House Programme - The Nutcracker

The National Ballet of Canada’s creative home is on the sacred and traditional territories of the Anishinabek, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Haudenosaunee and Huron-Wendat. We acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa peoples. We support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The National Ballet of Canada is grateful to have the opportunity to work, dance and create on these lands and we thank the past, present and future caretakers of this land for their stewardship. The land we are performing on today has been home to dance and storytelling traditions of Indigenous people since time immemorial. We recognize that colonialism and intergenerational trauma has silenced Indigenous artists for far too long. With this in mind, we encourage you to experience and support the work of the many extraordinary Indigenous dance artists working in Canada today.

WELCOME TO THE NUTCRACKER

Whether this is your first visit to the theatre, or you have a long-standing tradition of attending, I am so excited to have this opportunity to share James Kudelka’s exquisite production of The Nutcracker with you. The Nutcracker is a part of holiday traditions for so many families in Toronto, and we welcome you all – young or young at heart – to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts for this performance.

Created in 1995, over 233 performers bring this wonderful story to life. The Nutcracker showcases the very best of The National Ballet of Canada’s dancers and orchestra, almost 100 students from Canada’s National Ballet School, and the beautiful voices of the VIVA Singers Toronto. We are delighted that, for the first time since the pandemic began, all these magical elements have been restored.

Thank you for making The Nutcracker part of your holiday tradition!

Warmly, Hope

Hope Muir.

Cover: Calley Skalnik and Naoya Ebe. Photos by Karolina Kuras.

THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA

Hope Muir Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director

David Briskin

Music Director and Principal Conductor

Peter Ottmann Senior Répétiteur

Xiao Nan Yu Rehearsal Director, Principal Coach

Robert Binet Curator and Producer, CreativAction and Special Initiatives

Celia Franca, C.C., Founder Karen Kain, C.C., Artistic Director Emerita

Barry Hughson Executive Director

Maria Seletskaja

Conductor-in-Residence†

Rex Harrington, O.C. Rehearsal Director, Principal Coach

Stephanie Hutchison Assistant Rehearsal Director

Greta Hodgkinson, O.Ont. Artist-in-Residence

George Crum, Music Director Emeritus

Guillaume Côté, Jurgita Dronina, Naoya Ebe, Koto Ishihara, Harrison James, Svetlana Lunkina, Siphesihle November, Heather Ogden, Genevieve Penn Nabity, Tina Pereira, Ben Rudisin, Piotr Stanczyk

Stephanie Hutchison, Alejandra Perez-Gomez, Rebekah Rimsay

Jack Bertinshaw, Jordana Daumec, Christopher Gerty, Spencer Hack, Jeannine Haller, Tanya Howard, Alexandra MacDonald, Chelsy Meiss, Jenna Savella, Calley Skalnik, Donald Thom

Brenna Flaherty, Hannah Galway, Selene Guerrero-Trujillo, Kathryn Hosier, Miyoko Koyasu, Tirion Law, Noah Parets, Kota Sato

Ross Allen, Isabelle Bratt, Trygve Cumpston, Emerson Dayton, Shaelynn Estrada, Jason Ferro, Nina Gentes, Albjon Gjorllaku, Monika Haczkiewicz, Josh Hall, Ayano Haneishi, Peng-Fei Jiang, Sophie Lee, Keaton Leier, Scott McKenzie, Larkin Miller, Arielle Miralles, Emma Ouellet, Clare Peterson, McKhayla Pettingill, David Preciado, Teagan Richman-Taylor, Alexander Skinner, Arianna Soleti, Konstantin Tkachuk, Tene Ward, Chrisopher Waters, Isaac Wright

RBC Apprentice Programme: Gabriel Buell, Ethan Clarisey, Connor Hamilton, Isabella Kinch, Hamish Lowe, Lindy Mesmer, Jordan Micallef, Keira Sanford, Pravda Tranfield, Yi-Min Tsung, Taïs Vinolo, Oliver Yonick

ORCHESTRA

Violin 1

Aaron Schwebel, Concertmaster

Lynn Kuo, Assistant Concertmaster James Aylesworth Jennie Baccante Bethany Bergman+ Corey Gemmell+ Sheldon Grabke Nancy Kershaw Sonia Klimasko-Leheniuk Yakov Lerner Jayne Maddison Wendy Rogers Paul Zevenhuizen

Violin 2

Jamie Kruspe, Acting Principal 2nd Violin Aya Miyagawa,

Acting Assistant Principal 2nd Violin Csaba Koczó, Acting Assistant Principal 2nd Violin Sandra Baron+ Tanya Charles+ Terri Croft+ Patrick Goodwin+ Xiao Grabke

Hiroko Kagawa+ Clara Lee+ Émile Paré+ Lyssa Pelton+ Jeremy Potts+ Hee-Soo Yoon+ Rebekah Wolkstein+ Joanna Zabrowarna

Violas

Shelia Jaffé, Principal Joshua Greenlaw, Assistant Principal Carolyn Blackwell+ Catherine Gray+ Ivan Ivanovich+ Shannon Knights+ Valerie Kuinka Johann Lotter Rory McLeod+

Nicholaos Papadakis+ Angela Rudden Yosef Tamir+

Cellos

Maurizio Baccante, Principal Marianne Pack, Assistant Principal Mary-Katherine Finch+ Olga Laktionova Elaine Thompson Andrew McIntosh Jill Vitols+ Paul Widner

Basses

Jonathan Yeoh, Acting Principal Robert Speer, Acting Assistant Principal Brian Baty+ Travis Harrison+ Tony Flynt+ Robert Wolanski+

Flutes

Leslie J. Allt†, Principal Shelley Brown*, Piccolo Kevin O’Donnell+, Piccolo Maria Pelletier

Oboes

Mark Rogers, Principal Jasper Hitchcock+ Lief Mosbaugh+ Karen Rotenberg* Lesley Young, English Horn

Clarinets

Max Christie, Principal Colleen Cook+ Gary Kidd, Bass Clarinet Emily Marlow

Bassoons

Chia-Yu Hsu, Principal Elizabeth Gowen

Horns

Jessie Brooks, Principal Janet Anderson+ Christine Passmore+ Gary Pattison Micajah Sturgess+ Scott Wevers

Trumpets

Richard Sandals, Principal Brendan Cassin+ Mark Dharmaratnam Robert Weymouth*

Trombones

David Pell, Acting Principal David Archer Cathy Stone+, Bass Trombone Tuba Sasha Johnson, Principal Harp

Lucie Parent*, Principal Heidi Bearcroft, Acting Principal

Celeste Edward Connell Andrei Streliaev

Tympani

Andrew Rasmus, Acting Principal Percussion Kristofer Maddigan, Principal Mark Mazur Andrew Rasmus

Music Librarian Jacques Forest Orchestra Personnel Manager and Music Administrator Raymond Tizzard

* On Leave + Additional Musician

† The Principal Flute position is endowed by The Herridge Family Fund.

THE NUTCRACKER

Choreography and Libretto: James Kudelka, O.C. Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Set and Costume Design: Santo Loquasto

Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton

Répétiteurs: Peter Ottmann, Rex Harrington, O.C., Xiao Nan Yu

Guest Répétiteur: Magdalena Popa

Rehearsal Assistants: Piotr Stanczyk, Stephanie Hutchison, Alejandra Perez-Gomez and Rebekah Rimsay

Canada’s National Ballet School Rehearsal Director: Laurel Toto, assisted by Kate Garrett, Yoo Sang Hong, Ian Parsons and Phillip Payne

The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra with VIVA Singers Toronto, Carol Ratzlaff, Artistic Director and Founder Laura Menard, Associate Director

World Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Toronto, December 21, 1995

This production of The Nutcracker is dedicated to Celia Franca and Betty Oliphant. With respect, admiration and gratitude. J.K.

The Nutcracker is made possible by generous financial support from production underwriters Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Lawrence and Ann Heisey and an anonymous friend of the National Ballet.

RUNNING TIME

Act I 50 minutes

Intermission 20 minutes Act II 50 minutes

The performance will run approximately 2 hours.

The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the support of the following:

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage via the Endowment Incentives component of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. Nous remaercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.

Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through Toronto Arts Council

The National Ballet of Canada operates under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. The National Ballet of Canada is a member of the Canadian Dance Assembly and Dance/USA.

The Government of Ontario through the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada

Conductors

David Briskin, Music Director and Principal Conductor (10 eve, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17 eve, 20, 22, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Nathan Brock, Guest Conductor (Dec 10 mat, 13, 17 mat, 18, 21, 23, 24, 27 mat, 28, 29 mat, 30, 31)

ACT I

Scene 1, A Barn

Peter, a stable boy

Christopher Gerty (Dec 10 mat, 13, 18 mat, 23)

Harrison James (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Guillaume Côté (Dec 11 mat, 16, 20 eve)

Larkin Miller* (Dec 11 eve, 17 eve, 22 mat)

Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 15, 18 eve, 22 eve)

Jack Bertinshaw (Dec 17 mat, 21)

Siphesihle November (Dec 24, 28, 30)

Naoya Ebe (Dec 27 mat, 29 mat, 31)

Marie

Isabella Barillas

(Dec 10 mat, 13, 17 mat, 18 mat, 21, 27 mat, 29 mat)

Aviva Goad (Dec 10 eve, 14, 18 eve, 20 mat, 22 eve, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Harin Kim (Dec 11 mat, 15, 16, 20 eve, 23, 31)

Cecilia Campbell-Cotter (Dec 11 eve, 17 eve, 22 mat, 24, 28, 30)

Misha, Marie’s brother William Sinclair

(Dec 10 mat, 13, 17 mat, 18 mat, 21, 27 mat, 29 mat)

Tom Hulshof (Dec 10 eve, 14, 18 eve, 20 mat, 22 eve, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Lucas Ayranto (Dec 11 mat, 15, 16, 20 eve, 23, 31)

Owen Kincade (Dec 11 eve, 17 eve, 22 mat, 24, 28, 30)

Baba, Marie and Misha’s nurse

Stephanie Hutchison (Dec 10 mat, 11 eve, 13, 17 eve, 18 mat, 22 mat, 23)

Alejandra Perez-Gomez (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 24, 27 eve, 28, 29 eve)

Rebekah Rimsay (Dec 11 mat, 16, 17 mat, 20 eve, 21, 27 mat, 31)

Chelsy Meiss* (Dec 15, 18 eve, 22 eve, 29 mat, 30)

Marie and Misha’s parents

Alejandra Perez-Gomez or Stephanie Hutchison or Kathryn Hosier or Alexandra MacDonald

Patrick Lavoie+ or Peng-Fei Jiang or Konstantin Tkachuk or Donald Thom

Uncle

Nikolai

Jack Bertinshaw

(Dec 10 mat, 13, 18 mat, 23, 24, 28, 30)

Donald Thom (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Spencer Hack (Dec 11 mat, 16, 17 mat, 20 eve, 21) Ben Rudisin (Dec 11 eve, 17 eve, 22 mat)

Josh Hall* (Dec 15, 18 eve, 22 eve) Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 27 mat, 29 mat, 31)

Parents, Children, Aunts, Uncles, Servants, Bears and a Horse Artists of The National Ballet of Canada and Students of Canada’s National Ballet School

Scene 2, The Battle of the Tsar of the Mice

The Nutcracker

Christopher Gerty (Dec 10 mat, 13, 18 mat, 23) Harrison James (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 27 eve, 29 eve) Guillaume Côté (Dec 11 mat, 16, 20 eve)

Larkin Miller* (Dec 11 eve, 17 eve, 22 mat)

Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 15, 18 eve, 22 eve)

Jack Bertinshaw (Dec 17 mat, 21)

Siphesihle November (Dec 24, 28, 30) Naoya Ebe (Dec 27 mat, 29 mat, 31)

The Tsar of the Mice

Jason Ferro or Josh Hall or Kota Sato or Christopher Waters

Baby Mice

Students of Canada’s National Ballet School (Associates Programme)

Dogs, Cats and Mice

Students of Canada’s National Ballet School (Associates Programme)

Goat and Rooster

Chad Clark or Julian Lam or Nicolas Ritchey or Matteo Ricardo Faustini

Scene 3, The Land of Snow

Snow Queen and her Icicles

Chelsy Meiss, Kota Sato, Spencer Hack (Dec 10 mat, 13, 18 mat, 29 mat)

Genevieve Penn Nabity, Larkin Miller, Teagan Richman-Taylor (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Alexandra MacDonald, Peng-Fei Jiang, Ben Rudisin (Dec 11 mat, 16, 18 eve, 20 eve, 23)

Svetlana Lunkina, Naoya Ebe, Harrison James (Dec 11 eve, 17 eve, 22 mat)

Calley Skalnik, Christopher Gerty, Ben Rudisin (Dec 15, 22 eve, 27 mat, 31)

Jenna Savella, Donald Thom, Isaac Wright* (Dec 17 mat, 21, 24, 28, 30)

Snow Maidens Artists of The National Ballet of Canada

Unicorns Students of Canada’s National Ballet School

INTERMISSION

ACT II

The Palace of the Sugar Plum Fairy Courtiers, Guards, Ladies-in-Waiting Students of Canada’s National Ballet School

The Sugar Plum Fairy

Calley Skalnik (Dec 10 mat, 13, 18 mat, 23)

Koto Ishihara (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Heather Ogden (Dec 11 mat, 16, 20 eve)

Genevieve Penn Nabity* (Dec 11 eve,17 eve, 22 mat)

Tina Pereira (Dec 15, 18 eve, 22 eve, 27 mat, 29 mat, 31)

Tirion Law (Dec 17 mat, 21, 24, 28, 30)

Empress Dowager Baba

Stephanie Hutchison

(Dec 10 mat, 11 eve, 13, 17 eve, 18 mat, 22 mat, 23)

Alejandra Perez-Gomez (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 24, 27 eve, 28, 29 eve)

Rebekah Rimsay (Dec 11 mat, 16, 17 mat, 20 eve, 21, 27 mat, 31)

Chelsy Meiss* (Dec 15, 18 eve, 22 eve, 29 mat, 30)

Grand Duke Nikolai Jack Bertinshaw (Dec 10 mat, 13, 18 mat, 23, 24, 28, 30)

Donald Thom (Dec 10 eve, 14, 20 mat, 27 eve, 29 eve)

Spencer Hack (Dec 11 mat, 16, 17 mat, 20 eve, 21)

Ben Rudisin (Dec 11 eve, 17 eve, 22 mat)

Josh Hall* (Dec 15, 18 eve, 22 eve)

Piotr Stanczyk (Dec 27 mat, 29 mat, 31)

Spanish Chocolate

Hannah Galway or Shaelynn Estrada or Tirion Law

Emerson Dayton or Monika Haczkiewicz or Arianna Soleti

Alexander Skinner or Isaac Wright or Noah Parets or Albjon Gjorllaku

Ayano Haneishi or McKhayla Pettingill or Sophie Lee

Arielle Miralles or Emma Ouellet or Brenna Flaherty

Jason Ferro or Teagan Richman-Taylor or Scott McKenzie or David Preciado

Arabian Coffee

Jenna Savella or Kathryn Hosier or Tene Ward Ben Rudisin or Christopher Gerty or Konstantin Tkachuk or Spencer Hack

Alexandra MacDonald or Isabelle Bratt or Chelsy Meiss Peng-Fei Jiang or Larkin Miller or Kota Sato

A Sheep

Miyoko Koyasu (Dec 10 mat, 11 eve, 16, 17 eve, 18 eve, 29 eve)

Clare Peterson (Dec 10 eve, 13, 22 mat, 24, 27 eve, 31)

Hannah Galway* (Dec 11 mat, 14, 15, 18 mat, 20 mat, 21, 22 eve, 28, 30)

Brenna Flaherty (Dec 17 mat, 20 eve, 23, 27 mat, 29 mat)

A Flock of Lambs

Students of Canada’s National Ballet School (Associates Programme)

A Fox

Noah

Parets

(Dec 10, Dec 11 eve, 13, 16, 17 eve, 18 eve, 22 mat, 24)

David Preciado* (Dec 11 mat, 14, 15, 18 mat)

Alexander Skinner* (Dec 17 mat, 20 eve, 23) Siphesihle November (Dec 20 mat, 21, 22 eve)

Waiters

A Bee

Tina Pereira (Dec 10 mat, 13, 20 eve)

Jenna Savella (Dec 10 eve, 14, 27 mat, 29 mat)

Jordana Daumec (Dec 11 mat, 17 mat, 23, 28, 30)

Tirion Law* (Dec 11 eve, 15)

Genevieve Penn Nabity (Dec 16, 21, 24)

Selene Guerrero-Trujillo (Dec 17 eve, 22 mat, 29 eve)

Jeannine Haller (Dec 18 mat, 20 mat, 27 eve, 31)

Flowers and Branches

Artists of The National Ballet of Canada

Chefs Students of Canada’s National Ballet School

The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges its collaboration, in the production of The Nutcracker, with Canada’s National Ballet School.

All casting subject to change.

SYNOPSIS

It’s the night before Christmas in 19th-century Russia and Marie, Misha, their parents and their beloved nursemaid Baba are busy preparing for the annual Christmas Eve party at their country estate. As the curtain rises, Peter, the stable boy (and Marie’s and Misha’s best friend), is sweeping the barn one last time before the guests arrive. Marie and Misha burst into the barn, squabbling furiously despite the patient efforts of Baba and Peter to calm them down. Suddenly a rat scuttles across the floor, disrupting everything until Peter outsmarts it. Four neighbouring families arrive and the dancing begins.

All of a sudden, a mysterious man dressed in red appears in a sleigh. It’s Nikolai, the unpredictable uncle who lives down the road, whose alarming spins and flamboyant gestures both terrify and delight the company. Magically he tweaks bright fresh oranges from the guests’ ears, hats and clothes, as well as producing a pair of dancing Bears, one of them on skates. To crown everything, Nikolai unhitches his old Horse and, to everyone’s amazement, they energetically dance together.

Nikolai has brought special gifts for all the children, but after all the presents have been handed out, there is nothing left for Marie. Quickly, Nikolai gives Marie a Nutcracker in the shape ofa handsome soldier which he’d intended for her parents. The continuing hostilities between Marie and Misha erupt once more as they fight over the Nutcracker until their father confiscates it.

Baba takes Marie and Misha back to the house to put them to bed but inevitably their skirmishes begin again – this time, it’s a competition to see who can stay awake the longest. Eventually they fall asleep and their magnificent dream begins. Just as the clock strikes twelve, Nikolai arrives, stranger and wilder than ever. Taking pity on poor Marie, he returns her Nutcracker, tucks it beneath the nursery Christmas tree and vanishes from sight.

Ominously, the children’s beds begin to rock and shake, waking Marie and Misha. Their Christmas tree has come to life and the Nutcracker has grown, his features have somehow been transformed to look exactly like their friend Peter. Other toys, too, have magically come to life and a regiment of wolfhounds rides in, only to be vanquished by demonic cats. Then an evil brigade of mice invades the room to attack the cats. Meanwhile, the cruel Tsar of the Mice challenges the Nutcracker to mortal combat and all seems lost.

With the ingenuity of despair Marie and Misha save the Nutcracker by combining forces to banish the frenzied cats and dogs and they conquer the Tsar of the Mice with their feather pillows. In relief and sheer exhaustion, Marie, Misha and the Nutcracker collapse on the bed. The bed begins to move again but this time it carries them on a magical journey. Through icelaced trees and feathery snowflakes they see the Snow Queen, supported by two Icicles. Marie, Misha, and the Nutcracker dance joyfully with the snowflakes and the Snow Queen bestows upon them a magnificent gift: a beautiful ice-boat attended by unicorns.

The ice-boat carries the children and the Nutcracker to the secret Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy, who lives in a beautiful Fabergé egg at the centre of a golden palace, carefully guarded by her loyal courtiers. Nikolai and Baba, transformed into the Grand Duke and Duchess, are there to greet them.

Naturally, the courtiers are eager to discover how their unexpected guests happened to find the palace and beg the Nutcracker, Marie and Misha to recount their marvellous adventures.

As a reward for the children’s courage and compassion, the courtiers order a splendid banquet that mingles grown-up food with childhood favourites.

The first course, much to the children’s delight, is Chocolate, with a delicate Spanish flavouring. The second, Coffee, heralds the pleasures of adulthood – and oddly enough, quite the opposite of anyone’s expectations, its sinuous fumes put the child-courtiers to sleep! Embarrassed by the courtiers’ inattentiveness, Misha and Marie wake everyone up just in time to enjoy the spectacle of four inept royal chefs trying to catch the poultry course.

There follow two dances that hint at the loving nature of parenthood: a bright, cheerful Trepak for the Nutcracker and a dance for Baba as a shepherdess and a Sheep-princess pursued by a Fox.

At last four zany Waiters bring in a magical table while the chefs attempt to put the finishing touches on the great repast. When the feast is finally prepared, Marie and Misha assume the places of honour and enjoy a food fight in what may be their last chance to misbehave as young children. Suddenly all traces of winter have gone and the palace gates burst open to admit a single Bee and a host of Flowers to dance in the warm spring breeze.

In the midst of all this excitement, Marie and Misha have noticed that the Nutcracker has fallen deeply in love with the Sugar Plum Fairy. All at once the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy begins to vanish and the children find themselves in their own room being put to bed by Baba. As Marie and Misha fall back to sleep just before daybreak, the Nutcracker and the Sugar Plum Fairy bid them goodbye. Somehow during this night the children have passed together through the magical yet natural portal between childhood and adolescence, and somehow they know that their lives will never again be quite the same. Henceforth, like their friend the Nutcracker, they will set forth to find and follow their own dreams.

A GUIDE TO THE NUTCRACKER

Colourful, innovative and full of brilliant dancing, James Kudelka’s The Nutcracker has been lighting up the holiday season since 1995. Can’t decide where to look first? Read on for some fun and interesting facts about this spectacular production.

A New Twist on a Holiday Classic

Marius Petipa choreographed the original Nutcracker ballet in 1892 based on an adaptation of E.T.A Hoffmann’s story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Kudelka imagines the story in a new way, adding drama, dancing and spectacle to rival a large Broadway show. Instead of Clara, there are two children at its centre – warring siblings Marie and Misha – whose journey to the kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy is a comingof-age that brings friendship and self-knowledge along with the usual treats.

Marie and Misha arguing at the holiday party and then gradually starting to cooperate as they battle the Mouse Tsar.

Celebrities and Community members play the walk-on roles of Cannon Dolls in the Battle Scene of Act I. Previous guests include Chris Hadfield, Margaret Atwood, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Kyle Lowry.

Larger Than Life

The Nutcracker was designed to an enormous scale by Santo Loquasto with lighting by Jennifer Tipton. It was the first ballet in The National Ballet of Canada repertoire to have computer-automated scenery and, even today, the Sugar Plum Fairy’s 25-foot Fabergé egg is one of the company’s largest set pieces.

The Christmas tree growing at midnight. At its largest, the tree is 20 feet wide with over 700 handmade ornaments.

The Nutcracker shares a technical trick with the Toronto production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. The remote controlled ice boat in the Land of Snow is modelled on the one the Phantom uses to guide Christine to his lair.

It’s Winter!

The Nutcracker may be a holiday ballet but winter weather doesn’t usually make an appearance until the blustery snow scene at the end of Act I. Traditionally, the opening party takes place indoors with guests in formal attire. But Kudelka takes the party outside, to a barn in rural Russia, where winter is all part of the fun.

Children throwing snowballs, pulling sleds and dancing in warm woolen coats and scarves as Uncle Nikolai arrives in a dramatic furlined coat and hat.

The setting for the holiday party may be a reference to Kudelka’s childhood home on a farm in Newmarket, Ontario.

Animal Magic

Kudelka makes abundant use of animals in his production, often showcasing them in place of toys as a source of wonder and delight. They include puppet chickens, remote-controlled rats, shimmering Unicorns, Dogs, Cats, a lifesized Horse and two furry Bears, one of them on rollerblades! He even added a Bee to the famous Waltz of the Flowers.

The Goat and Rooster who pop out from the top of the children’s beds during the battle scene.

In ancient legend, animals can speak on Christmas Eve, prompting some families to mark the holidays with them.

The Score

Few classical scores are more recognizable than Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, which was scored for a large orchestra and incorporates children’s toys for the holiday party and a youth chorus for the Land of Snow. Tchaikovsky also composed the music for two other of Petipa’s great classical works, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty.

Top and bottom: Artists of the Ballet. Photos by Karolina Kuras.

The twinkling sound of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s solo. The sound is made by an instrument called the celesta and Tchaikovsky was one of the first composers to use it.

The Nutcracker is the most popular and wellknown ballet in the world and the music is synonymous with Christmas time. However, the score was not well-received initially and Tchaikovsky himself never saw the great success his work would become.

SELECTED BIOGRAPHIES

Hope Muir is an acclaimed dancer, teacher and director whose 33-year career spans two continents and a range of classical and contemporary styles. Born in Toronto, she is one of the first graduates of Peter Schaufuss’ London Festival Ballet School and a former dancer at English National Ballet, Rambert Dance Company and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2009, Hope assisted Crystal Pite with the creation of Emergence for The National Ballet of Canada and has since helped to stage the work internationally. She has assisted numerous choreographers in this capacity, staging work by Christopher Bruce, Javier De Frutos and Helen Pickett, among others. Hope is the former Assistant Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet and in 2017, she was appointed Artistic Director of Charlotte Ballet in North Carolina, where she expanded the repertoire and established the highly successful Choreographic Lab. She assumed the role of Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada on January 1, 2022.

Barry Hughson joined The National Ballet of Canada in 2014. Since that time, the company has accelerated its trajectory of artistic growth, fiscal responsibility, community engagement and international acclaim. In 1988, Barry began his professional career as a dancer with The Washington Ballet, performing at the Kennedy Center and internationally. As an arts executive, he has led a variety of arts institutions in the US, including The Warner Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Boston Ballet. For nine years, he served on the board of Dance/USA, North America’s largest service organization for professional dance. In partnership with Dance/USA and The Royal Ballet, Barry spearheaded the first meeting of international executive dance leadership in 2015. In Canada, Barry was a member of the Coordinating Committee for Respectful Workplaces in the Arts, where he chaired the working group responsible for the development of a nationwide Code of Conduct for the Live Performing Arts. He currently serves as a member of the Steering Committee for the Canadian Arts Coalition and as a member of the Advancement Committee for the International Society of Performing Arts.

David Briskin is recognized as one of contemporary ballet’s most accomplished conductors. Prior to moving to Canada, David lived and worked for 23 years as a conductor in New York City in opera, ballet and in concert. He conducted for seven years with American Ballet Theatre and was a seasonal conductor for New York City Ballet. He served for 13 years as conductor for The Julliard School's Dance Division and has appeared with nearly all the major North American ballet companies. Internationally, he has appeared with The Royal Ballet, The Royal Swedish Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet and Hamburg Ballet. He served as Music Director for the Nureyev Legend and Legacy Gala in London which can be seen on Marquee TV. Engagements this season include Het Nationale Ballet and a production of A Little Night Music at Koerner Hall. David has appeared with orchestras and opera companies in North America and abroad including the Pittsburgh, Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinnati Pops, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Windsor and Shanghai Symphony Orchestras, as well as Calgary, Manitoba, Sarasota, Lake George Opera and Opera Carolina, among others.

James Kudelka is among today’s most versatile and innovative dance artists. He has choreographed for many of the world’s leading ballet companies and for smaller contemporary troupes. His creative range reflects his eclectic musical interests, command of diverse movement idioms and commitment to working collaboratively with artists from other disciplines. James is renowned for distinctive versions of such classics as The Nutcracker and Cinderella – signature works of The National Ballet of Canada where he served as Artistic Director (1996 – 2005). Equally, James excels in making smaller-scaled dances that are rich in psychological implication and human drama. Born in Newmarket, Ontario and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), James began choreographing as a student and continued throughout his dancing years with the National Ballet (1972 – 1981) and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (1981 – 1990). He began an affiliation with Toronto’s Citadel + Cie in 2006 and has been resident choreographer since 2008 where he has experimented with crossdisciplinary collaborations. As a teacher, James has worked with Vancouver Arts Umbrella, Ryerson University and NBS and he continues to work internationally as a choreographer. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005 and is among the 2020 Dance Collection Danse Hall of Fame inductees.

Santo Loquasto is a designer for dance, theatre and film. He has collaborated with choreographers Jerome Robbins, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Kenneth MacMillan, Agnes de Mille and Mark Morris. Twyla Tharp's Push Comes to Shove marked the beginning of his long-term relationship with American Ballet Theatre. As designer for the Paul Taylor Dance Company, he has designed more than 50 pieces. He has collaborated with James Kudelka on major works for The National Ballet of Canada including Swan Lake, An Italian Straw Hat, Pastoral, Spring Awakening, Firebird and The Nutcracker. Santo has worked with Woody Allen on over 30 films including costume design for Zelig and production design for Radio Days and Bullets Over Broadway for which he received Academy Award nominations. Recent designs on Broadway include Bullets Over Broadway, Fences, Shuffle Along, The Iceman Cometh, Carousel Carousel, The Music Man and Hello, Dolly!. He received the Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration in 2002, was inducted into Theater Hall of Fame in 2004 and received the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2006, the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2007 and the Gaudium Award in 2013.

Jennifer Tipton is well known for her work in theatre, dance and opera. Her recent work in theatre includes To Kill A Mockingbird for London and on tour, Samuel Beckett’s First Love for Zoom and all of Richard Nelson's Rhinebeck plays. Her recent work in opera includes Ricky Ian Gordon's Intimate Apparel with libretto by Lynn Nottage, based on her play by the same name, at the Lincoln Center Mitzi Newhouse Theater; her recent work in dance includes Liz Gerring’s Harbor at ICA in Boston and Amy Hall Warner’s Somewhere in the Middle for the Paul Taylor Company. Among many awards she has received the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize in 2001, the Jerome Robbins Prize in 2003 and in 2008 she was awarded the USA “Gracie” Fellowship and a MacArthur Fellowship.

Nathan Brock is an internationally renowned conductor who works with many of the world’s leading orchestras, opera houses and ballet companies. After studying in Europe, he began his career as Resident Conductor of the Montréal Symphony. In 2015, he became Principal Conductor and deputy Music Director at the Hamburgische Staatsoper. There, Nathan conducted an extensive repertoire ranging from popular opera revivals such as L’Elisir d’Amore, Il Barbieri di Siviglia, Le Nozze di Figaro, Hänsel und Gretel, La Belle Hélène and Eugene Onegin to new productions such as Erzittre, Zauberflöte and Sweep. He also began a continuing association with John Neumeier and Hamburg Ballet where he regularly conducts new ballets, such as Eleonora Duse and Anna Karenina as well as revivals of Giselle, Chopin Dances, Don Quixote, Kameliendame and Liliom. Since 2011, Nathan has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with The National Ballet of Canada, conducting over 100 performances. His recent work includes a debut with Den Norske Ballet (or The Norwegian ballet). Upcoming ballet engagements include the Royal Stockholm Ballet, National Ballet of Japan and debuts with The Royal Ballet and The Royal Danish Ballet.

Jeff Morris joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1995. Born in Toronto, he studied technical theatre production and administration at Ryerson’s Theatre School. From 1990 to 1995, he was Production Stage Manager for Toronto Dance Theatre. Since joining the National Ballet, Jeff has stage-managed a wide range of the company’s unique classical and contemporary repertoire, including the world premieres of The Four Seasons, Cinderella and An Italian Straw Hat (Kudelka), Emergence and Angels’ Atlas (Pite), Le Petit Prince (Côté) and Frame by Frame (Côté/Lepage). Company premieres include The Seagull, A Streetcar Named Desire, Nijinsky and Anna Karenina (Neumeier), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale (Wheeldon). He is an adjunct faculty member at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, a board member of SMArts, and Festival Co-Director for dance:made in Canada/fait au Canada

Liliane Stilwell joined The National Ballet of Canada in 2015 and has stage managed The Merry Widow, Onegin, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio Previously she served as stage manager for the Canadian Opera Company for 22 years. Highlights include Don Quixote, Barber of Seville, Lucia di Lammermore, La Cenerentola, Otello, Marriage of Figaro, Götterdämmerung (complete Ring Cycle), Macbeth, La Bohème, Eugene Onegin, Madama Butterfly and was part of the team that took Oedipus Rex to the Edinburgh International Festival. Liliane was production stage manager for Grease and stage manager for Robin Hood and Cinderella at the Elgin Theatre, Dirty Dancing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and Hairspray at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Other credits include Tom Jones, Speed-The-Plow, Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Big River, Carousel, Me and My Girl and Roar of the Greasepaint – Smell of the Crowd. Liliane has stage managed several industrial shows in Canada and the US.

Born in Włocławek, Poland, Michael Lewandowski studied technical theatre productionat York University, Toronto. His work for The National Ballet of Canada includes The Nutcracker, the world premieres of Frame by Frame and Orpheus Alive, The Dreamers Ever Leave You, The Winter’s Tale, New York City tours of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale and the Washington D.C. tour of The Winter’s Tale. He has also worked on Fall for Dance North. Theatre work includes the world premiere and UK tour of ‘da kink in my hair (Toronto Fringe Festival & Hackney Empire), The Pillowman (Canadian Stage Theatre) and Drystreak (Grand Theatre). Select opera credits include The Nightingale and Other Short Fables, War & Peace, Death in Venice, Carmen, La Bohème, Elektra, Il Trovatore, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and Dialogues des Carmélites (Canadian Opera Company). For television, he has been the floor director for Canadian Country Music Awards and Indspire Awards. Select festival work includes Just for Laughs and Luminato.

The National Ballet Orchestra

The National Ballet of Canada is privileged to have its own full Orchestra with over 60 members. The Orchestra has performed in each of the National Ballet’s seasons and is led by Music Director and Principal Conductor David Briskin. The company’s first Music Director was George Crum who, along with Founder Celia Franca, was a pioneer of the company. Crum held the position from the company’s inception in 1951 to 1984, when he was appointed Music Director Emeritus. The Orchestra was led by Ermanno Florio from 1985 to 1990. Ormsby Wilkins was Music Director and Principal Conductor from 1990 to 2006. The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra has toured extensively with the company through Canada, the US and Europe. Over the years, the Orchestra has received much acclaim from audiences and critics alike and has recorded two CDs of Michael Torke’s compositions for The Contract (The Pied Piper) and An Italian Straw Hat. The Orchestra made their concert debut at Koerner Hall on April 3, 2012, in celebration of the company’s 60th anniversary.

Guillaume Côté

Born: Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 1998 Principal Dancer since: 2004

Naoya Ebe

Born: Tokyo, Japan

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2007 Principal Dancer since: 2015

Sponsored by Gretchen Ross

Harrison James

Born: Paraparaumu, New Zealand

Trained: San Francisco Ballet School’s Trainee Program and the New Zealand School of Dance Joined National Ballet: 2013 Principal Dancer since: 2016

Sponsored by Lucy White

Siphesihle November

Born: Zolani, South Africa

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2017 Principal Dancer since: 2021

Sponsored by Jerry & Joan Lozinski

Genevieve Penn Nabity

Born: Casco, Michigan Trained: Main Stage Center for the Arts in Michigan and Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2018 Principal Dancer since: 2022

Sponsored by George & Kathy Dembroski

Ben Rudisin

Born: Woodbridge, Virginia

Trained: North Carolina School of the Arts and Houston Ballet II Joined National Ballet: 2013 Principal Dancer since: 2021

Sponsored by Sylvie Allard & Brian O'Keefe

Jurgita Dronina

Born: Saratov, Russia

Trained: National M.K Čiurlionis School of Art in Lithuania and Munich International Ballet Academy in Germany

Royal Swedish Ballet: 2005 – 2010 Het Nationale Ballet: 2010 – 2015

Resident Principal Guest Artist with The Hong Kong Ballet: 2015 – 2017

Lead Principal Dancer with English National Ballet: 2017 – 2020 Joined as Principal Dancer: 2015

Koto Ishihara

Born: Nagoya, Japan

Trained: Shiho Kanazawa Ballet School in Japan, The HARID Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida and San Francisco Ballet School Joined as a First Soloist: 2019 Principal Dancer since: 2021

Svetlana Lunkina

Born: Moscow, Russia

Trained: Moscow Choreographic Academy

Bolshoi Ballet: 1997 – 2013 Joined as Principal Dancer: 2014

Sponsored by Anna McCowan-Johnson and Donald K. Johnson, O.C.

Heather Ogden

Born: Toronto, Ontario Trained: Richmond Academy of Dance in British Columbia Joined National Ballet: 1998 Principal Dancer since: 2005

Tina Pereira

Born: Port of Spain, Trinidad Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2001 Principal Dancer since: 2021

Sponsored by The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C.

Piotr Stanczyk

Born: Poznan, Poland

Trained: State Ballet School of Poznan and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 1998 Principal Dancer since: 2008

Stephanie Hutchison

Born: Kitchener, Ontario

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School

Joined National Ballet: 1997 Principal Character Artist since: 2015

PRINCIPAL

FIRST SOLOISTS

Rebekah Rimsay

Born: Fort Collins, Colorado

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School

Joined National Ballet: 1990 Principal Character Artist since: 2012

Jack Bertinshaw

Born: Sydney, Australia

Trained: Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy in Australia and the Tanz Akademie Zürich in Switzerland Joined National Ballet: 2011 First Soloist since: 2018

Sponsored by an anonymous donor

Christopher Gerty

Born: Watford, England

Trained: Newcastle Dance Academy in Australia, New Zealand School of Dance and San Francisco Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2014 First Soloist since: 2022

Sponsored by Ms. Nancy Viner & Dr. Raymond Stein

Jeannine Haller

Born: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Trained: Place des Arts in Coquitlam, British Columbia and Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2015 First Soloist since: 2021

Sponsored by Devida & Derek Smith

Alexandra MacDonald

Born: Calgary, Alberta

Trained: International School of Ballet in Calgary and Boston Ballet School’s Trainee Program Joined National Ballet: 2007 First Soloist since: 2016

Sponsored by an anonymous donor

Alejandra Perez-Gomez

Born: Toronto, Ontario

Trained: L’École supérieure de danse du Québec, Princess Grace Academy and San Francisco Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 1998 Principal Character Artist since: 2013

Jordana Daumec

Born: New York City, New York

Trained: Studio Maestro in New York and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2003 First Soloist since: 2015

Spencer Hack

Born: Toledo, Ohio

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2014 First Soloist since: 2021

Tanya Howard

Born: Uitenhage, South Africa

Trained: The National School of Arts in South Africa and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 1998 First Soloist since: 2007

Chelsy Meiss

Born: Melbourne, Australia

Trained: Karen Curlis School of Dance, Thelma Williams School of Dance, The Victorian College of The Arts in Australia and The Australian Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2008 First Soloist since: 2015

Sponsored by Anne-Marie Canning

Jenna Savella

Born: Vancouver, British Columbia

Trained: DanceWest and Lavrova Classical Ballet Academy in British Columbia and Canada’s National Ballet School

Joined National Ballet: 2004 First Soloist since: 2015

Sponsored by Elvio & Marlene DelZotto

Donald Thom

Born: Kanata, Ontario

Trained: Linda Jamison School of Dance in Ottawa and The Royal Ballet Upper School in London

Joined National Ballet: 2015 First Soloist since: 2019

Brenna Flaherty

Born: Boston, Massachusetts

Trained: Boston Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2016 Second Soloist since: 2021

Selene Guerrero-Trujillo

Born: Mexico City, Mexico

Trained: The National Ballet School of Mexico and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2007 Second Soloist since: 2022

Miyoko Koyasu

Born: Chiba, Japan

Trained: Hashimoto Ballet and Shimada Ballet Institute in Japan and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2011 Second Soloist since: 2018

Noah Parets

Born: Boston, Massachusetts

Trained: Boston Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2018 Second Soloist since: 2021

Sponsored by John Covington Jr & Robert Lukey

Calley Skalnik

Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Trained: Tulsa Balllet Academy and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2014 First Soloist since: 2021

Sponsored by an anonymous donor

Hannah Galway

Born: Comox, British Columbia

Trained: Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2017 Second Soloist since: 2021

Sponsored by Alison & Alan Schwartz

Kathryn Hosier

Born: Champaign, Illinois

Trained: Champaign-Urbana Ballet Academy and Canada’s National Ballet School

Joined National Ballet: 2009 Second Soloist since: 2015

Sponsored by Donna Meyers & Doug Richmond

Tirion Law

Born: Hong Kong

Trained: The New Zealand School of Dance Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2018 Second Soloist since: 2022

Kota Sato

Born: Tokyo, Japan

Trained: Shimura Ballet School in Japan and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2012 Second Soloist since: 2019

Sponsored by Tony Arrell, C.M. & Anne Arrell

Ross Allen

Born: Steubenville, Ohio

Trained: Arenas Dance Company in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in Pennsylvania and the School of American Ballet in New York City, New York

Joined National Ballet: 2020 Corps de Ballet since: 2022

Trygve Cumpston

Born: Des Moines, Iowa

Trained: School of Classical Ballet and Dance in Des Moines, Iowa, Orlando Ballet School in Florida and San Francisco Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2012 Corps de Ballet since: 2013

Shaelynn Estrada

Born: Nacogdoches, Texas

Trained: Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program in New York City, New York and The Rock School for Dance Education Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2019

Nina Gentes

Born: Buffalo, New York

Trained: Classical Ballet of Western New York in Williamsville, New York and Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2019 Corps de Ballet since: 2022

Monika Haczkiewicz

Born: Las Vegas, Nevada

Trained: Nevada Ballet Theatre, Kwak Ballet Academy, Tara Foy's Elite Ballet and Nevada School of Dance in Las Vegas, Nevada and Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2019

Ayano Haneishi

Born: Chiba, Japan

Trained: Ecole de Ballet Pied Nus in Japan and New National Theatre Ballet, Tokyo in Japan Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2019

Isabelle Bratt

Born: Toronto, Ontario

Trained: Canada's National Ballet School Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Emerson Dayton

Born: Camp Hill, Pennsylvania Trained: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Jason Ferro

Born: Franklinville, New Jersey

Trained: San Francisco Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2018 Corps de Ballet since: 2020

Albjon Gjorllaku

Born: London, England Trained: The Royal Ballet School in London Joined National Ballet: 2019 Corps de Ballet since: 2022

Josh Hall

Born: Syracuse, New York Trained: University of North Carolina School of the Arts Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Peng-Fei Jiang

Born: Anhui, China

Trained: Beijing Dance Academy and the New Zealand School of Dance Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2017

Sophie Lee

Born: Seoul, South Korea

Trained: Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2019 Corps de Ballet since: 2022

Scott McKenzie

Born: Alexandria, Scotland

Trained: The Royal Ballet School in London Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2020

Arielle Miralles

Born: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2019 Corps de Ballet since: 2022

Clare Peterson

Born: Kelowna, British Columbia

Trained: Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2014 Corps de Ballet since: 2016

Sponsored by an anonymous donor

David Preciado

Born: Los Angeles, California

Trained: Los Angeles Ballet Academy, San Francisco Ballet School Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Alexander Skinner

Born: Ottawa, Ontario

Trained: The School of Dance in Ottawa, Ontario and Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2017 Corps de Ballet since: 2018

Sponsored by Anne & David LeGresley

Keaton Leier

Born: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Trained: Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and Houston Ballet II Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Larkin Miller

Born: Los Angeles, California

Trained: The School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City, New York Joined National Ballet: 2016 Corps de Ballet since: 2018

Emma Ouellet

Born: London, Ontario

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2020 Corps de Ballet since: 2022

McKhayla Pettingill

Born: Chandler, Arizona

Trained: Houston Ballet Academy Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Teagan Richman–Taylor

Born: Vancouver, British Columbia

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School, Goh Ballet Academy and Arts Umbrella in Vancouver Joined National Ballet: 2017 Corps de Ballet since: 2018

Sponsored by Devida & Derek Smith

Arianna Soleti

Born: Fasano (Brindisi), Italy

Trained: Accademia Teatro alla Scala Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Konstantin Tkachuk

Born: Donetsk, Ukraine

Trained: Kyiv State Ballet College Eifman Ballet: 2010 – 2011 Mariinsky Theatre: 2011 – 2013 Mikhailovsky Theatre: 2013 – 2022 Joined as Corps de Ballet: 2022

Christopher Waters

Born: Vancouver, British Columbia

Trained: Canada’s National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2019 Corps de Ballet since: 2022

Dance is for EVERYONE

At The National Ballet of Canada, we are proud to promote creative expression, collaboration, imagination and movement to as many people as possible through our Education and Community Engagement initiatives.

Our programmes share the joy and spontaneity of dance with children and students in schools, in theatres and via an annual national livestream. Our message is that dance is accessible to all and that this unique form of communication has the power to connect us like no other.

Tene Ward

Born: Sydney, Austrailia

Trained: Canberra Festival Ballet School in Australia, The Australian Ballet School and European School of Ballet in Amsterdam, Netherlands Joined National Ballet: 2018 Corps de Ballet since: 2019

Sponsored by Michelle & Duncan SInclair

Isaac Wright

Born: Belleville, Ontario

Trained: Quinte Ballet School of Canada in Belleville, Ontario and Canada's National Ballet School Joined National Ballet: 2015 Corps de Ballet since: 2019

STAFF

Board of Directors

As of October 19, 2022

Chair

Cornell Wright

Les Allt, ex officio

Nichole Anderson

Bergeron

Gail Appel

John Bailey

Jack Bertinshaw, ex officio

Raghunath Davloor Laura Dinner

Flora Do

Cheryl Ferguson

Nancy Holland

Barry Hughson, ex officio Krista Kerr

Jen Lee Koss

Philip Lieberman

David Macdonald

Hope Muir, ex officio

LJ Nagel, ex officio Sandra Odendahl

Ed Ogonek, ex officio

Lisa Pearson Gretchen Ross

Jenna Savella, ex officio David Seville

John B. Simcoe Michelle Sinclair

Mavis Staines, C.M.,  ex officio

Michele Symons

Noreen Taylor, C.M. Karen Wierucki, ex officio Alexander Younger

Honourary Board

As of October 19, 2022

David Banks

David Binet

Judith Cohen

Judi Conacher Missy Crosbie Jeanie Davis

Sherry Taylor Drew James Fleck, O.C. William Harris

William Herridge, Q.C. Donald K. Johnson, O.C. Lucille Joseph Jerry Lozinski

Sue Matthews

Paul O’Donoghue Rose Patten, O.C.

Aaron Regent Robin Robinson Susan Scace

Noreen Taylor, C.M.

The National Ballet of Canada Board /Honourary Board Liaison

The National Ballet of Canada, Endowment Foundation Board of Directors

As of October 19, 2022

Chair David Macdonald

President Barry Hughson

Vice-President

Hope Muir

Treasurer Amanda Ram

Director of Development Diana Reitberger, CFRE Secretary Alexis Patch

David Banks John Braive Ed Esposto Cheryl Ferguson

Karen Kain, C.C., LL.D., D.Litt., O.Ont., Director Emerita Krista Kerr Sue Matthews James Pitblado, C.M. Cornell Wright

Leadership

Joan & Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director Hope Muir Executive Director Barry Hughson

Music Director and Principal Conductor David Briskin

Artistic Director Emerita Karen Kain, C.C., LL.D., D.Litt., O.Ont.

Artistic

Senior Répétiteur Peter Ottmann

Rehearsal Director, Principal Coach Rex Harrington, O.C., D.Litt Xiao Nan Yu

Assistant Rehearsal Director Stephanie Hutchison

Artist-in-Residence Greta Hodgkinson, O.Ont.

Artistic Advisor Magdalena Popa

Choreographic Associates

Robert Binet Guillaume Côté

Artistic Administrator Gerard Roxburgh

Senior Manager, Artistic Operations Jennifer Bennett Darbyshire

Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director and Administrative Associate Andreea Olteanu

Curator and Producer, CreativAction and Special Initiatives Robert Binet

Manager, Artistic Scheduling Sophie Letendre Associate, Artistic Administration Sarita Dotan

Guest Répétiteurs The Collective Agreement Meredith Webster Concerto Julie Lincoln

Symphony in C Colleen Neary Joysanne Sidimus, M.S.M. Sofiane Sylve

MADDADDAM Jenny Tattersall

Anima Animus Rebecca Gladstone Christiane Marchant

Romeo and Juliet Aleksandar Antonijevic

Guest Teachers Felipe Diaz Jurgita Dronina Greta Hodgkinson Kevin Pugh Piotr Stanczyk Sofiane Sylve Tatiana Tchernova

Administration

Executive Assistant to the Executive Director and Board Liaison Alexis Patch

Audience and Donor Services

Associate Director, Audience and Donor Services

Veronica McLellan

Manager, Ticket Operations Katy James Manager, Patron Services Anne Meighan

Assistant Patron Services Manager Heather Thompson

Audience and Donor Services Operations Supervisor Susie Eissler

Senior Representatives, Audience and Donor Services Amanda Bolger Patty Pedersen

Receptionists Rochelle Gomes McKenzie Grey Carlos Lazaga Alannagh Maciw

Audience and Donor Services Representatives

Communications

Director of Marketing and Communications Belinda Bale

Associate Director, Communications and Content Strategy Catherine Chang

Senior Manager, Sales and Marketing Victoria Munton-Davies

Archivist and Digital Asset Manager Katie Wilson

Video Editor, Web and Digital Media Manager Sean Leonard

Digital Content Producer Mallory Brown

Public Relations Specialist Anastasia Kolotova

Graphic Designer Klara Vanzella Yang

Graphic Design Consultant Carmen Wagner

Web and  E-Communications Coordinator Jade Araya

Marketing Coordinator Nadiya Reid

Social Media and Communications Coordinator Lindsay McCarley

Public Relations Intern Alaha Husseinzadah

Dancer Wellness Programme

Director of Dancer Wellness Marla Pichler

Company Sports Medicine Physicians Dr. Michael Clarfield Dr. Ryan Eardley Dr. Julia Hamilton

Company Orthopaedic Surgeons

Dr. Norah Matthies Dr. Darrell Ogilvie-Harris

Company Athletic Therapists

Paul Papoutsakis Barb Paraskevakos Gian-Luca Perfetti

Company Physiotherapists Ginette Hamel Patrick Lavoie

Company Massage Therapists

Cesar Cruz Ron Mulesa Danielle Tobias

Company Psychiatrists Dr. Marie-Claire Bourque Dr. Pat Colton

Clinical Social Workers/ Psychotherapists Tammy Baruch Lesley Lustig

Company Foot Specialist/Chiropodist Dr. Nicholas Durand, D.Pod.M.

Urgent Care and Medcan Liaison Dr. Janice Weiss

Resident Movement and Pilates Specialist Je-an Salas

Naturopathic Doctor

Dr. Melissa Piercell

The National Ballet of Canada is grateful to the Midtown Sports Medicine Clinic (150 Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto); the University Health Network, Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine; and the Medcan Clinic (150 York Street, Toronto) for their continued support of the Dancer Health and Wellness Programme; and to those physicians who have generously donated their time to The National Ballet of Canada.

Development

Director of Development

Diana Reitberger, CFRE

Assistant to the Director of Development Liza Beharry

Associate Director, Major Gifts Joanna Ivey

Associate Director, Individual and Legacy Giving Richard Lefebvre, CFRE

Senior Manager, Development Communications John Hart

Senior Manager, Development Operations Leah Heidenheim

Manager, Major Gifts Marielle Bryck

Manager, Special Events and Corporate Partnerships Rebecca Hodge Manager, Patrons’ Council Nicholas Melymuk Senior Writer Caroline Dickie Officer, Development Communications Rhea Daniels

Officer, Major Gifts Kelsey Muldoon

Officer, Turnout & Patrons’ Council Marisa Kelly

Officer, Friends’ Corps & Ballet365 Joanne Kwok

Officer, Legacy Giving & Endowment Foundation Amy McMullen*

Officer, Special Events Jessica Worosz

Data Analyst Sara Motalebi

Coordinator, Special Events and Corporate Partnerships Zoe Favrin

Gift Management Coordinator Lucy White

Education and Community Engagement

Senior Manager, Education and Community Engagement

Lisa Robinson

Director, In Studio Kate Kernaghan

Coordinator, Education and Community Engagement Sakhshi Khanduja

Senior Teaching Artist Annemarie Cabri

Finance

Chief Financial Officer Amanda Ram

Payroll and Benefits Manager Jenny Mah

General Accountants Winnie Li Demitrios Prevenas Markus Thiart

Human Resources

Director, Human Resources Kathleen Matatya

Senior Officer, Human Resources Julian Whitaker

Human Resources Coordinator Erika Pugsley Information Technology

Director of Technology Christopher Sonnemann Associate Director, Software and Applications Mohiuddin Faruqe

Senior Manager, Web Technology Services

Steve Cunningham

Senior Manager of Technology Andrew Anderson Solutions Developer Kruti Shah*

Business Analyst Bethany Bleile

Systems Coordinator Maninder Singh Sekhon

Maintenance

Facilities Manager Emil Mishriky

Building Maintenance Supervisor Henry Martins

Cleaners Violeta Parreno Lawrence Puig Willie Santiago Music

Pianists Edward Connell Andrei Streliaev Zsanna Vaszilenko Zhenya Vitort

Orchestra Personnel Manager and Music Administrator Raymond Tizzard Music Librarian Jacques Forest Noreen Taylor, C.M. & David Staines, C.M., O.Ont Conductor-in-Residence Maria Seletskaja

Production

Director of Production Barney Bayliss Associate Director of Production Yvette Drumgold Technical Director Peter Eaton Stage Managers Jeff Morris Liliane Stilwell

Assistant Stage Managers Michael Lewandowski Troy Taylor

Lighting Coordinator Jeff Logue

Technical Direction Intern Kilian Dedek

Production Workshop

Head Carpenter Sandy Middleton Assistant Head Carpenter James Fulton Shop Technician Chuck Theil

Scenery constructed at the Gretchen Ross Production Workshop by members of I.A.T.S.E. Local 58.

Property Supervisor John Miracle

Head Scenic Artist Kelly Palmer

Assistant Head Scenic Artist Will Leskevich

Properties constructed at the Gretchen Ross Production Workshop by members of I.A.T.S.E. Local 828. Wardrobe

Wardrobe Supervisor Stacy Dimitropoulos

Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor Allie Marshall

Resident Cutters Christine Audet Marlee Bygate Christopher Read

Assistant to Cutters Susan Howse

Resident Stitcher Lisa Novielli

Stitchers

Victoria Arnold Deanna Brown Karen Hancock Samara McAdam Krista Nauman Paul Schofield

Costume Rental Coordinator Bianca Laudadio

Footwear Coordinator Lacey Hammond Harrington

Footwear Inventory Coordinator Hollis Wilson

Wardrobe Coordinator Robyn Clarke

Assistant Wardrobe Coordinators Lauren Pietrowski* Emily Rogers

Hair and Make-up Coordinator Jacqueline Robertson Cull

Hair and Make-up Assistant Charlie Seminerio

Assistant Milliner/ Wardrobe Assistant Kira Duff

Production Travelling Crew

Head Carpenter Jim Nutt

Head Electrician Ashley Rose* William Fallon

Assistant Electricians Cecilia Waszczuk Ron Gorveatt

Property Master Michael Ellenton

Assistant Carpenter/ Flyman Scott Clarke

Assistant Carpenter Cory Hudson

Wardrobe Head Grant Heaps

Assistant Wardrobe Head Carrie Cooley Barbour

Hair and Make-up Head Jillian Walker

Footwear Assistant Leslie Brown * On Leave

Season Sponsor

Presenting Sponsors

Special Projects

Official