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A New "Romeo and Juliet" in Toronto

“Romeo and Juliet”
National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
Nov. 16, 2011

by Denise Sum
copyright 2011 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada opened their 60th anniversary season with the world premiere of a new “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky. The decision to commission a new version was somewhat of a gamble. The company has been performing John Cranko’s interpretation to adoring audiences since 1964. The Cranko version is a signature piece for the NBoC and has played an important role in its history.  However, Ratmansky is a big name choreographer and one hopes that this new production will bring renewed international attention to the NBoC.

 

Celebrating Greta

“Mozartiana”, “Other Dances”, and “In The Upper Room”
National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 15, 2011

by Denise Sum
copyright 2011 by Denise Sum

One of the benefits of having Karen Kain as artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada is that she understands the dancer’s perspective intimately. As one of Canada’s most treasured dancers of her time, Kain’s approach has always been dancer-focused compared to former artistic director James Kudelka’s philosophy which placed more emphasis on choreography. She knows how to make the company’s dancers feel appreciated and recognized. Few artists are more deserving of recognition than Greta Hodgkinson, who has been dazzling audiences over the past 20 years that she has been a member of the NBoC. To mark this milestone, the summer mixed program featured Hodgkinson partnered by Zdenek Konvalina in Jerome Robbins’ “Other Dances” -- a new acquisition for the company. The triple bill celebrated American choreography with accompanying works by George Balanchine and Twyla Tharp.

Curiouser and curiouser...

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 9, 2011

by Denise Sum
copyright 2011 by Denise Sum

Christopher Wheeldon’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is a tour de force, although not necessarily because of the dancing. It was dubbed the must-see event of the dance season and presented as part of Luminato, Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity. The full-length work, a joint production with the Royal Ballet, was a gamble for both companies with a reported budget of over $2 million. The Broadway-style production is unprecedented in scale and full of surprises. Karen Kain took a risk and it certainly seems to have paid off, as several performances have sold-out and audience response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Triple Bill in Toronto

“Apollo”, “Russian Seasons”, and “Theme and Variations”
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 23, 2011

by Denise Sum
copyright 2011 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada’s busy winter season closed with a varied and interesting Russian-themed triple bill, featuring the choreographic talents of George Balanchine and Alexei Ratmansky and music from Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and Leonid Desyatnikov. Ratmansky’s “Russian Seasons” was enthusiastically anticipated, not only as Toronto’s first exposure to the prominent choreographer’s work, but as a chance for Ratmansky to work with the NBoC dancers before he creates his new “Romeo and Juliet” for the company next season. The company premiere of “Russian Seasons” was presented alongside Balanchine’s iconic “Apollo” and opulent “Theme and Variations”.

"Onegin" Returns to Toronto

“Onegin”
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre of the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 17, 2011

Denise Sum
copyright 2011 by Denise Sum

In the words of Oscar Wilde, “the heart was made to be broken.” Perhaps that is why John Cranko’s tragic “Onegin” is so loved around the world. When done right, watching “Onegin” is satisfying and cathartic. And the National Ballet of Canada certainly did it right on this St. Patrick’s Day opening night performance.

"Don "Quixote"

“Don Quixote”
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 9, 2011

by Denise Sum
copyright 2011 by Denise Sum

  The last time Toronto audiences saw “Don Quixote” was four years ago, with the Canadian premiere of George Balanchine’s version. Now, in stark contrast, the company presented the well-known Petipa/Gorsky/Beriozoff version staged by Lindsay Fischer and Evelina Krasnova. It is a testament to the company’s versatility that they are able to pull off both productions. The classical version is a bonbon for balletomanes. The story takes a backseat to bravura dancing. Nonetheless, Miguel de Cervantes’ timeless tale provides a continuous thread that ties together the sunny divertissements and imbues them with a sense of the Spanish knight’s idealism.

The Erik Bruhn Prize

The Ninth International Competition for the Erik Bruhn Prize
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 5, 2011

by Denise Sum
copyright 2011 by Denise Sum

The Erik Bruhn Prize is a showcase of young talent from some of the most respected ballet companies in the world, simultaneously paying tribute to the legacy of Erik Bruhn. This year’s event marks the 25th anniversary of Bruhn’s death.The specifics of the competition have changed since its creation in 1988. The frequency of the competition has ranged from annually to once every five years. The age requirement, initially 18-23 years old, went up to 26 years old for a time; it has since returned to the original guidelines. The participating companies have also varied and have included companies with which Bruhn had a close affiliation, as well as companies with a looser connection to him. This year’s competitors represented the National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Danish Ballet, The Hamburg Ballet, and Stuttgart Ballet. What has remained consistent over the years is a high calibre group of talented and carefully chosen young dancers, many of whom go on to celebrated careers. Greta Hodgkinson, a previous competitor, hosted this year’s competition.

New triple bill in Toronto

“Chroma”, “Serenade”, and “Emergence”
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
November 27, 2010

by Denise Sum
copyright 2010 by Denise Sum

After a run of “Cinderella”, the NBoC switched gears with a triple bill of plotless works, including the hotly anticipated Canadian premiere of Wayne McGregor’s “Chroma”. The NBoC had the honor of being the first company other than the Royal Ballet to perform the work.

A Humorous "Cinderella" from Canada

“Cinderella”
National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
November 11, 2010

by Denise Sum
copyright 2010 by Denise Sum

In case you thought James Kudelka lacked a sense of humour, his charming and whimsical version of “Cinderella” may make you think again. Notoriously preoccupied with themes of love, sex, and death, the fairy tale would not seem an obvious choice of narrative for the Canadian choreographer. Yet Kudelka’s “Cinderella” manages to balance sweetness and romance with grotesque humour. Kudelka has succeeded in updating the story, not just in setting but in its message. This Cinderella is more fierce and quirky than damsel in distress. Similarly, her Prince is less cookie-cutter nobility and more pensive outsider. Neither really belong in their surroundings and once they find each other, they are able to escape the artifice of their environments and retreat to their literal and metaphorical garden. Along the way, hilarious hijinks, mainly involving Cinderella’s stepsisters, ensue.

"Onegin" in Toronto

“Onegin”
National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 19 and 22, 2010

by Denise Sum
copyright 2010 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada ended the 2009-2010 season on a high note with John Cranko’s “Onegin”. Since entering the repertoire in 1984, this ballet has become near and dear to many a Torontonian balletgoer’s heart. The leading roles are not only ideal showcases for technically and dramatically gifted performers, but also catalysts for artistic growth. One goes to see “Onegin” to be moved by extraordinary individual performances and this run did not disappoint.