Echoes of Stravinsky

• Canada’s National Ballet School was co-founded by Celia Franca and Betty Oliphant in 1959 to provide a comprehensive training ground for Canada’s emerging ballet scene. Among its many notable graduates are Karen Kain, Veronica Tennant, Frank Augustyn, Rex Harrington and Guillaume Côté. Oliphant was the school’s director from 1975 until her retirement in 1989. 
   
• Instead of telling a story, Scènes de Ballet moves through distinct sections showcasing ballet students of advancing age and technical skill. 
   
• Wheeldon’s first contribution to the National Ballet’s repertoire was Polyphonia in 2007, followed by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 2011, The Winter’s Tale in 2015 and After the Rain in 2022.

Christopher Wheeldon, OBE, is Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet and a leading choreographer of his generation. His extensive body of work includes his award-winning Broadway production An American in Paris, his ballet Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Oscar, a 2024 work for The Australian Ballet based on the life and writings of Oscar Wilde. 

Stravinsky’s Scènes de Ballet progresses through 11 dances connected by musical contrasts and similarities, much like a sonata or symphony. The music has been used by numerous choreographers, including John Taras, Sir Frederick Ashton and Anton Dolin, who choreographed the Broadway revue for which it was originally composed in 1944.

Choreography:
Christopher Wheeldon 

Music:
Igor Stravinsky

Set Design:
Ian Falconer

Costume Design:
Holly Hynes

Lighting Design:
Mark Stanley

World Premiere: New York City Ballet, New York State Theater, May 19, 1999

The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, February 26, 2027

• The National Ballet of Canada has a rich history with the works of George Balanchine, holding 17 of his ballets in the repertoire, including his famous Jewels and Apollo. The company first performed Stravinsky Violin Concerto on November 17, 2004. 
   
• Balanchine said of his collaboration with Stravinsky: “I do not try to interpret Stravinsky’s music. I simply let it guide the movement. The music tells you what to do.”
   
• The ballet features an opening Toccata, two celebrated pas de deux (Arias) and a final Capriccio for the full cast.

Born in St. Petersburg, George Balanchine, co-founder and director of New York City Ballet, is one of the most renowned and prolific choreographers of the 20th century. He is credited with revolutionizing classical ballet for a new era in works of unprecedented musicality, clarity and visual brilliance.

Composed in 1931 in close collaboration with violinist Samuel Dushkin, Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D balances the brilliance of a solo instrument with the collective power of the orchestra. Though Stravinsky did not play the violin, his concerto is a virtuosic piece demanding exceptional artistry and technique from the soloist.

Choreography:
George Balanchine
© The Balanchine Trust  

Music:
Igor Stravinsky

Lighting Design:
Ronald Bates

Staged by:
Russell Kaiser

World Premiere: New York City Ballet, New York State Theater, June 18, 1972

The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Hummingbird Centre (now Meridan Hall), Toronto, November 17, 2004

Stravinsky Violin Concerto is presented by Walter Carsen, O.C.

The performance of Stravinsky Violin Concerto, a Balanchine Ballet, is presented by arrangement with the George Balanchine Trust® and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique®. Service standards established and provided by the Trust.

• Choreographer Medhi Walerski said he created Chamber for Nederlands Dans Theater as a “search for balance between the unending speed at which our world is moving and finding order within that chaos.”
   
• In his score for Chamber, composer Joby Talbot reimagines Stravinsky’s epic The Rite of Spring. Talbot has said he “tried to find an equivalent in sound to the sight of bodies hurtling through space and to the sensations of pain and ecstasy that the human body experiences at the extremes of endurance.”
   
• Joby Talbot has collaborated with The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra on two major original scores, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale. The latter had its world premiere with The Royal Ballet under the baton of David Briskin, the National Ballet’s Music Director and Principal Conductor. 
  
  
• Ballet BC, where Walerski is Artistic Director, also celebrates a milestone anniversary this season, marking 40 years since its inception. 

Medhi Walerski became Artistic Director of Ballet BC in 2020. A former dancer with Paris Opera Ballet and Ballet du Rhin, he later joined Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) where he contributed to its distinctive style. His acclaimed works for NDT and Ballet BC include Petite Cérémonie, Pieces of Tomorrow and Last Light. 

Joby Talbot’s original score for Chamber echoes Stravinsky’s rhythmic complexity without quoting The Rite of Spring directly. While it shares the energy and tension of Stravinsky, Talbot’s music is contemporary and creates a vivid soundscape for Walerski’s exploration of the duality between collective and individual humanity. 

Choreography:
Medhi Walerski

Music:
Joby Talbot
Presented Under License from G. Schirmer Inc. and Associated Music Publishers, Copyright Owners

Set and Costume Design:
Medhi Walerski

Lighting Design:
Jordan Tuinman

Staged by:
Parvaneh Scharafali and Rupert Tookey

World Premiere: Nederlands Dans Theater, The Hague, October 4, 2012
 
The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, February 26, 2027 

Chamber is generously supported by The Producers' Circle (2027)

Tickets can be purchased online at national.ballet.ca or over the phone by calling 416 (1 866) 345 9595. If you have questions about specific seating locations or need accessible seating, our Audience and Donor Services team are happy to help.

Main Season Seating Map

Tickets start at $57. Detailed pricing for each price zone is available at time of purchase.

When picking up tickets at the Box Office, you will be asked to provide photo ID and the credit card of purchase to receive your tickets. Please ensure you arrive in plenty of time to collect your tickets prior to the start of the performance.

• If you have provided us with your email address, you will receive a performance reminder two days before your performance date. This will include important information about the performance, as well as traffic alerts if there are road or TTC closures.
• You will also receive Hope’s Insights, an email from Artistic Director Hope Muir providing an in-depth look at the ballet or programme you are attending.
• If you haven’t already, sign up now for Ballet News to be the first to receive all the latest news and videos, including special offers, casting and dancer news!

Please note, the box office at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is open during The National Ballet of Canada’s performance season two hours prior to the performance start time. Doors to the Four Seasons Centre are open one hour prior to the performance. Our phone lines remain open for all your ticketing needs and tickets can be purchased online anytime at your convenience.

Call Centre
Monday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Friday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Gift Certificates are available in any denomination. Call (1 866) 416 345 9595.

A limited number of Rush tickets are available for up to 50% at 11:00 am on the day of the performance for select performances, subject to availability. Rush tickets are limited to two per person and can be purchased online with the promo code RUSH, or over the phone at 416 (1 866) 345 9595. Excludes The Nutcracker and the Gala.

Please Note: Rush tickets can also be purchased in person at the Box Office at the Four Seasons Centre, subject to availability. The Box Office is open two hours before the performance.

Standing Room tickets are $12 and go on sale at 11:00 am on the day of the performance. For 11:00 am performances on December 24 and 31, tickets will go on sale at 9:00 am. Standing Room tickets can now be purchased online with the promo code STAND, or over the phone at 416 (1 866) 345 9595. Subject to availability and limited to 2 per person. Tickets must be collected in person at the Box Office counter, open 2 hours before the performance. Excludes the Gala.

Please Note: Standing Room tickets can also be purchased in person at the Box Office at the Four Seasons Centre, subject to availability. The Box Office is open 2 hours before the performance.

Tips for Standing Room ticket holders:

• Please wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to stand for the duration of the performance
• In consideration of other audience members, please stand as close to the railing as possible and avoid excessive movement during the performance
• Not recommended for children
• Portable sitting devices and sitting on the railings is not permitted
• Each of the locations have a hook and a leaning rail, we recommend patrons be a minimum of 5’ height to view the performance clearly
• Please note, the Four Seasons Centre is not responsible for lost or stolen items

Toronto Arts Workers can access $45 Rush Tickets at 11:00 am the day of the performance, subject to availability, with promo code ARTSWORKERRUSH (excluding The Nutcracker and Gala). Tickets must be picked up in person at the Box Office, open 2 hours before the performance. Arts Workers must present valid Arts Worker ID when collecting tickets.

Please Note: Toronto Arts Workers tickets can also be purchased in person at the Box Office at the Four Seasons Centre, subject to availability. The Box Office is open 2 hours before the performance.

All performances take place at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, located at 145 Queen Street West, Toronto, on the southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street West.

The main theatre entrance can be found on the southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street West. There are direct entrances to the venue from Osgoode Subway Station and the underground parking garage.

Parking

Underground parking is available at the Four Seasons Centre for approximately 200 vehicles. The entrance is located on York Street, south of Queen Street West.

Additional parking is located just steps away at the GREEN P lot under Nathan Phillips Square. For more information on this and other lots in the vicinity, visit GreenP.com.

The designated drop-off area is located on the east side of University Avenue between Queen and Richmond Streets.

By Public Transit

TTC
Four Seasons Centre is directly accessible from Osgoode Subway station on Yonge-University Line 1. The 501 Queen streetcar stops outside the building at the corner of University Avenue. Visit ttc.ca for more information.

GO Transit
From Union Station, it's a 10-minute walk to the theatre, heading north along York Street to Queen Street West and west to University Avenue. Alternatively, you can take the subway from Union to Osgoode Station. Visit GoTransit.com for more information.

Yes. The National Ballet of Canada is committed to honouring its performance schedule and all performances proceed as scheduled, despite weather conditions and traffic delays.

If travelling to the theatre in inclement weather, please allow plenty of extra time and check the TTC or GO Transit for delays and updates.

The National Ballet regrets that tickets not used due to inclement weather, traffic delays or TTC closures cannot be refunded or exchanged.

For an up-to-date list of transit delays, please visit please ttc.ca or gotransit.ca.

All sales are final with no refunds. However, let us know up to 24 hours prior to a performance and we can exchange your tickets at a cost of $10 per ticket (exchanges are FREE for Subscribers).

Contact Audience and Donor Services at 416 (1 866) 345 9595 and provide your order number, which can be found on the right side of your printed or digital ticket, or on your order confirmation. Tickets may be exchanged up to 24 hours before your original performance date.

Subscribers are welcome to exchange tickets throughout the season free of charge.

Single ticket buyers can exchange their tickets, subject to a $10 per ticket exchange fee. Requests must be received 24 hours prior to the performance. Requests to upgrade to a different price zone will be charged at the time of the exchange.

Become a Subscriber

If you’re unable to attend your performance or exchange to an alternate date, you can donate back your tickets and get a tax receipt in the full amount. We are happy to issue a tax receipt for any value over $20. Contact Audience and Donor Services at 416 (1 866) 345 9595.

Yes but for the sake of our dancers and other audience members, latecomers will be seated only during a suitable break in the performance, so please be sure to give yourself enough time to get to the theatre.

Ticket prices are all inclusive and include a $2.00 Creative Capital Fund fee, 13% HST, $4.50 for Capital Improvement Fund and a $0.25 digital fee.

We welcome children who are old enough to enjoy The National Ballet of Canada's performances, however some of our productions may not be enjoyable for young children.

A child is considered aged two to 13, however we recommend that ballet performances are not suitable for most children under five. Babes in arms, or children under two years of age will not be admitted to performances.

We encourage questions with regard to the suitability of a performance prior to purchasing a ticket for a child and our Audience and Donor Services staff would be happy to advise you. Please call us at 416 (1 866) 345 9595 or email info@national.ballet.ca.

All patrons, including children, must have a ticket to enter the theatre; children must be seated beside the accompanying adult.

A child must be able to sit quietly and not disrupt the performance and other patrons.

Out of respect to our artists and other audience members, re-entry to the auditorium during the performance is not permitted. Please remain in your seat until the intermission or the end of the performance. If you must leave the auditorium during the performance, you can watch the performance on the TV screen in the Richard Bradshaw Auditorium and return to your seat after the intermission.

No! The National Ballet of Canada is the only official seller of National Ballet tickets and we do not authorize the selling of our tickets through third party vendors.

For all National Ballet performances, the only official website for tickets is national.ballet.ca. Customers will never be directed to another website to purchase tickets.

If you purchase at any other vendor, your tickets may be counterfeit. The National Ballet is not responsible for tickets purchased through any other means than our website or box office.

For the safety of our artists and the enjoyment of your fellow audience members, the capture of photographs and video during the performance is not permitted. However, you are welcome to take photographs of the curtain call.