Media Release

February 10, 2025… Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, shared today the principal casting for Karen Kain’s acclaimed production of Swan Lake which returns to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto March 8 – 22. 

This season, Principal Dancer Heather Ogden will perform in Swan Lake for the final time. A pivotal moment in Ogden’s career, Odette/Odile was her first major role, showcasing her extraordinary artistry and powerful technique. Although she is saying farewell to Swan Lake, Ogden is not retiring from the stage and will remain a Principal Dancer on The National Ballet of Canada roster. Ogden is partnered by Principal Dancer Harrison James and performs on March 15 at 2:00 pm, March 18 at 7:30 pm and will be celebrated onstage following her final Swan Lake performance on Friday, March 21 at 7:30 pm.  

Making their debuts this Winter Season are Principal Dancers Tirion Law and Koto Ishihara as Odette/Odile and Spencer Hack as Prince Siegfried. Reprising the roles are Principal Dancers Genevieve Penn Nabity, Naoya Ebe, Christopher Gerty and Ben Rudisin. As previously announced, Jessica Xuan of Dutch National Ballet joins the company as Principal Guest Artist.  

The National Ballet premiered Kain’s new staging of this iconic work in 2022. The acclaimed production emphasizes the love story at the heart of Swan Lake and is inspired by Erik Bruhn’s landmark production. Beloved the world over, Swan Lake is the epitome of classical ballet, with its timeless choreography, drama and achingly beautiful score by Tchaikovsky.   
 

Casting 

Odette/Odile
Tirion Law* (March 8, 22 at 2:00 pm/March 12, 19 at 7:30 pm)
Genevieve Penn Nabity (March 8, 11, 14, 22 at 7:30 pm)
Koto Ishihara* (March 9, 13, 16 at 2:00 pm)
Jessica Xuan*+ (March 13, 15, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Heather Ogden (March 15 at 2:00 pm/March 18, 21 at 7:30 pm)

Prince Siegfried
Naoya Ebe (March 8, 22 at 2:00 pm/March 12, 19 at 7:30 pm)
Christopher Gerty (March 8, 11, 14, 22 at 7:30 pm)
Spencer Hack* (March 9, 13, 16 at 2:00 pm)
Ben Rudisin (March 13, 15, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Harrison James (March 15 at 2:00 pm/March 18, 21 at 7:30 pm)

Rothbart 
Josh Hall* (March 8, 22 at 2:00 pm/March 12, 19 at 7:30 pm)
Ben Rudisin (March 8, 11, 14, 22 at 7:30 pm)
Kota Sato (March 9, 13, 16 at 2:00 pm)
Peng Fei Jiang* (March 13, 15, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Spencer Hack (March 15 at 2:00 pm/March 18, 21 at 7:30 pm)

* Debut
+Principal Guest Artist

All casting is subject to change. 

 About Swan Lake 

Season Sponsor: BMO Financial Group

Nicola Wealth Presents Swan Lake

Lead philanthropic support for Swan Lake is provided by The Walter Carsen New Creations Fund, with generous underwriting from Richard M. Ivey, C.C., an anonymous friend of the National Ballet, Susan Scace & Arthur Scace, C.M., K.C., Pamela and Paul Austin and The P. Austin Family Foundation, The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Nancy Pencer, Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Gretchen Ross & Donald Ross, O.C., Anne-Marie Canning, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Tim & Frances Price, The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada and Kevin Garland & Roger Garland, C.M. Additional support provided by The Producers’ Circle.   

The Producers’ Circle (2022): 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 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, Gerald Sheff & Shanitha Kachan and The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation.  

Naoya Ebe is sponsored through Dancers First by Gretchen Ross.   

Christopher Gerty is sponsored through Dancers First by Ms. Nancy Viner & Dr. Raymond Stein.  

Harrison James is sponsored through Dancers First by Lucy White.   

Heather Ogden is sponsored through Dancers First by Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin. 

Genevieve Penn Nabity is sponsored through Dancers First by George & Kathy Dembroski.  

Ben Rudisin is sponsored through Dancers First by Sylvie Allard & Brian O’Keefe.  

Kota Sato is sponsored through Dancers First by Tony Arrell, C.M. & Anne Arrell.  

The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage with the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport. 

Heather Ogden in Swan Lake. Photo by Karolina Kuras.

The National Ballet of Canada
Catherine Chang, Associate Director of Communications & Content Strategy
Kate Dresser, Communications Manager
Media@national.ballet.ca