3 replies to this topic

[Paquita]

Big news from the NBoC today:


Karen Kain has announced the 2008-2009 Season.
(Check out the website for some beautiful new performance and rehearsal photos for the 2008-2009 repertoire).


FALL
In the Upper Room & Symphony in C
The Seagull (Neumeier)

WINTER
3 world premieres by Sabrina Matthews, Peter Quanz, and Crystal Pite (no details about music, titles, etc.)
Romeo and Juliet (Cranko)
+ Erik Bruhn Prize

SPRING
Giselle
Carmen (Davide Bombana) & Skin Divers (Dominique Dumais)
+ Romeo and Juliet in Ottawa April 2009

There's a *lot* a new works in there! Symphony in C was just done last year, but always enjoyable! It seems that "Giselle" and "R&J" will anchor the season in terms of ticket sales. I'm not very familiar with Davide Bombana's work, so I will have to look more into that. I'm already looking forward to the Bruhn Prize. It's always such a treat!

It was also just announced that principal dancer Jennifer Fournier will retire at the end of the 2007-2008 season in June. The press release is here. It will be nice to see her in Cinderella this spring one last time (she created the role of one of the stepsisters). She will be missed!

[Paquita]

In 2009, a choreographic component will be introduced to the Erik Bruhn Prize. Each company will not only send a female and a male dancer, but also commission a new work (companies have done this in the past for the contemporary section, but it was never a requirement). Separate awards (a cash prize) will be given for best male dancer, best female dancer, and for the first time, best choreographer.

(This information is from a video of the press release here.)

[Leigh Witchel]

God forbid they offered a prize for best new classical choreography.

[kfw]

Browsing in a bookstore this morning I saw that Jennifer Fournier is on the cover of the summer issue of Dance International. Her farewell performances begin tonight, in Ashton's "Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan," and she has been coached by Lynn Seymour. As reported in The Hamilton Spectator, the collaboration has been a happy one.

The dramatic dancer loved the way Fournier approached her art. She passed on precious secrets -- plus a red fox fur.

"Now, how sweet was that? Everybody told me she was a wild child.

"To me, she was calm and gracious, someone who really looked at me and saw me as I am. That just mattered so much."

I remember Fournier from performances in Apollo and Tzigane with Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and I imagine she'll be lovely and fascinating in this piece. Whoever is able to see one of these performances, I hope you'll post!