The Impact of Your Support in 2019/20 The 2019/20 season brought continued success for The National Ballet of Canada both artistically and at the box office, with several important premieres and international touring occurring alongside beautiful presentations of cherished classics. Thanks to your generosity, the company shone in two world premieres by renowned Canadian choreographers: Robert Binet’s Orpheus Alive and Crystal Pite’s Angels’ Atlas. These bold new productions were lauded by reviewers and audiences. They showcased exciting collaborations with celebrated contemporary artists. Grammy-nominated composer Missy Mazzoli composed an original score for Robert Binet’s Orpheus Alive, her first ever for ballet. Crystal Pite’s multi-sensory collaboration with composer Owen Belton and visual designers Jay Gower Taylor and Tom Visser for Angels’ Atlas drew wonder and praise from the artistic community. The National Ballet’s commission of Angels’ Atlas led the dance division in the 2020 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, with Crystal winning Outstanding Original Choreography and Jay Gower Taylor winning Outstanding Achievement in Scenic Design. The production was also nominated for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, and Outstanding Original Sound Composition. Robert Binet’s Orpheus Alive received a 2020 Dora Mavor Moore nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Design for designer Hyemi Shin. Greta Hodgkinson also received a Dora nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Individual for her performances in Marguerite and Armand, a rarely performed ballet and a special acquisition for her farewell performances. The triple-bill of Angels’ Atlas with Chroma & Marguerite and Armand exceeded box office projections and saw the biggest attendance for a mixed programme in 13 years with 14,532 in attendance. Due to its popularity and profound relevance to our time, Angels’ Atlas is currently slated to be performed during the National Ballet’s 2021/22 season.
Artists of the Ballet in Angels’ Atlas. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
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