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A Sparking Send Off

"The Merry Widow"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 19, 2019

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2019 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada bid farewell to one of its most beloved principal dancers, Xiao Nan Yu, with Ronald Hynd's splashy ballet "The Merry Widow" set in fin de siècle Paris. It is a love story with humour, elegance and lively classical and character dancing -- a perfect showcase for Yu's artistic gifts. The whole company came together to celebrate in style. Yu spent the entire 22 years of her career at the NBoC and she is certainly dear to Toronto audience members who have watched her grow and flourish as a dancer.  

Xiao Nan Yu and Guillaume Côté in "The Merry Widow". Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann. 

Physical Thinking

"The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude", "Approximate Sonata", "The Second Detail"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 1, 2019

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2019 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada's latest triple bill was a whirlwind tour through William Forsythe's choreographic world. The program was short, clocking in at just over one hour of dance (excluding the intermission), yet dense with a variety of terpsichorean riches. The dancers really sunk their teeth into the three works, using them as opportunities to push the boundaries of movement and speed. The results were stirring and beautiful.  

Heather Ogden and Jack Bertinshaw with Artists of the Ballet in "The Second Detail". Photo by Michael Slobodian. 

The Next Generation

The 13th International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 23, 2019

by Denise Sum
Copyright © by Denise Sum 2019

The Erik Bruhn Prize is a unique competition, geared towards young dancers between the ages of 18 and 23 who are already dancing professionally. Established by Bruhn in his will to recognize emerging talent, participants come from companies with which he was affiliated during his distinguished career. Each company's artistic director selects one male and one female dancer to compete. Because of the small number of participants, the event feels more like a gala showcase. In 2009, a Choreographic Prize was added. Since then, each work in the contemporary round is a newly commissioned piece. Unlike the dancer age requirement, the choreographic competition does not stipulate specific criteria for who can participate, except that the choreographer must be affiliated with one of the participating companies. This thirteenth competition was hosted by principal dancer Harrison James. In both the classical and contemporary portions of the evening, the young dancers showed tremendous talent and range. 

Siphesihle November. Photo by Karolina Kuras. 

"How Puzzling All These Changes Are"

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" 
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 7, 2019

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2019 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada's winter season coincides with March break and as usual presents a crowd favourite meant to attract families and new audience members, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Christopher Wheeldon's brilliant version, a co-production with The Royal Ballet, has been a hit since its premiere in 2011. While the plot twists and spectacular special effects are most impressive on its first viewing, it continues to provide reliable revenue for the company and the dancers seem to have a lot of fun with the whimsical choreography and theatrical elements. 

Jillian Vanstone with Artists of the Ballet in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Photo by Bruce Zinger.

The Test of Time

"Apollo", "Night", "The Sea Above, The Sky Below", "Paquita"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada 
March 1, 2019 

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2019 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada's winter mixed program featured an pleasing blend of old and new works, from the grand classical showpiece "Paquita" to the company premiere of Julia Adam's "Night". Artistic Director Karen Kain has a knack for putting together a well-rounded mixed program that makes for a satisfying evening of dance, giving a wide range of dancers their own moment to shine. 

Brendan Saye in "Apollo". Photo by Karolina Kuras. 

Reality and Illusions

"The Dream" and "Being and Nothingness"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
November 10, 2018

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2018 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada's fall mixed program featured two contrasting and compli- mentary one act works. First was a revival of Sir Frederick Ashton's "The Dream", arguably one of the most successful dance adaptations of Shakespeare's work. This provided a wonderful chance to see a new generation of dancers in this timeless piece. Next was principal dancer and choreographic associate Guillaume Côté's "Being and Nothingness", a meditation on Jean-Paul Sartre's philosophical treatise of the same name. Fresh off from recent performances on tour in Russia, the plotless ballet was in fine form. Originally created as a solo for Greta Hodgkinson, it later expanded into a 40-minute chamber work. Hodgkinson's expressiveness and artistry remain the highlight of this ballet. 

Photo: Jillian Vanstone and Harrison James in "The Dream". Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic. 

Too Much

"Anna Karenina"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
November 10, 2018

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2018 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada has taken a liking to John Neumeier's full-length dance dramas over the past decade with performances of "The Seagull", "Nijinsky", and "A Streetcar Named Desire". His latest work to enter the repertoire, "Anna Karenina", is a new commission and a joint effort between the NBoC, Hamburg Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet. Leo Tolstoy's epic story needs no introduction. However, audiences should not expect a literal translation of the famous tragedy set in imperial Russia. Rather, Neumeier places "Anna Karenina" in a contemporary setting while preserving the original characters, events and themes. The production is theatrical and determined, but ultimately uneven, confusing and needlessly long. 

Photo: Harrison James and Svetlana Lunkina in "Anna Karenina". Photo by Kiran West.

Romance, Hard Times and Comic Relief

"Paz de la Jolla", "The Man in Black", "Cacti"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 13, 2018

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2018 by Denise Sum

The NBoC closed their 2017-2018 season with a triple bill of 21st century works featuring the company premiere of Justin Peck's sunny 2013 creation, "Paz de la Jolla". This is the first ballet by the NYCB wunderkind to enter the NBoC's repertoire. Joined by James Kudelka's country-infused "The Man in Black" and Alexander Ekman's cheeky "Cacti", this mixed program had a little bit of everything.   

Harrison James and Hannah Fischer in "Paz de la Jolla". Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic. 

 

Movements that are drawn

"Frame by Frame"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 1, 2018 

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2018 by Denise Sum

When the National Ballet of Canada announced a full length commission from Guillaume Côté, some may have had their doubts. Côté is a brilliant performer, but his work as a choreographer has been uneven. His 2016 adaptation of "Le Petit Prince" did not instil much confidence in his ability to craft a coherent narrative work. Furthermore, this new commission is an homage to the life and work of Scottish Canadian filmmaker and animator Norman McLaren (1914-1987), not exactly straightforward ballet material. Yet through collaborating with renowned Quebecois filmmaker, playwright, director and actor Robert Lepage, "Frame by Frame" is an innovative landmark work for the company. The artistic team included Ex Machina, Lepage's multidisciplinary production company, as well as the National Film Board of Canada. "Frame by Frame" successfully combines a varied dance vocabulary with innovative digital media techniques to create a ballet that is distinctive to the company and true to the ethos of McLaren's oeuvre. Devoted balletomanes, first time balletgoers, and cinemaphiles alike will find something meaningful and memorable in this work.  

Dylan Tydaldi with Artists of the Ballet in "Frame by Frame." Photo by Karolina Kuras.

The Litmus Test

"The Sleeping Beauty"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 8, 2018

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2018 by Denise Sum

This month marks the 200th birthday of the great Marius Petipa. What better way to mark the occasion than with performances of his masterpiece, "The Sleeping Beauty"? In addition to representing the zenith of the imperial Russian style, Rudolf Nureyev's 1972 production will always hold a special place in the National Ballet of Canada's repertoire. The NBoC came of age with this production, touring it widely across North America, galvanized by Nureyev's vision and star quality. It remains a grand and lavish work that the company should be proud of. It also provides a periodic checkup of the troupe's cohesiveness and mettle in this all hands on deck technically and stylistically demanding production. Any respectable classical company must be able to pull off a convincing version of this perennial classic, and the NBoC gave a fine performance here. 

Photo: Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côté in "The Sleeping Beauty". Photo by Bruce Zinger.