The websites of Toronto’s major arts organizations have come a long, long way and the National Ballet of Canada is no exception. With performance videos, ballet notes, interviews and behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage, the site is a multimedia feast for ballet fans. I’m especially impressed with the National’s blog, Backstage Pass, which provides lots of insider dish, even photos of newly arrived ballerina babies. If you’re a season subscriber, this site should definitely be in your list of web “favorites”.
Remember those adorable little lambs I featured in my Nutcracker post back in December? Backstage Pass reveals that one of the girls is Ava, daughter of principal ballerina Xiao Nan Yu, below left, and another is Michaela, little sister of Elizabeth Marrable, who danced the role of the Snow Maiden.
Yesterday, the National Ballet announced its lineup for the 2010/11 season; it’s a mostly modern affair featuring the company’s first co-pro with Britain’s Royal Ballet of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (composed by Joby Talbot). Rock band the White Stripes have written the music for another contemporary piece, Chroma from British choreographer Wayne McGregor, part of a mixed program with George Balanchine’s Serenade and Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite’s Emergence. The winter season features a program of Russian Seasons by Moscow choreographer Alexei Ratmansky paired with Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Apollo. Other 20th century offerings include Twyla Tharp’s In The Upper Room, along with Maurice Béjart’s Song of the Wayfarer and Balanchine’s Mozartiana. James Kudelka’s Cinderella returns as does Don Quixote and of course, The Nutcracker, which reached the $3 million sales plateau for the first time in 2009/10.
Photos: Top pic by Cylla von Tiedemann; Xiao Nan Yu and Ava by Catherine Chang; Elizabeth Marrable and Michaela by Wendy Liebner.
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