Media Release

February 21, 2024… Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, shared today casting for the Winter Season triple bill, featuring the North American premiere of David Dawson’s The Four Seasons, the world premiere of Marco Goecke’s Morpheus’ Dream and the long-awaited return of Antony Tudor’s The Leaves Are Fading. The programme is onstage at at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, onstage February 26 – March 2.  

David Dawson’s The Four Seasons is an exhilarating response to Max Richter’s reimagining of Antonio Vivaldi’s violin concertos. Created for Semperoper Ballett in 2018, this contemporary ballet blends Dawson’s signature athleticism with an emotional journey through the seasons of life. The ballet’s four movements reflect the ever-evolving nature of human experience, referencing the past, present and future, much like Richter’s music. 

Sultry piano music by Keith Jarrett meets the vocal stylings of Lady Gaga in this edgy duet, which marks the National Ballet’s first world premiere partnership with Germany’s Marco Goecke. Oscillating between serenity and a fitful energy unique to Goecke, Morpheus’ Dream presents a fraught relationship within the uncertain context of dreams. The movement unfolds on an empty stage in low lighting until one dancer strikes a match, creating an unexpected moment of illumination. 

Antony Tudor’s beloved work about the passage of time, The Leaves Are Fading has not been seen on the National Ballet’s stage since 1995. Set to lyrical chamber music for strings by Antonín Dvořák, the ballet has a unique and quiet poetry all its own. Outdoors in a leafy glade, a woman reflects on her past as summer turns to fall, with the changing seasons serving as a metaphor for the bittersweet evolution of life. 

Casting 

The Four Seasons  

Genevieve Penn Nabity 
Larkin Miller 

Heather Ogden
Ben Rudisin 

Calley Skalnik
Spencer Hack 

Jeannine Haller, Selene Guerrero-Trujillo, Brenna Flaherty, Monika Haczkiewicz, Clare Peterson 

Kota Sato, Josh Hall, Keaton Leier, Isaac Wright, Shaakir Muhammad

(February 26 at 7:30 pm)

Isabella Kinch
Peng Fei Jiang

Heather Ogden

Ben Rudisin

Tirion Law

Josh Hall

Jeannine Haller, Tene Ward, Brenna Flaherty, Monika Haczkiewicz, Clare Peterson

David Preciado, Noah Parets, Keaton Leier, Aidan Tully, Jason Ferro

(February 27 at 2:00 pm)

Genevieve Penn Nabity
Christopher Gerty

Heather Ogden

Ben Rudisin

Calley Skalnik

Spencer Hack

Jeannine Haller, Selene Guerrero-Trujillo, Brenna Flaherty, Monika Haczkiewicz, Clare Peterson

Kota Sato, Josh Hall, Donald Thom, Isaac Wright, Jason Ferro

(February 27 at 7:30 pm)

Genevieve Penn Nabity
Christopher Gerty

Heather Ogden

Ben Rudisin

Tirion Law

Josh Hall

Jeannine Haller, Selene Guerrero-Trujillo, Brenna Flaherty, Monika Haczkiewicz, Clare Peterson

Kota Sato, Noah Parets, Keaton Leier, Isaac Wright, Jason Ferro

(February 28 at 7:30 pm)

Isabella Kinch

Peng Fei Jiang

Monika Haczkiewicz
Larkin Miller

Calley Skalnik

Spencer Hack

Jeannine Haller, Tene Ward, Brenna Flaherty, Hannah Galway, Clare Peterson

Kota Sato, Josh Hall, Keaton Leier, Aidan Tully, Jason Ferro

(March 1 at 2:00 pm)

Genevieve Penn Nabity
Christopher Gerty

Monika Haczkiewicz
Larkin Miller

Calley Skalnik

Spencer Hack

Jeannine Haller, Selene Guerrero-Trujillo, Brenna Flaherty, Hannah Galway, Clare Peterson

David Preciado, Josh Hall, Donald Thom, Isaac Wright, Jason Ferro

(March 2 at 2:00 pm)

Morpheus’ Dream 

Genevieve Penn Nabity and Ben Rudisin (February 26, March 1 at 7:30 pm)
Alexandra MacDonald and Christopher Gerty (February 27, March 1 at 2:00 pm) 
Tene Ward and Spencer Hack (February 27, 28 at 7:30 pm) 
Isabella Kinch and Matthieu Pagès (March 2 at 2:00 pm) 

The Leaves are Fading  

Erica Lall and Donald Thom (February 26, 28, March 1 at 7:30 pm)
Keira Sanford and Albjon Gjorllaku (February 27, March 1, 2 at 2:00 pm/February 27 at 7:30 pm) 

Tirion Law and Naoya Ebe (February 26, 28, March 1 at 7:30 pm)
Calley Skalnik and Larkin Miller (February 27, March 1, 2 at 2:00 pm/February 27 at 7:30 pm) 
 
Svetlana Lunkina and Peng Fei Jiang (February 26, 28, March 1 at 7:30 pm)
Miyoko Koyasu and Alexander Skinner (February 27, March 1 at 2:00 pm)
Alexandra MacDonald and Donald Thom (February 27 at 7:30 pm/March 2 at 2:00 pm) 

Connor Hamilton and Oliver Yonnick (February 26, 28, March 1 at 7:30 pm)
Erica Lall and Naoya Ebe (February 27, March 1 at 2:00 pm)
Heather Ogden and Peng Fei Jiang (February 27 at 7:30 pm/March 2 at 2:00 pm) 

All casting is subject to change.  

About The Four Seasons & Morpheus’ Dream & The Leaves Are Fading 

Season Sponsor: BMO Financial Group

Lead philanthropic support for The Four Seasons is provided by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation with generous underwriting from The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada.  

The National Ballet also acknowledges support for The Four Seasons provided by The Anna McCowan-Johnson New Creations Fund and The Penelope Reed Doob Fund for New Creations.   

Lead philanthropic support for Morpheus’ Dream is provided by The Gail Hutchison Fund.  

These performances of The Leaves Are Fading, ©1977 Antony Tudor, presented by arrangement with The Antony Tudor Ballet Trust, salutes the artistry, vision, and enduring relevance of Antony Tudor’s work. 
 
Naoya Ebe is sponsored through Dancers First by Gretchen Ross.     
 
Christopher Gerty is sponsored through Dancers First by Ms. Nancy Viner & Dr. Raymond Stein.    

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.   
 
Jeannine Haller is sponsored through Dancers First by Devida & Derek Smith.  
 
Alexandra MacDonald is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.     
 
Calley Skalnik is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.    
 
Keaton Leier is sponsored through Dancers First by Donald & Suzanne Kopas.   
 
Kota Sato is sponsored through Dancers First by Tony Arrell, C.M. & Anne Arrell.   
 
 Isabella Kinch is sponsored through Dancers First by Daphne Taras.  
 
Alexander Skinner is sponsored through Dancers First by Anne & David LeGresley.   

Tene Ward is sponsored through Dancers First by Michelle & Duncan Sinclair.     

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.

Calley Skalnik and Spencer Hack in The Four Seasons. Photo by Karolina Kuras.

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