Exploring Fate: Jera Wolfe on the World Premiere of Kismet

This spring, Canada’s Jera Wolfe presents his first mainstage production for The National Ballet of Canada with Kismet, set to music by Ezio Bosso. Following his 2020 work Soul – a filmed piece for four dancers developed during the pandemic – this new creation unfolds on a larger scale and marks his first collaboration with a live orchestra. Here, Jera shares his insight into this exciting world premiere.
 
What key themes are you exploring in Kismet?

“Kismet” comes from the Arabic word qisma (قسمة), meaning “division” or “portion.” It reflects the idea that life is divided among all beings and one’s fate is the share allotted to them. In English, “kismet” has come to mean “fate” or “destiny,” often describing something that feels meant to be.
 
Kismet follows a central character who pursues something beautiful as their destiny, only to destroy it in the process. It’s a contradiction we encounter all the time. We might look at a beautiful tree and think, why not cut it down and make a table? We look at beauty and instead of letting it be, we wonder how to own it, break it apart and turn it into something to sell. I’m interested in that tension, the way we dismantle or damage things in the pursuit of our dreams.
 
That image of the tree is especially relevant for Kismet. Could you share more about that?

The central character’s journey is shaped by the image of a great tree. It draws her in, falls apart, is rebuilt and ultimately collapses again. In this way, the tree is symbolic of our tendency to destroy what we love and yet persist in rebuilding it. 

Kismet includes a set piece of a tree, but it’s the dancers who make it mutable and alive. Their bodies are limbs, trunk and leaves. That alone underscores how this cycle of destruction and renewal is deeply human and reminds us that we are part of the natural world, even if our actions sometimes suggest otherwise.

That connection with nature is also present in the music. What drew you to it?

Kismet is set to the first two movements of Symphony No. 2 by Ezio Bosso – Adagio, Under the Trees’ Voices and Allegro, Growing as a Tree. From the first time I heard it, I knew I wanted to create something to this music. The symphony references the Val di Fiemme in Italy, whose trees have been used for centuries to craft musical instruments. That connection is very much aligned with Kismet. 

The music is quite cinematic, with plenty of strings, and the recording picks up on natural sounds like birdsong and children’s voices. While we can’t replicate those exact elements with a live orchestra, we can embrace the ambient sounds of the theatre as a reminder that the work exists within a wider living world. 

This is your first time creating with a live orchestra. What has that experience been like?

Extremely exciting. Working with The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra allows for a sense of exchange between the musicians and the dancers, with Music Director David Briskin able to stretch or tighten the timing as needed. That flexibility has been very welcome and the orchestra sounds incredible.

Kismet is a work for a large ensemble. What are the main challenges and rewards of working with so many dancers?

I love the energy and versatility that comes with a large ensemble. I’ve had experience with bigger casts before, as with Arise, a piece I created for Canada’s National Ballet School. There are 36 dancers in Kismet and they have been amazing – eager, responsible and ready to dive into whatever the work demands. That openness can be even more important than talent. 

If there is a challenge, it’s that it can be harder to highlight individual dancers. An ensemble is like a bouquet of flowers: the power lies in the collective rather than the individual, although you can pull them out in special ways. 

Your work balances strong physicality with emotional depth. Will Kismet follow that model?

Absolutely. In Kismet, the central character pursues her fate alongside a partner. This is the kind of partner everyone wishes to have and to be, one who is willing to see another human being through life’s ups and downs. That relationship brings emotion to the piece, making it about connection as much as any idea of fate. Kismet may reveal our flaws, but it also celebrates the beauty of the human spirit.
 
I tend to look for relationships and poignant moments in everything I watch. So, I aim to create pockets of intimacy in my work, where I can break from the physicality and fill that space with something emotional. Dancers can embody intimacy so powerfully; sometimes less is more with them.    

Kismet premieres with The National Ballet of Canada May 29, 2026. 

About Kismet

Top Photo: Jera Wolfe. Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic.