The National Ballet of Canada

Overview

Experience the work of today’s leading choreographers in Modern Masterpieces, featuring excerpts from our recent repertoire. First is Alexei Ratmansky’s Piano Concerto #1, the third part of his Shostakovich Trilogy honouring Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Next, Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, a playful interpretation of sexual climax as a “small death.” Finally, Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, celebrating the physicality of the body in dialogue with music, architecture and light.

Piano Concerto #1

Things to Know

• Piano Concerto #1 premiered with American Ballet Theatre in 2013 and entered The National Ballet of Canada’s repertoire in 2015. It reflects Alexei Ratmansky’s lifelong admiration for embattled Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who struggled to find artistic freedom under Joseph Stalin.
   
• Each part of the trilogy is set to one of the composer’s great works, with Piano Concerto #1 featuring the energetic Concerto No.1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings, composed in 1933 while Shostakovich was still free from ideological attack.  

The Choreographer

Born in St. Petersburg, Alexei Ratmansky is a choreographer and former ballet dancer. He is Artist-in-Residence at American Ballet Theatre and former Artistic Director of The Bolshoi Ballet. He has created new work for ballet companies around the world, including Romeo and Juliet for The National Ballet of Canada in 2011.

The Composer

Dmitri Shostakovich was one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. His body of work includes ballets, musical comedies and film scores in addition to classical chamber music. He endured periods of censorship and criticism in totalitarian Russia despite his success.

Petite Mort

Things to Know

• Petite Mort premiered at the Salzburg Festival in 1991 on the second centenary of Mozart’s death. It entered The National Ballet of Canada’s repertoire in 2019. Jiří Kylián has a special friendship with Artistic Director Karen Kain, with whom he worked when she was still a young dancer.
   
• Petite Mort is a ballet of couplings and duets, a witty treatment of sexuality combining modern and classical elements. A cast of 12 dancers move and spar in innovative ways, even using fencing foils to suggest a sexual dual.

The Choreographer

Jiří Kylián was Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater for nearly 25 years and he founded NDT III, a company devoted to older dancers. After his retirement in 1999, he served as Resident Choreographer until 2009. He has created more than 100 ballets for companies around the world.

The Composer

Born in Austria, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most influential and popular composers of the 18th century classical period. His diverse body of work includes symphonies, choral music and his ever popular operas.

Chroma

Things to Know

• Wayne McGregor created Chroma for The Royal Ballet in 2006 and in 2010 The National Ballet of Canada became the first company to perform it outside of The Royal Ballet. The ballet is set to a hypnotic score by Joby Talbot that combines original music with orchestrations of songs by indie rock duo, The White Stripes.
   
• Chroma is a Greek word for colour or freedom from white. The dancers’ bodies – clothed in flesh-coloured costumes – become chroma relative to the minimalist set design by John Pawson.

The Choreographer

English choreographer Wayne McGregor has gained international recognition for his kinetic, interdisciplinary approach to dance. He is Artistic Director of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, Artistic Associate at Sadler's Wells Theatre and since 2006, Resident Choreographer at The Royal Ballet – the first contemporary choreographer ever to hold this position.

The Composer

English composer Joby Talbot has written widely for opera and dance. His collaborations include Wayne McGregor’s Chroma and Entity, and Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale, both co-productions between The Royal Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada.

Casting

Piano Concerto #1

Elena Lobsanova and Brendan Saye
Tina Pereira and Skylar Campbell

Soo Ah Kang, Jimmy Coleman, Christopher Gerty, Kathryn Hosier, Jaclyn Oakley, Genevieve Penn-Nabity, Clare Peterson, Teagan Richman-Taylor, Nicholas Rose, Tene Ward, Ethan Watts, Isaac Wright

Petite Mort

Tina Pereira and Spencer Hack
Hannah Fischer and Brendan Saye
Greta Hodgkinson and Guillaume Côté
Elena Lobsanova, Jenna Savella

Chroma

Skylar Campbell, Christopher Gerty, Tanya Howard, Svetlana Lunkina, Siphesihle November, Heather Ogden, Brent Parolin, Tina Pereira, Brendan Saye, Alexander Skinner

Credits

Piano Concerto #1

Choreography:
Alexei Ratmansky

Staged by:
Felipe Diaz

Music:
Dmitri Shostakovich, Concerto No.1 for Piano, Trumpet, and Strings, Opus 35

Piano Soloist:
Zhenya Vitort

Trumpet Soloist:
L Richard Sandals

Set Design:
George Tsypin

Costume Design:
Keso Dekker

Lighting Design:
Jennifer Tipton

Répétiteur:
Lindsay Fischer

Premiere: American Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, New York, October 18, 2012
The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, May 30, 2015

Lead philanthropic support for Piano Concerto #1 is provided by an anonymous friend of the National Ballet and The Producers’ Circle. 

Petite Mort

Choreography:
Jiří Kylián

Staged by:
Roslyn Anderson

Music:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Piano Concerto in A Major (KV 488), Adagio & Piano Concerto in C Major (KV 467)

Set Design:
Jiří Kylián

Costume Design:
Joke Visser

Lighting Design:
Jiří Kylián, Joop Caboort (Realisation)

Technical Consultant:
Joost Biegelaar

Répétiteur:
Rex Harrington

Premiere: Nederlands Dans Theater, Salzburg, Austria, August 23, 1991
The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, November 27, 2019

Chroma

Choreography:
Wayne McGregor

Staged by:
Odette Hughes

Music:
Joby Talbot and Jack White, The White Stripes

Set Design:
John Pawson

Costume Design:
Moritz Junge

Lighting Design:
Lucy Carter

Répétiteur:
Rex Harrington

Premiere: The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, UK, November 17, 2006
The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, November 24, 2010

Chroma is produced in association with The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.

Lead philanthropic support for Spotlight Series provided by The Walter Carsen New Creations Fund, with additional support from the Producers' Circle.

The Producers’ Circle: Gail & Mark Appel, John & Claudine Bailey, Inger Bartlett & Marshal Stearns, Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, The Thor E. and Nicole Eaton Family Charitable Foundation, Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, Kevin Garland & Roger Garland, C.M., Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Anna McCowan Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, Jerry & Joan Lozinski, The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado & Jim Pitblado, C.M., The Harry & Lillian Seymour Family Foundation, Gerald Sheff & Shanitha Kachan and The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation.

Photos:
Tanya Howard and Christopher Gerty in Chroma. Photo by Johan Persson.
Koto Ishihara and Naoya Ebe with Artists of the Ballet in Piano Concerto #1. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
Spencer Hack and Tina Pereira in Petite Mort. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
Alexander Skinner, Skylar Campbell and Siphesihle November in Chroma. Photo by Karolina Kuras.