The National Ballet of Canada had an exhilarating start to the 2021/22 season as we returned to live performance, first with our summer residency at Harbourfront Centre and then, unforgettably, at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts with a trio of works that embodied the emotion, camaraderie and resilience that carried us through the better part of two years offstage: George Balanchine’s Serenade, Jera Wolfe’s Soul and Crystal Pite’s Angels’ Atlas. Our return to the stage crystallized everything we know to be true about live performance as a powerful collective experience and reinforced our commitment to sharing the best of our art form with you.
As anticipated, the road back from the pandemic has not been linear and the 2021/22 season reflects the ongoing demand to be flexible. Having to cancel 15 shows of James Kudelka’s The Nutcracker and our winter tour to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa was significant artistically, at the box office and for our audiences, some of whom count on those experiences as their only touchpoint with our company. Fortunately, your generosity as donors, subscribers, corporate partners and government funders, particularly through the Together for Ballet Campaign, helped us offset the loss and move forward as we continue to navigate the long shadow of the pandemic.
Concluding the season with the world premiere of Artistic Director Emerita Karen Kain’s Swan Lake felt like a breakthrough, with sold-out performances for full audiences that more than realized the vision and hard work of the creative team, our dancers, musicians, wardrobe and production staff. We capped the production with the unforgettable Karen Kain Celebration Gala, gathering in person to celebrate the company and our incredible community of support.
Thank you for helping The National Ballet of Canada flourish even in times of challenge. We hope you look back on the 2021/22 season as we do, with the knowledge that it could not have happened without you.
In Gratitude,
Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director
Barry Hughson, Executive Director
Cornell Wright, Chair, Board of Directors