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Home > Hancher > Royal Winnipeg Ballet

Program - Royal Winnipeg Ballet (February 11, 2006)

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. The Magic Flute
  3. About Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet
  4. About the Artists

Introduction

Under the distinguished Patronage of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M, C.D., Governor General of Canada.

Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet

Dancers

Notes

Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet enjoys working arrangements with Canadian Actors' Equity Association, the American Federation of Musicians, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the American Guild of Musical Artists.

All lighting supervised by Robert Mravnik. All costumes executed in the RWB Wardrobe Department under the supervision of Anne Armit.

Any filming, videotaping, photographing or sound recording without written permission from the management of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet is strictly prohibited.

We are pleased to receive your letters, comments or questions at Communications Department, Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, 380 Graham Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 4K2.

Exclusive Tour Representation
Rena Shagan Associates, Inc.
16A West 88th Street
New York NY 10024
Tel. 212/873-9700
Fax. 212/873-1708
shaganarts.com

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The Magic Flute

This production includes theatrical fog and pyrotechnics including "sparks, smoke and bangs" as well as strobe light effects.

World Premiere (Royal Winnipeg Ballet): October 22, 2003.

The music recording is by Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, Conductor. Distributed by Philips Classics Productions.

Cast of Characters

Soloists

Characters

Tamino. Our male hero who is asked by the Queen of the Night to rescue her kidnapped daughter Pamina from her estranged husband, Sarastro. As he stands for nothing, he is vulnerable to fall for anything and becomes embroiled in the Queen's dark plan. Tamino falls in love at first sight with Pamina's picture. To help him in his journey to find her, he is bestowed with a magic flute and accompanied by Papageno, a servant of the Queen. Knowingly he searches for his true love and unknowingly he seeks to understand his purpose in life.

Pamina. Daughter of estranged Sarastro and the Queen of the Night. Taken away by her father, Pamina becomes the most adept student of her father's spiritual teachings. Upon seeing a photo of her rescuer, Pamina too falls instantly in love with Tamino. Jealous of Pamina's affection for Tamino, fellow student Monostatos tries to ruin their connection by telling Sarastro of her indiscretions. Sarastro tries to convince his daughter to stay true to her vows of monastic life. Pamina, wanting to explore the world outside, argues with her over-protective father to set her free.

Papageno. The weak-willed Papageno, a simple servant of the Queen, quickly falls for the lovely Papagena and then just as quickly becomes enticed away by the Queen's sexy Glamazons. Paired with Tamino and given a magical music box, he sets out on this mission of rescue. Although indelibly helpful in reuniting Tamino and Pamina, he's forever tempted by other women and is put to a final test to see if he can remain faithful to his true love, Papagena.

Papagena. The love interest of Papageno who rightfully has no patience for her suitor's wondering eye. She leaves brokenhearted, exhausted with his habitual infidelity, though gives him the opportunity to redeem himself once Papageno realizes the mistake he has made in losing her.

Queen of the Night. Divorced from the domineering Sarastro she appeals to Tamino to rescue the kidnapped Pamina. Presenting a picture locket to help Tamino identify her, one look at his rapturous gaze on her daughter's likeness and she knows he will be easily manipulated into this ancient quarrel with her husband. Orchestrating the plan for Tamino to rescue Pamina, it is uncertain if her intentions are for good or evil. It soon becomes clear that she will stop at nothing to enlist anyone, including her daughter, to execute her plan of revenge against Sarastro.

Sarastro. Pamina's father who has taken his daughter in hopes of raising her as he sees fit and protecting her from the Queen of the Night. The High Priest of his order, he is the spiritual teacher for his daughter and his Flock. Sarastro crosses paths with Tamino before he meets Pamina and becomes essential in helping the young man realize his purpose in life. Although disappointed with his daughter's will to leave the Flock and be with Tamino, Sarastro continues to impart his wisdom on Pamina, Tamino, Monostatos and even the Queen of the Night by teaching them forgiveness.

Monostatos. Sarastro's keenest student who is constantly outdone by Pamina's wisdom. Frustrated and jealous of her innate talents, he vigilantly waits for her to fail. Upon discovering her indiscretions with Tamino, Monostatos flees to tell Sarastro about his daughter's disloyalty. Resentful towards Pamina, he attacks her and Sarastro banishes him from the Flock. He then falls into the insidious plans of the Queen.

Glamazons. The three irresistible sirens who tempt Papageno and challenge Tamino during their journey.

The Flock. The disciples of Sarastro who study his spiritual teachings.

The Navigators. The three guides who not only help Tamino and Papageno in their journey, but also bestow them with a magic flute and music box for the challenges they will face.

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About Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet

"The company has never looked more resplendent, more assured, or more ravishing... a triumph for the indefatigable prairie troupe, a jewel box of sumptuous dancing...at every moment, the energy and youth radiating from the stage is palpable." (The Vancouver Sun)

Versatility, technical excellence and a captivating style are the trademarks of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, qualities that have garnered both critical and audience acclaim. These qualities keep the RWB in demand as it presents more than 150 performances every season.

Founded in 1939 by Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet holds the double distinction of being Canada's premier ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America. In 1953, the company received its royal title, the first granted under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1958, Arnold Spohr was appointed artistic director. Under his direction the Royal Winnipeg Ballet grew and developed to take its place among the world's internationally renowned companies. To further the company's development, a professional school was created in 1970 under the direction of David Moroni. Today two-thirds of the company's dancers are graduates of the school.

In 1988, Mr. Spohr turned his position over to Henny Jurriens. Tragically, Jurriens and his wife lost their lives in an automobile accident on April 9, 1989. On February 2, 1990, during the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's 50th anniversary season, John Meehan, former principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, was appointed artistic director. Mr. Meehan resigned during the 1992-93 season to return to his home in New York. Former Joffrey Ballet and Twyla Tharp dancer William Whitener served as artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet from 1993 to 1995.

On March 7, 1996, André Lewis was named artistic director of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet. A native of Hull, Québec, Mr. Lewis has maintained a 30 year association with the RWB. He joined the RWB School's Professional Division in 1975, entered the company's corps de ballet in 1979 and was promoted to soloist in 1982. He was asked to join the artistic staff in 1984 and was appointed associate artistic director in 1990. During his tenure as artistic director, Lewis has worked to revitalise the company's repertoire, especially with the commissioning of new full-length ballets such as Dracula and Nutcracker.

The repertoire of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet embraces a wide array of dance styles, which include classical story ballets and an intriguing collection of shorter dances. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet achieves a fine balance between the classical traditions of Europe and the boldness of contemporary ballet, which in turn has produced a unique style.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet began to tour Canada in 1945; it completed its first American tour in 1954. Today, the company spends 20 or more weeks a year on the road, performing in centres large and small. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is compact in size, with 24 dancers, a production crew of seven and a semi-trailer that carries approximately 55,000 pounds of equipment. For full-length ballets, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet travels with two semi-trailers and an expanded company. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet has performed in the United States, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Japan, Asia, Mexico and in every province of Canada.

Throughout its history, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet has been a dance leader, recording innumerable firsts. It developed the concept of the regional ballet festival in the 1940s. It was the first Western company to perform in Cuba after the revolution. It received Gold Medals at the International Ballet Festival in Paris in 1968 and that same year became the first Canadian company to tour Russia and Czechoslovakia.

The RWB opened its 66th season in October with a return of Mark Godden's very popular Dracula in Winnipeg which was then performed on tour in Brandon, Regina, Saskatoon, Medicine Hat and Montréal. In early December the company presented eight shows of our Canadian themed Nutcracker, choreography by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon, in Ottawa followed by seven shows in Winnipeg during the holiday season. Further performances in Ottawa featured Dracula in January followed by an eight-city U.S. tour of Godden's The Magic Flute in February. The Messiah by Mauricio Wainrot, the choreographer of the RWB's much-loved Carmina Burana will premiere in Winnipeg in March before being taken to Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo and Vancouver, British Columbia for nine shows. The season will close with Swan Lake in Winnipeg at the end of April.

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About the Artists

André Lewis (Artistic Director) was named artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in March 1996. It was the fulfilment of a more than two decade long association with the RWB. Born in Hull, Québec, André began his ballet training in Ottawa before entering the RWB School, Professional Division in 1975 under the direction of David Moroni. He joined the company in 1979 and was asked to become a member of the RWB's artistic staff in 1984. Lewis was named associate artistic director in 1990 and interim artistic director in 1995. Since his appointment, Lewis has revitalized the company's repertoire. In 1998, he commissioned Mark Godden's blockbuster production of Dracula and was instrumental in the 1999 creation of a new Nutcracker. In 2001, he commissioned a new version of The Sleeping Beauty, and in 2002 he added André Prokovsky's Anna Karenina. In fall 2003 the company premiered Godden's The Magic Flute, and in 2004 Lewis commissioned Val Caniparoli to create A Cinderella Story.

Mark Godden (Choreographer) is an established internationally known choreographer. Born in the U.S. but now living in Canada, he has created original works for Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre (studio company), Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montréal, Ballet Florida, Compañía National de Danza (Mexico), Ballet Contemporania (Argentina), Ballet Memphis, Alberta Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet British Columbia, BalletMet, American Repertory Ballet and North Carolina Dance Theater.

He is the permanent guest choreographer with the Harid Dance Conservatory, and many of his works have won awards in both Varna, Bulgaria and Helsinki, Finland ballet competitions. His full length Dracula, originally created for the Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, was so successful that a made-for TV film (directed by Guy Maddin) won an Emmy for best performing arts film as well as best choreography in the Monaco Film Festival. His latest full length production, The Magic Flute has gained acclaim from both critics and audiences and has also been produced as a film. Currently Mark is working with Ballet British Columbia (Conversation Piece), Ballet Memphis (Angels in the Architecture) and Milwaukee Ballet (The Magic Flute).

Paul Daigle (Set and Costume Designer) has a first-hand understanding of how to design for dance, since he was a dancer himself not so long ago. "It's not that I set out to please dancers specifically, but I do know what works for them and what doesn't," explains Daigle.

A former student in the Professional Division of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Daigle performed for two seasons with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet before leaving in 1988 to pursue a career in painting, his first love. Raised in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Daigle studied at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design with John Clark before beginning a career in dance at the age of 18.

Daigle has established a very creative and productive relationship with choreographer Mark Godden. Together they have collaborated on a variety of creations for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, including sets and costumes for Sequoia, Godden's 1989 Clifford E. Lee Choreographic Award winning ballet, Godden's two award-winning pas de deux, Myth and La Princesse et le Soldat, as well as Forms of Distinction, Rapsodie espagnole, and seven one-act Godden ballets Symphony No. 1, Angels in the Architecture, Dame aux Fruits, La Folía, A Darkness Between Us, Shepherd's Wake and Miroirs.

Daigle has also created set and costume designs for other ballet companies, including Ballet British Columbia, Ballet Jörgen in Toronto, Alberta Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Compañía Nacional de Danza in Mexico. Recently Mr. Daigle has designed new works by Mark Morris and Kevin O'Day for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens as well as designing the sets and costumes for Alberta Ballet's new Nutcracker.

During the 1997-98 season he redesigned the sets for Antony Tudor's The Leaves Are Fading and the costumes for Paquita. He also collaborated with Mark Godden on two new works, The Rite of Spring and Anywhere But London.

During the 1998/1999 season Daigle designed the scenery and costumes for Mark Godden's first full-length ballet, Dracula, as well as the world premiere of Nina Menon's Drunken Butterflies. He also created new designs for Ballet British Columbia and Alberta Ballet.

Mr. Daigle designed the costumes for the RWB's new Nutcracker, which premiered at Ottawa's National Arts Centre on December 2, 1999. A recent work is the set and costume design for Mark Godden's newest full-length creation, The Magic Flute, which premiered in Winnipeg in October 2003.

Pierre Lavoie (Lighting Designer) has been active in dance since 1982, first in Toronto as stage manager for most of the city's modern dance companies, then in Montréal for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. There he had the great opportunity to work closely with lighting designer Nick Cernovitch. Pierre started designing lights in the ‘90s for Margie Gillis and has since designed every new work in her repertoire. He also creates lights for many independent modern dance artists in Montréal. Pierre's versatility is seen in how easily he can sustain both modern and classical vocabulary.

He has designed to rave reviews the last three mixed program "Festival of New Works" at Alberta Ballet and did with as much success Christopher Wheeldon's Midsummer Night's Dream and Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias for the same company. Pierre has also ventured into the world of music where he has designed the lighting for the last two creations of tango music septet Ensemble Romulo Larréa; Homage to Astor Piazzola and Tango for La Milonga. Pierre has designed the world premiere of Jorma Elo's Sharp Side of Dark for Boston Ballet. He also lit the new production of Jean-Paul Commelin's Cinderella at Milwaukee Ballet.

Previously Pierre has designed for two Royal Winnipeg Ballet productions; Mark Godden's As Above, So Below and André Prokovsky's Anna Karenina. Recent projects include John Alleyne's Scheherazade for Ballet British Columbia and Carmen for Alberta Ballet. When Pierre is not busy designing, he tours with modern dance companies Montréal Danse, Fortier Danse Création and Compagnie Flak amongst others.

Jean-Pierre Côté (Sound Designer), trained as a classical musician, acquired a deeper knowledge of acoustic physics and electronic sound devices by means of computer music. He is sound designer and operator for concerts, dance and theatre. For about 15 years, he has been very active in the fields of avant-garde arts where he develops and uses technologies that help music and sound environments to better serve the show as a whole. He worked, among others, with Carbone 14, Chants libres, Compagnie Flak, Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Montréal danse, the North Carolina Dance Theatre as well as with the Nouvel ensemble moderne (Nem) and the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ).

His realizations range from music creation to live mixing, including soundtrack production, mastering, and the use of high technology systems. His work is often noticed for its rigour as well as his search for innovative ideas. Concerned by the minimum level of quality that an audio system should attain to satisfy the basic needs of the auditory system, he is constantly looking for newly available tools and knowledge.

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