The National Arts Center (NAC) in Ottawa has just revealed the programming for its next season. We will guide you through the many offers that will punctuate your artistic and cultural evenings from the fall. A hypnotic dance show, a play and committed musical creation, a series of concerts building bridges between classical and contemporary composers, as well as a monument of song. Here are five events (and more!) not to be missed.
NAC Dance
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To the music of Ravel’s “Boléro”, Ballet BC’s “BOLERO X” brings together 50 performers on stage.
Photo: Michael Slobodian
Invited for the first time to perform with an orchestra, the Vancouver company Ballet BC will perform in the prestigious Southam Hall of CNA.
In addition to the room Chamber by the French choreographer and artistic director of Ballet BC, Medhi Walerski, we can discover the hypnotic creation BOLERO X by rising Israeli choreographer Shahar Binyamini.
On stage, 50 performers embrace the power of repetition for a choreography as hypnotic as Maurice Ravel’s famous score.
A new surprise creation is added to these two proposals to complete this triple program presented on October 17 and 18.
Other upcoming dance shows
The next season is the first signed by the general producer of Danse CNA, Caroline Ohrt. In addition to Ballet classics like Giselle and the essential of the holiday season, the Nutcrackerof the Grands Ballets Canadiens, several contemporary creations, both Canadian and international, will be presented. Note that the show Murmuring from the Montreal company Le Patin Libre, will move away from the walls of CNA to take up residence, in March 2025, in Gatineau, at the Stade-Pierre-Lafontaine arena.
Indigenous theater
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The multidisciplinary artist of Anishinabe origin Émilie Monnet is one of the performers in the play “Marguerite: le feu”, for which she also wrote the text.
Photo: Pascale Gely
This fall will mark the fifth anniversary of Indigenous Theater. For the first time, the programming of the youngest artistic component of the CNA includes a French-language play.
Signed by the author, director and actress from the region Émilie Monnet, Daisy : THE fire revolves around the historical character of Marguerite Duplessis, an indigenous slave who claimed responsibility in the 18e century his right to freedom during a trial that went down in history.
Presented last summer at the Avignon Festival, the play will be presented in June 2025 at the Babs Asper Theater.
Other upcoming Indigenous Theater shows
The other plays on display multiply the stage and theater approaches (The Secret to Good Tea) to the dance (Raven Mother), an award-winning multimedia production (Homelands) to the musical, with the revival of the show Bear Grease, a pastiche of the film Grease served by indigenous artists.
French theater
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Safia Nolin is both performer and subject of the play “Surveillée et punie”.
Photo: Kelly Jacob
Every season I try to [programmer] plays that allow us to better understand the times in which we live
summarizes the artistic director of the French Theater, Mani Soleymanlou, to explain his artistic choices.
Reflection of our society and favorite of Mani Soleymanlou, the musical piece Monitored and punishedis among the French Theater’s upcoming programming and will be on display in November.
Directed by Philippe Cyr, this powerful theatrical object
according to the artistic director, dissects the wave of intimidation suffered by singer Safia Nolin.
Through art and theater, we respond to this collective hatred and to this era which, because of social networks, conveys quite astonishing violence
argues Mani Soleymanlou.
On stage, we find Safia Nolin, the actress Debbie Lynch-White, as well as a choir of 25 singers.
Other upcoming French Theater shows
At the beginning of September, the only representation of The crossing of the century , a river show dedicated to the work of Michel Tremblay, is already sold out. Other proposals await you, from the feminist rereading of the tale Skin donkey to the six shows programmed for young spectators, from the play Classic(s)directed by Mani Soleymanlou in the offbeat fable devoted to the figure of Christ (The Rise of the BlingBling).
Orchestra
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NACO Music Director Alexander Shelley is preparing to celebrate his 10th season at the helm of the symphony orchestra.
Photo: Curtis Perry
The next season will be 10e by Music Director of the National Arts Center Orchestra (NACO) Alexander Shelley. The conductor continues his proposals in the same vein as that dictated at the tip of his baton for a decade.
Alexander Shelley will notably present new works by contemporary Canadian composers, specially created at the request of the CNA.
The pieces by Ian Cusson, Alexina Louie and John Estacio will respond to three works by German musician Richard Strauss, respectively Thus spoke Zarathustra , The Knight of the RoseAnd Till the Mischievous .
To the concerts planned for January and June 2025, an album will be added which will unite the music of Strauss with that created at the request of the CNA composers of the country.
Other concerts of theNACO future
From Beethoven to Mozart, from Brahms to Mendelssohn, many classical composers punctuate the next program of theNACO. Proposals more anchored in popular culture will also be there, such as the concert dedicated to the soundtrack of the video game Final Fantasy and film screenings like ANDthe extraterrestrial to the sound of the symphony orchestra.
Popular music and varieties
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American singer Graham Nash will perform on October 9 at the NAC’s Babs Asper Theatre.
Photo: Amy Grantham
The popular music and variety section of the CNA also promises great encounters with the public. On October 9, spectators will be able to applaud American singer Graham Nash.
Grammy winner, two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, member of the trio Crosby, Stills & Nashthe legendary interpreter of Prison Song And Just has Song Before IGo will come and offer a singing tour from the top of his 82 springs.
Other upcoming concerts
Indigenous artist Jeremy Dutcher will kick off the season. The concerts will continue with the presence of the rock group Glass Tigersinger Susan Aglukark, choir The Kingdom Choir or even the group Pink Martini, who will celebrate his 30th career. Other artists will be announced soon.
With information from Camille Bourdeau
