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Old Faithful

"The Nutcracker"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
November 25, 2022

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2022 by Mary Cargill

For some people, the Christmas season starts with New York City Ballet's magical tree growing up to the sky with scintillating, musical excitement.  The production has remained basically the same for years; though the Chinese dance has lost much of its flavor, the boys still want to grow up to be cavalry officers and the girls still politely sip their tea and rock their dolls. 

New York City Ballet in "The Nutcracker" photo © Martha Swope

In with the new

"The Collective Agreement", "Crepuscular", "Concerto"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
November 9, 2022 

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2022 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada's 2022-2023 season opened with a mixed program ushering in the new. Toronto-born Hope Muir started her appointment as artistic director of the company in January 2022, marking a new era after Karen Kain's 16 year tenure in the role. This repertory program is the first Muir has put together for the NBoC. Muir has expressed a commitment to foster more diversity in the company and its programming, which could be seen here. It featured a new work created by Vanesa G.R. Montoya, principal dancer at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, which premiered in the summer of 2021 during the company's outdoor performances at the Harbourfront Centre. It also included Alonzo King's "The Collective Agreement", the NBoC's first acquisition from King and the first time this work has been performed in Canada. The program concluded with a revival of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's "Concerto", last performed by the company in 1990. 

Jurgita Dronina and Harrison James in "The Collective Agreement". Photo by Karolina Kuras.