World Premiere by William Yong
UtopiVerse
Company Premieres
islands & Suite en Blanc
World Premiere by William Yong
UtopiVerse
Company Premieres
islands & Suite en Blanc
World Premiere by William Yong
UtopiVerse
Toronto-based choreographer William Yong creates his first commission for The National Ballet of Canada. Yong’s voice integrates his muti-disciplinary experience and will showcase the versatility of our artists. Founder of two companies that serve as incubators for his work, Zata Omm Dance Projects and W Zento Production, Yong has an international presence as a respected dancer, choreographer and director.
William Yong is a Canadian choreographer, dancer, designer and director. Trained at Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the London Contemporary Dance School, he works internationally to create technology-driven work for stage and film. Yong holds an M.A. from the University of Kent where he completed a dissertation on dance and film.
“Through choreography I try to develop a profound relationship between dance and technology.” – William Yong in Now Magazine
“Yong embraces an experimental approach when creating works of his own... It shows Yong going where no Canadian choreographer before him has gone before.” – Critics at Large
“Yong, who is gifted at transforming the familiar into something fresh and provocative, laced with sharp irony and driven by a strong musical connection.” – Eye Magazine
“It is spell-binding, disturbing, fascinating, provocative, and profound theatre.” – Lighting and Sound America Magazine on Steer
North American Premiere
islands
The National Ballet of Canada is thrilled to present the North American premiere of islands, a sculptural duet for two women by Canada’s Emma Portner, a star on the international dance scene. islands was named a triumph when it premiered with Norwegian National Ballet in 2020, prompting an invitation to tour with the prestigious Dialogues festival alongside choreographic luminaries such as Crystal Pite and Jiří Kylián. An acclaimed work from a genre-breaking choreographer, islands is set to original music by Forest Swords.
Ottawa-born Emma Portner is an exciting voice in choreography today. She trained at The Ailey School in New York City, spent summers at Canada’s National Ballet School and is now Artist-in-Residence with Benjamin Millepied’s Los Angeles Dance Project. Portner also produces, manages and directs her own short films and dance company.
Forest Swords is the stage name for English musician Matthew Barnes, originally from Liverpool. His atmospheric music blends elements of hip-hop, dub, guitar loops and electronic sampling for a rhythmic, avant-garde sound. Barnes is also a graphic designer and producer and he frequently scores music for stage and film.
“islands is nothing short of a sensational introduction to Portner’s language of movement... More Emma Portner, please!” – Dagens Nyheter
“In islands, Emma Portner invents her version of the pas de deux, with two conjoined twins joined together by the belt who discover each other and combine their bodies.” – Le Figaro
Canadian Premiere
Suite en Blanc
Serge Lifar created his showpiece Suite en Blanc, a full company work of technical purity, for Paris Opéra Ballet in 1943, saying “I am preoccupied with pure dance, independent of all other considerations.” Named for the dancers’ pristine white costumes and often compared to Harald Lander’s Études, Suite en Blanc pays homage to the classical form with dazzling choreography and unmistakable French flair. Set to the music of Édouard Lalo, Lifar’s ballet is an exciting addition to The National Ballet of Canada’s repertoire of classical works.
Born in Ukraine, Serge Lifar was one of the great male dancers of the 20th century. He trained with Bronislava Nijinska and Enrico Cecchetti and became a star performer with Serge Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes and Paris Opera Ballet. He was the long serving director of Paris Opéra Ballet, where he staged and choreographed a large body of work.
Édouard Lalo was a French composer and violinist of the 19th century notable for his chamber music and orchestral works. His oeuvre includes the celebrated Symphonie espagnole for violin and orchestra and his ballet Namouna for Lucien Petipa, which premiered with Paris Opéra Ballet in 1882.
“Suite en Blanc is a jewel in the classical repertoire. It glows like a pearl in its unadorned technical precision, while exuding that elusive essence of Parisian chic.” – Seeing Dance
“Authentic, vintage neoclassicism” – Los Angeles Times
“Serge Lifar's ballet is the most supremely elegant of crowd-pleasers.” – The Guardian
UtopiVerse
Choreography:
William Yong
Music:
Benjamin Britten
Costume Design:
William Yong
Lighting Design:
Noah Feaver
Projection Design:
Thomas Payette
World Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, March 20, 2024
Produced and Commissioned by The National Ballet of Canada.
Lead philanthropic support for UtopiVerse is provided by The Producers’ Circle.
The Producers’ Circle (2024): Gail & Mark Appel, John & Claudine Bailey, Inger Bartlett & Marshal Stearns, Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, 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 Lozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C., The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., The Harry & Lillian Seymour Family Foundation, The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation and Alexander Younger & Sarah Richardson.
islands
Choreography:
Emma Portner
Staged by:
Samantha Lynch and Darlyn Perez
Music:
Brambles, Guillaume Ferran, Forest Swords / Matthew Barnes, Lily Konigsberg and Bing & Ruth
Costume Design:
Martin Dauchez
Lighting Design:
Paul Vidar Sævarang
World Premiere: The Norwegian Opera & Ballet, Oslo, Norway, March 7, 2020
The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, March 20, 2024
Suite en Blanc
Staged by:
Charles Jude and Stephanie Roublot Jude
Choreography:
Serge Lifar
Music:
Édouard Lalo, Suite from Namouna
World Premiere: Paris Opéra Ballet, Zürich, Switzerland, June 19, 1943
The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, March 20, 2024
Visit our news section, Ballet News + for a more in-depth look at all of our productions.
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