The National Ballet of Canada’s 2024/25 season is off to a strong start with a varied and ambitious mixed bill that showcases the strength and diversity of the company’s up and coming talent while honouring the legacy of their iconic leading man as he enters his final season. The evening kicks off with Body […]
Designed to be performed as a three-piece bill but able to be pulled apart and presented in pieces, George Balanchine’s Jewels is a clever and beautiful work (set of work?) that showcases the full company of the National Ballet of Canada from the dancers to the designers to the orchestra through three distinct styles and […]
Three Sisters (Soulpepper & Obsidian Theatre Company) For Inua Ellams’ adaptation of Three Sisters set during the Nigerian Civil War, two of Toronto’s most prestigious theatre companies and acclaimed director Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu (also the Artistic Director of Obsidian, one of said prestigious companies) have assembled the all-starriest of all-star casts, bringing together an incredibly […]
Wintersong: Dances for a Sacred Season is a celebration of both dance and the North’s winter solstice, a time of introspection as the nights grow longer and we prepare for the cold weather ahead. Each individual piece spoke to an aspect of the solstice from the perspective of the choreographer, beautifully performed by the young […]
Slava’s SnowShow (Show One Productions at The Elgin Theatre) There’s something really special about a production that can transcend age, language, and cultural barriers, uniting audiences around the world and even diverse audiences in a single location with a memorable theatrical experience understood completely by everyone in the room. Slava’s SnowShow is absolutely that. A […]
The Nutcracker (National Ballet of Canada) The National Ballet of Canada’s production of The Nutcracker is unlike a lot of other versions in its aesthetic but ultimately suffers the same pitfalls. Santo Loquasto’s Russian-inspired set and costume design is very beautiful though a few visuals, particularly around some of the more culturally specific aspects, are […]
My love of the National Ballet of Canada started when I saw them dance Onegin. It was a very different company back in 2010 when this production made its debut with Santo Loquasto’s rich and moody redesign and the starriest of all-star casts for opening night, but the Onegin magic is alive and well even […]
The opening production of The National Ballet of Canada’s 2023/24 season pairs two short ballets about passion. Ironically, it’s Passion that is the least passionate of the pair, feeling disjointed and overly busy. The world premiere of Emma Bovary, on the other hand, is a cohesive triumph that led me and my guest to turn to each other towards […]