The Fiddle and The Drum

& Etudes & the second detail & Five Brahms Waltzes

Anthony Pina and Alberta Ballet Company Artists in The Fiddle and The Drum
Photo Credit

Anthony Pina and Alberta Ballet Company Artists in The Fiddle and The Drum

 

About the Ballets

Music and Visual Design:
Joni Mitchell
Choreography:
Jean Grand-Maître
Lighting Design:
Pierre Lavoie
Costume Design:
Pamela Kaye after Jean Grand-Maître
Make-up Artist:
Bryon Callaghan
Film Editor:
Robert Ivison
The Fiddle and The Drum is presented in partnership with Luminato.
BMO Financial Group is the Presenting Sponsor of The Fiddle and The Drum.
The Fiddle and The Drum will be performed by artists of Alberta Ballet.

The Fiddle and The Drum

Performed by Alberta Ballet

The Fiddle and The Drum is a collaboration between Jean Grand-Maître, Alberta Ballet’s Artistic Director, and renowned singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell. The piece was first performed by Alberta Ballet in February 2007 as one of several pieces in a series entitled Dancing Joni and Other Works.

Performed by 28 dancers from Alberta Ballet, the work features the following songs from Ms. Mitchell's musical repertoire: The Fiddle and The Drum, The Beat of Black Wings, For The Roses, Passion Play, Sex Kills, If I Had a Heart, The Three Great Stimulants, If and Slouching Towards Bethlehem.

The Fiddle and The Drum explores a series of modern themes, including the contemporary follies of mankind, from our aggressive and warring nature to the seemingly unstoppable destruction of our environment. These themes are studied through Ms. Mitchell’s music and artwork and Mr. Grand-Maître’s choreography.

 

Luminato and L'Oréal - Partners in Creativity

 
Choreography:
Harald Lander
Music:
Carl Czerny arranged by Knudage Riisäger
Lighting Design:
Harald Lander
Etudes is a gift from THE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE, THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA.

Etudes

Harald Landers' Etudes is one of the most popular of all ballets, an affectionate and exhilarating tribute to the very art form of classical dance. Using the routine of a ballet class, the work begins with dancers at the barre, and then sees them perform increasingly more difficult and virtuosic exercises, building to a truly rapturous and celebratory climax.

 
Choreography:
William Forsythe
Music:
Thom Willems
Set & Costume Design:
William Forsythe & Issey Miyake
Lighting Design:
William Forsythe
the second detail is a gift from THE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE, THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA.

the second detail

Iconoclast, provocateur, poet of the anti-ballet, William Forsythe has proven himself time and again a master of the deconstructivist mode, all the while forging a choreographic world utterly and distinctively his own. the second detail is quintessential Forsythe, oblique, hard-edged, playful and physical. Bristling with technique and a love of pure movement, it is a work that alters one's very perception of what dance is.

 
Choreography:
Sir Frederick Ashton
Music:
Johannes Brahms
Lighting Design:
Christopher Dennis
Sandra & Jim Pitblado have generously supported this special presentation of Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan.

Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan

Sir Frederick Ashton's Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan is an evocation of the dances of American-born Isadora Duncan. Principal Dancer Jennifer Fournier retires at the end of the 2007/08 season after 22 years with The National Ballet of Canada and will perform the solo in her farewell season.

 

 

 

 

Download 2007/08 Brochure PDF

Download 2008/09 Brochure PDF

Reviews

The Fiddle and The Drum

"The Fiddle and The Drum is uniquely Joni, offering up her music for dance interpretation." - The Toronto Star, 2008

"an inspiration" - The Globe and Mail, 2008

"Potent mix of elegance, energy" - Toronto Sun, 2008

the second detail

"kick-ass choreography with attitude." - The Globe and Mail, 2008

"A riveting revisiting of William Forsythe's the second detail, brilliantly revised since its 1991 premiere, but still a masterpiece." - Toronto Sun, 2008

Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan

"In red hair and flowing dress like flames, she makes history come alive in Frederick Ashton's Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan... Fournier dances it to perfection." - The Toronto Star, 2008

"a beautiful and fitting valedictory to the memorable career of Principal Dancer Jennifer Fournier" - Toronto Sun, 2008

Etudes

"a spellbinding expression of dance artistry." - The Toronto Star, 2008

"outstanding... The glittering ending is Russian imperial style at its most dazzling and difficult, and lead dancers Greta Hodgkinson, Aleksandar Antonijevic and Zdenek Konvalina are magnificent." - The Globe and Mail, 2008

More

Ballet Talks

The National Ballet invites you to attend Ballet Talks 45 minutes before every show. These informative, engaging talks are hosted by a roster of ballet experts and offer interesting insights on the performance you are about to see. The talks are free to all ticket holders and take place in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in the City Room of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Ballet Talks are videotaped on opening night and can be watched on the website the following day.

Ballet Notes

Ballet Notes are in-depth guides to the company's dynamic repertoire featuring interesting articles, historical information and photographs. Ballet Notes are distributed at Ballet Talks or download them here.

Download the Ballet Notes PDF

Casting

The Fiddle and The Drum will be performed by Alberta Ballet.

Principal Casting:

the second detail

Jordana Daumec, Jennifer Fournier, Stephanie Hutchison, Nehemiah Kish, Martin Lindinger, Noah Long, Rebekah Rimsay, Lisa Robinson, Sonia Rodriguez, Je-an Salas, Christopher Stalzer, Piotr Stanczyk, Robert Stephen, Aarik Wells.
(June 13 at 7:30 pm)

Jordana Daumec, Jennifer Fournier, Greta Hodgkinson, Tanya Howard, Nehemiah Kish, Martin Lindinger, Noah Long, Rebekah Rimsay, Lisa Robinson, Je-an Salas, Christopher Stalzer, Piotr Stanczyk, Robert Stephen, Aarik Wells.
(June 14 at 2:00 pm)

Aleksandar Antonijevic, Jordana Daumec, Greta Hodgkinson, Klara Houdet, Tanya Howard, Zdenek Konvalina, Richard Landry, Martin Lindinger, Noah Long, Jonathan Renna, Rebekah Rimsay, Lisa Robinson, Christopher Stalzer, Xiao Nan Yu.
(June 14 at 7:30 pm)

Aleksandar Antonijevic, Jordana Daumec, Julie Hay, Stephanie Hutchison, Zdenek Konvalina, Richard Landry, Martin Lindinger, Marissa Parzei, Jonathan Renna, Rebekah Rimsay, Sonia Rodriguez, Je-an Salas, Christopher Stalzer, Joseph Welbes.
(June 15 at 2:00 pm)

Jordana Daumec, Jennifer Fournier, Stephanie Hutchison, Nehemiah Kish, Martin Lindinger, Noah Long, Heather Ogden, Lisa Robinson, Sonia Rodriguez, Je-an Salas, Christopher Stalzer, Piotr Stanczyk, Robert Stephen, Aarik Wells.
(June 18 at 7:30 pm)

Greta Hodgkinson, Stephanie Hutchison, Nehemiah Kish, Martin Lindinger, Andreea Olteanu, Marissa Parzei, Jonathan Renna, Rebekah Rimsay, Je-an Salas, Christopher Stalzer, Robert Stephen, Joseph Welbes, Aarik Wells, Xiao Nan Yu.
(June 19 at 2:00 pm)

Aleksandar Antonijevic, Julie Hay, Klara Houdet, Tanya Howard, Zdenek Konvalina, Richard Landry, Martin Lindinger, Heather Ogden, Andreea Olteanu, Marissa Parzei, Jonathan Renna, Rebekah Rimsay, Christopher Stalzer, Joseph Welbes.
(June 19 at 7:30 pm)

Aleksandar Antonijevic, Jordana Daumec, Jennifer Fournier, Greta Hodgkinson, Stephanie Hutchison, Zdenek Konvalina, Richard Landry, Martin Lindinger, Noah Long, Lisa Robinson, Sonia Rodriguez, Je-an Salas, Christopher Stalzer, Piotr Stanczyk.
(June 20 at 7:30 pm)

Klara Houdet, Tanya Howard, Nehemiah Kish, Richard Landry, Martin Lindinger, Heather Ogden, Andreea Olteanu, Marissa Parzei, Jonathan Renna, Rebekah Rimsay, Christopher Stalzer, Joseph Welbes, Aarik Wells, Xiao Nan Yu.
(June 21 at 7:30 pm)

Aleksandar Antonijevic, Jordana Daumec, Jennifer Fournier, Greta Hodgkinson, Stephanie Hutchison, Zdenek Konvalina, Martin Lindinger, Noah Long, Lisa Robinson, Sonia Rodriguez, Je-an Salas, Christopher Stalzer, Piotr Stanczyk, Robert Stephen.
(June 22 at 7:30 pm)


Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan

Jennifer Fournier* (All performances)


Etudes

Greta Hodgkinson, Zdenek Konvalina, Aleksandar Antonijevic*
(June 13, 18, 21 at 7:30 pm)

Stacey Shiori Minagawa*, Richard Landry, Keiichi Hirano*
(June 14, 19 at 2:00 pm)

Heather Ogden, Nehemiah Kish*, Piotr Stanczyk
(June 14, 20 at 7:30 pm/June 22 at 2:00 pm)

Xiao Nan Yu*, Piotr Stanczyk, Nehemiah Kish
(June 15 at 2:00 pm/June 19 at 7:30 pm)


* Debuts
All casting subject to change.

Running Times

the second detail 0:22:00
Intermission 0:20:00
Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan 0:9:00
pause 0:03:00
Etudes 0:46:00
Intermission 0:20:00
The Fiddle and The Drum 0:50:00
Total (approx) 2:50:00