the Pittsburgh, Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinnati Pops, Indianapolis, Windsor and Shanghai Symphony Orchestras, as well as Calgary Opera, Manitoba Opera, Opera Carolina, Lake George Opera and Sarasota Opera, among others.

Christopher Stowell Associate Artistic Director

James Kudelka, O.C. Choreographer

Santo Loquasto Set and Costume Designer

Christopher Stowell was born in New York City and received his training at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. Upon graduation, Mr. Stowell joined San Francisco Ballet where he became a Principal Dancer and remained for 16 years. In 2003, Mr. Stowell was named Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT), a position he held until 2012. During his tenure Mr. Stowell made significant additions to OBT’s repertoire, bringing to Portland works from some of the world’s most celebrated choreographers. Mr. Stowell has taught and coached in San Francisco, New York City, Japan, China and across Europe. He has created works for San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, Diablo Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet as well as New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute. He has also staged the works of George Balanchine, Mark Morris and Christopher Wheeldon. In 2017, Mr. Stowell joined The National Ballet of Canada as Associate Artistic Director. In this role, he oversees the Artistic staff, teaches, coaches and stages works for the company. Mr. Stowell is a member of the creative team for Artistic Director Emerita Karen Kain’s new production of Swan Lake which will premiere in June 2022. James Kudelka is among today’s most versatile and innovative dance artists. He has choreographed for many of the world’s leading ballet companies and for smaller contemporary troupes. His creative range reflects his eclectic musical interests, command of diverse movement idioms and commitment to working collaboratively with artists from other disciplines. Mr. Kudelka is renowned for distinctive versions of such classics as The Nutcracker and Cinderella – signature works of The National Ballet of Canada where he served as Artistic Director (1996 – 2005). Equally, Mr. Kudelka excels in making smaller-scaled dances that are rich in psychological implication and human drama. Born in Newmarket, Ontario and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), Mr. Kudelka began choreographing as a student and continued throughout his dancing years with the National Ballet (1972 – 1981) and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (1981 – 1990). He began an affiliation with Toronto’s Citadel + Cie in 2006 and has been resident choreographer since 2008 where he has experimented with crossdisciplinary collaborations. As a teacher, Mr. Kudelka has worked with Vancouver Arts Umbrella, Ryerson University and NBS and he continues to work internationally as a choreographer. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005 and is among the 2020 Dance Collection Danse Hall of Fame inductees.

Santo Loquasto is a designer for dance, theatre and film. He has collaborated with choreographers Jerome Robbins, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Kenneth MacMillan, Agnes de Mille and Mark Morris. Twyla Tharp's Push Comes to Shove marked the beginning of his long-term relationship with American Ballet Theatre. As designer for the Paul Taylor Dance Company, he has designed more than 50 pieces. He has collaborated with James Kudelka on major works for The National Ballet of Canada including Swan Lake, An Italian Straw Hat, Pastoral, Spring Awakening, Firebird and The Nutcracker. Mr. Loquasto has worked with Woody Allen on over 30 films including costume design for Zelig and production design for Radio Days and Bullets Over Broadway for which he received Academy Award nominations. Recent designs on Broadway include Bullets Over Broadway, Fences, Shuffle Along, The Iceman Cometh, Carousel and Hello, Dolly!. He received the Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration in 2002, was inducted into Theater Hall of Fame in 2004 and received the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2006, the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2007 and the Gaudium Award in 2013.

national.ballet.ca

Jennifer Tipton is well known for her work in theatre, dance and opera. Her recent work in theatre includes To Kill A Mockingbird on Broadway and David Cale’s We Are Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time at the Public Theater in New York City. Her recent work in opera includes David Lang’s The Loser at the Los Angeles Opera and in dance, Justin Peck’s Principia for New York City Ballet. Ms. Tipton teaches lighting at the Yale School of Drama. She received the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize in 2001, The Jerome Robbins Award in 2003 and in 2004 the Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture in New York City. In 2008, she was made a United States Artists Gracie Fellow and a MacArthur Fellow.

Jennifer Tipton Lighting Designer

Nathan Brock Guest Conductor

Geneviève Leclair Guest Conductor

Nathan Brock is an internationally renowned conductor who works regularly with many of the world’s leading orchestras, opera houses and ballet companies. After finishing his studies in Europe, he began his career as Resident Conductor of the Montréal Symphony where he was the recipient of multiple awards for his programming, concerts and outreach activity by the Québec, Ontario and Canadian arts councils respectively. In 2015, he returned to Europe as Principal Conductor and deputy Music Director at the Hamburgische Staatsoper. There he conducted an extensive repertoire ranging from popular opera revivals such as L’Elisir d’Amore, Il Barbieri di Siviglia, Le Nozze di Figaro, Hänsel und Gretel, La Belle Hélène and Eugene Onegin to new productions such as Erzittre, Zauberflöte and Sweep. This time was also the beginning of his continuing association with John Neumeier and The Hamburg Ballet where he regularly conducts new ballets, such as Eleonora Duse and Anna Karenina as well as revivals of Giselle, Chopin Dances, Don Quixote, Kameliendame and Liliom. Since 2011, Brock has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Canada’s National Ballet conducting over 100 performances. Upcoming ballet engagements see him returning to the Royal Stockholm Ballet and National Ballet of Japan and debuting with The Royal Ballet London and The Royal Danish Ballet.

Geneviève Leclair is an active guest conductor with organizations across Canada, the US and the UK and an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music where she has been teaching since 2016. Highlights of her 2021/22 season include debuts with Orchestre Métropolitain, Saskatoon Symphony, Spartanburg Philharmonic and Ballet, Wellesley Symphony, Oakville Symphony and Concord Orchestra, as well as return performances with The National Ballet of Canada and Orchestre Classique de Montréal. In recent years, Ms. Leclair has stepped on the podiums of various orchestras, including Northern Ballet (UK), Boston Ballet, Winnipeg Symphony, Symphony New Brunswick, Orchestre symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Symphony New Hampshire and New England Conservatory Chamber and Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. Her performances have been hailed as “impeccable” (Boston Phoenix), “ravishing” and of “exemplary pacing and reading” (Hugh Fraser) while her conducting style is praised for its “verve and precision”, “confident dynamics and tempos, crisp rhythms, and crystalline phrasing creat[ing] powerful forward momentum” (Carla DeFord).

Individuals who reﬂect, STORY CHASER

citizens K E E N M U LT I L I N G U I S T

who act. TFS.CA BILINGUAL · IB WORLD SCHOOL · CO-ED · AGE 2 TO GRADE 12 national.ballet.ca

Jeff Morris Stage Manager

Liliane Stilwell Stage Manager

Michael Lewandowski Assistant Stage Manager

Jeff Morris joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1995. Born in Toronto, he studied technical theatre production and administration at Ryerson’s Theatre School. From 1990 to 1995 he was Production Stage Manager for Toronto Dance Theatre, including the company’s debuts in Berlin, Warsaw, Tokyo and at the Joyce Theater. He was Production Stage Manager for Dancers for Life (1991 – 1997), Stage Manager for Theatre Passe-Muraille (Never Swim Alone) and for the Fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists. Since joining the National Ballet, he has stage-managed a wide range of the company’s unique classical and contemporary repertoire, including the world premieres of James Kudelka’s The Four Seasons, Cinderella and An Italian Straw Hat, Crystal Pite’s Emergence and Angels’ Atlas, and Guillaume Côté’s Le Petit Prince and Frame by Frame (with Robert Lepage). Company premieres include John Neumeier’s The Seagull, A Streetcar Named Desire, Nijinsky and Anna Karenina and Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale. He is an adjunct faculty member at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre and Festival Co-Director for dance:made in Canada/fait au Canada.

Liliane Stilwell joined The National Ballet of Canada in 2015 and has stage managed The Merry Widow, Onegin, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio. Previously she served as stage manager for the Canadian Opera Company for 22 years. Highlights include Don Quixote, Barber of Seville, Lucia di Lammermore, La Cenerentola, Otello, Marriage of Figaro, Götterdämmerung (complete Ring Cycle), Macbeth, La Bohème, Eugene Onegin, Madama Butterfly and was part of the team that took Oedipus Rex to the Edinburgh International Festival. She was production stage manager for Grease and stage manager for Robin Hood and Cinderella at the Elgin Theatre, Dirty Dancing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and Hairspray at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Other credits include Tom Jones, Speed-The-Plow, Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Big River, Carousel, Me and My Girl and Roar of the Greasepaint – Smell of the Crowd. Ms. Stilwell has stage managed several industrial shows in Canada and the US.

Born in Włocławek, Poland, Michael Lewandowski studied technical theatre production at York University, Toronto. His work for The National Ballet of Canada includes The Nutcracker, the world premieres of Frame by Frame and Orpheus Alive, The Dreamers Ever Leave You, The Winter’s Tale, New York City tours of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale and the Washington D.C. tour of The Winter’s Tale. He has also worked on Fall for Dance North. Theatre work includes the world premiere and UK tour of ‘da kink in my hair (Toronto Fringe Festival & Hackney Empire), The Pillowman (Canadian Stage Theatre) and Drystreak (Grand Theatre). Select opera credits include The Nightingale and Other Short Fables, War & Peace, Death in Venice, Carmen, La Bohème, Elektra, Il Trovatore, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and Dialogues des Carmélites (Canadian Opera Company). For television, he has been the floor director for Canadian Country Music Awards and Indspire Awards. Select festival work includes Just for Laughs and Luminato.

The National Ballet Orchestra The National Ballet of Canada is privileged to have its own full Orchestra with over 60 members. The Orchestra has performed in each of the National Ballet’s seasons and is led by Music Director and Principal Conductor David Briskin. The company’s first Music Director was George Crum who, along with Founder Celia Franca, was a pioneer of the company. Mr. Crum held the position from the company’s inception in 1951 to 1984, when he was appointed Music Director Emeritus. The Orchestra was led by Ermanno Florio from 1985 to 1990. Ormsby Wilkins was Music Director and Principal Conductor from 1990 to 2006. The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra has toured extensively with the company through Canada, the US and Europe. Over the years, the Orchestra has received much acclaim from audiences and critics alike and has recorded two CDs of Michael Torke’s compositions for The Contract (The Pied Piper) and An Italian Straw Hat. The Orchestra made their concert debut at Koerner Hall on April 3, 2012, in celebration of the company’s 60th anniversary.

NBS Cross Country 2021/22

Do you dream of dancing on the world stage? Audition Online for Canada’s National Ballet School Scan to take a tour of the School! www.nbs-enb.ca/audition

national.ballet.ca

PRINCIPAL DANCERS Skylar Campbell

Guillaume Côté

Born: Laguna Beach, California Trained: with Victor and Tatiana Kasatsky Academy in Laguna Hills, California Joined National Ballet: 2009 Principal Dancer since: 2018

Born: Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 1998 Principal Dancer since: 2004

Sponsored by an anonymous donor

Spencer Hack

Jeannine Haller

Born: Toledo, Ohio Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2014 First Soloist since: 2021

Born: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Trained: Place des Arts in Coquitlam, British Columbia and Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2015 First Soloist since: 2021 Sponsored by Devida & Derek Smith national.ballet.ca

Tanya Howard

Alexandra MacDonald

Born: Uitenhage, South Africa Trained: The National School of Arts in South Africa and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 1998 First Soloist since: 2007

Born: Calgary, Alberta Trained: International School of Ballet in Calgary and Boston Ballet School’s Trainee Program Joined National Ballet: 2007 First Soloist since: 2016 Sponsored by an anonymous donor

Chelsy Meiss

Jenna Savella

Born: Melbourne, Australia Trained: Karen Curlis School of Dance, Thelma Williams School of Dance, The Victorian College of The Arts in Australia and The Australian Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2008 First Soloist since: 2015

Born: Vancouver, British Columbia Trained: DanceWest and Lavrova Classical Ballet Academy in British Columbia and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2004 First Soloist since: 2015

Calley Skalnik

Donald Thom

Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma Trained: Tulsa Balllet Academy and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2014 First Soloist since: 2021

Born: Kanata, Ontario Trained: Linda Jamison School of Dance in Ottawa and The Royal Ballet Upper School in England Joined National Ballet: 2015 First Soloist since: 2019

Sponsored by an anonymous donor

Sponsored by Cornell Wright & Sarah McEvoy

Teagan Richman–Taylor

Alexander Skinner

Born: Vancouver, British Columbia Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School, Goh Ballet Academy and Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, British Columbia Joined National Ballet: 2017 Corps de Ballet since: 2018

Born: Ottawa, Ontario Trained: The School of Dance in Ottawa, Ontario and Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2017 Corps de Ballet since: 2018