Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada revealed the line-up for the company’s 2024-25 season. The year will be marked by a major departure, that of Principal Dancer and Choreographic Associate Guillaume Côté, who will retire after 26 years and a celebrated career.
“Our 2024/25 season demonstrates the artistry and ambition of The National Ballet of Canada today, as we balance our classical legacy with heightened innovation and involvement with the international dance community. I have sought richness and complexity across movement and music, introduced important choreographic voices and new collaborations that extend our creative lineage and, above all, to bring a sense of freshness, familiarity and meaning to our stage.
“This season will mark the farewell of an outstanding artist in Principal Dancer Guillaume Côté. His brilliant international career encompasses multiple areas of the art form, reflecting his unique talent as a performer, choreographer, director, composer and musician. Guillaume retires from the National Ballet this season with an unforgettable legacy and equally bright future,” said Muir in a statement.
Fall 2024
- Canadian premiere of Silent Screen by choreographic duo Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, a theatrical experience set to the music of Philip Glass.
- Canadian premiere Sir Fredrick Ashton’s Rhapsody, part of Ashton Worldwide, an international festival celebrating Ashton on the 120th anniversary of his birth, plus a special solo performance by Guillaume Côté, Body of Work.
- Giselle, part of a long legacy with the company; the NBC has performed Sir Peter Wright’s staging since 1970, set to the music of Adolphe Adam.
- The Nutcracker by James Kudelka, returns over the holiday season to close out the year, including sets and costumes from Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton.
Winter 2025
- A mixed programme featuring the North American premiere of David Dawson’s The Four Seasons, set to Max Richter’s re-composition of Antonio Vivaldi’s music, The Four Seasons; the world premiere of Morpheus’ Dream by German choreographer Marco Goecke with a soundscape by pianist Keith Jarrett, and by Lady Gaga; Antony Tudor’s The Leaves Are Fading in honour of its 50th anniversary.
- Karen Kain’s Swan Lake returns after a successful debut (featured in the 2023 documentary, Swan Song).
Principal Dancer Guillaume Côté says good-bye to the company with a programme devoted to Canadian talent. It includes a multidisciplinary solo, Into the fade, that he performs, and created with long-time collaborator filmmaker Ben Shirinian. He’ll also perform his 2012 work Bolero. The company’s newest Choreographic Associate, Ethan Colangelo and Toronto-born Jennifer Archibald will both be creating new works.
“Although my career with The National Ballet of Canada is ending, I carry with me the most beautiful memories of people, places and moments that have shaped who I am and will stay with me forever. For my final performance, I wanted to work with a very close collaborator, film director Ben Shirinian. Ben and I have worked on many films together including Lost in Motion and Lulu and I thought it would be very special to ask Ben to create a film element as I say farewell,” said Côté.
The North American premiere of Christian Spuck’s alluring Anna Karenina ends the season, with a curated score featuring music by Sergei Rachmaninoff and Witold Lutoslawski.
The NBC On The Road
The National Ballet of Canada will return to Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, U.K. on tour in October 2024.
They’ll bring a mixed program with works by an all-Canadian line-up of choreographers that includes:
- Crystal Pite’s Angels’ Atlas;
- Emma Portner’s islands;
- Passion by James Kudelka.
The company will be making its annual trip east the National Arts Centre in Ottawa from January 30 to February 1, 2025 with Giselle.
More information about the season and subscriptions available [HERE].
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