Ballet News
Be the first to receive all the latest news and videos!
TBD
26 février – 2 mars 2025
Acclaimed creator David Dawson returns to The National Ballet of Canada with the highly anticipated North American premiere of The Four Seasons after the incredible success of his Anima Animus in 2023. Dawson’s supercharged work is complemented by two pieces sharing similar themes of reflection and change: the world premiere of Marco Goecke’s Morpheus’ Dream and Antony Tudor’s The Leaves Are Fading, programmed by Artistic Director Hope Muir to honour the 50th anniversary of the ballet’s creation.
The Four Seasons is a gift 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.
The Leaves are Fading is a gift from The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada.
The Four Seasons is a zeitgeist contemporary ballet from David Dawson that embodies Max Richter’s sublime reimagination of Antonio Vivaldi’s violin concertos, which amplifies their emotional core. Created for Semperoper Ballett in 2018, Dawson’s ballet merges formal precision with a profound journey through the seasons of life in four distinct yet related movements. These are the framework for lives in a constant state of evolution, much like the music, which Richter brings into the present with echoes of the past.
Sultry piano music by Keith Jarrett meets the vocal stylings of Lady Gaga in this edgy duet, which marks The National Ballet of Canada’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.
Savour the poignancy of Antony Tudor’s beloved work about the passage of time, The Leaves Are Fading, not seen on The National Ballet of Canada’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 will be announced in our eNewsletter, Ballet News, and on social media and will be posted here approximately two weeks prior to the opening. Please note, casting is always subject to change.
Be the first to receive all the latest news and videos!
Le Ballet national vous invite à assister au Ballet Talk 45 minutes avant chaque représentation à l’amphithéâtre Richard Bradshaw du Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
Visit our News Hub for a more in-depth look at all of our productions.
Top Photo: Artists of Het Nationale Ballet in The Four Seasons. Photo by Michael Schnater.