The National Ballet of Canada
2007 / 2008

Rooster & Soldiers' Mass & 24 Preludes

The company premiere of Christopher Bruce's Rooster, set to eight early songs by The Rolling Stones including Sympathy for the Devil, Ruby Tuesday and Paint it Black. The triple bill also includes the company premiere of 24 Preludes by Canadian choreographer Marie Chouinard and the return of Jirí Kylián's Soldiers' Mass, which has not been performed by the company since 1995.

Soldiers' Mass will feature the 24 men of The Mendelssohn Singers, the chamber choir of The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.


 
 
March 2008
  08 Saturday - 7:30PM
09 Sunday - 2:00PM
11 Tuesday - 7:30PM
12 Wednesday - 7:30PM
13 Thursday - 7:30PM
14 Friday - 7:30PM
15 Saturday - 2:00PM
15 Saturday - 7:30PM
16 Sunday - 2:00PM
Rooster

Company Premiere
Set to eight early songs by The Rolling Stones, including their hits Sympathy for the Devil, Ruby Tuesday and Paint it Black, British choreographer Christopher Bruce's Rooster is both an enormously entertaining evocation of the spirit and music of the 1960s and an examination through dance of the rituals and posturings inherent in the game of sexual attraction between men and women.
 

"...fast, furious and wild" Rooster even manages to transcend the music, no small feat." - The Dallas Morning News, 1995

"...a sensation...sex, machismo, parody and deep, deep nostalgia hung in the air." - The Independent, 1992

Soldiers' Mass

Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu composed his Soldiers' Mass at the outbreak of the Second World War as a call to resist the forces of international fascism threatening Europe. Jirí Kylián's 1980 ballet, set to Martinu's work, is a tribute to and remembrance of the young soldiers of all wars who died so that others might live in peace. Central to Kylián's achievement as a choreographer, it is a work of both intense sorrow and profound hope. The National Ballet of Canada's production will feature the 24 men of The Mendelssohn Singers, the chamber choir of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir..

"Every so often, an example of that rare species called a true choreographer does appear on the horizon, and, as obvious this week at the Metropolitan Opera House, that title can be claimed with no trouble by Jirí Kylián...[Soldiers' Mass is] a ballet that moves the mind and the heart." - The New York Times, 1981

"It is a powerful ballet, building constantly to an unforgettable and haunting end, driven into an altered state of throat-binding beauty when the dancers briefly lend their own voices to those of...the COC chorus." - The Toronto Sun, 1995

"The male ensemble commanded the stage throughout fast-moving patters and shifts, and never lost the momentum building in the underlying movement, texts and music. With Soldiers' Mass, the National Ballet has added a splendid work to its repertoire." - The Globe and Mail, 1995

24 Preludes

Company Premiere
Frédéric Chopin's famous piano Preludes are works at once rigorous in structure yet highly romantic in spirit. In her 1999 work 24 Preludes, the renowned Québec choreographer Marie Chouinard explores this tension between the formal and the emotional, articulating in her distinctive dance style the rich variety of tone and complexity of feeling in these extraordinary pieces.

"24 Preludes...is a strikingly plotted exploration of music...Provocatively and methodically, Ms. Chouinard works against the traditional music-appreciation associations of each prelude. No sylphides or raindrop images here, just highly articulate bodies that have something of the animal and vegetable about them in their feline slink, birdlike flutter and blooming shapes." - The New York Times, 2003

"24 Preludes is a memorable evening of dance, full of evocative teableaux and emotional messages." - The Boston Globe, 2003
Groups of ten or more save 20% off regular ticket prices.

Prices

Section
Single Ticket Prices
Group Ticket Prices
Orchestra 1.1 $155.00 $125.00
Orchestra 1.2 $135.00 $109.00
Grand Ring $200.00 $161.00
Ring 3 $120.00 $97.00
Ring 4 $85.00 $69.00
Ring 5.1 $55.00 $45.00
Ring 5.2 $45.00 $37.00

* Minimum 10 tickets
Service Charges: Number of tickets:
10 - 49: $10.00
50 - 99: $20.00
100+: $25.00
The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Located at 145 Queen St. W., on a full city block bordered by University Avenue, Queen, Richmond and York streets. The main entrance is at the southeast corner of Queen and University. There is a direct entrance to the centre from the parking garage.

Parking: There is parking for approximately 200 vehicles underneath the building. The parking entrance is on York Street, south of Queen Street.
 
Please note that traffic on York Street is now two-way between Queen and Richmond streets. Additional parking for all events is just steps away at the GREEN P lot under Nathan Phillips Square. For directions, visit www.greenp.com.

Subway Entrance: NOW OPEN! Direct stair and elevator access into the building is available via the southeast exit of Osgoode Subway Station.

Passenger Pick-Up and Drop-Off: Beginning in early 2007, the designated drop-off area will be on the east side of University Avenue between Richmond and Queen streets.

Directions:
From West (Detroit, London, Airport): Take Highway 401 East to Highway 427 South. Proceed to Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW). Take QEW East to Gardiner Expressway. Exit at York Street and proceed north to Richmond Street West. Turn left on Richmond Street to University Avenue. Turn right on University Avenue and the Four Seasons Centre is located on the right-hand side (southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street).

From East (Montreal, Kingston): Follow Highway 401 West to the Don Valley Parkway (DVP). Take DVP south to Richmond Street exit. Head west on Richmond Street to University Avenue. Turn right on University Avenue and the Four Seasons Centre is located on the right-hand side (southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street).

From North (Barrie, Sudbury): Take Highway 400 south to Highway 401 East to Don Valley Parkway (DVP) and then south on the DVP. Exit at Richmond Street. Head west on Richmond Street to University Avenue. Turn right on University Avenue and the Four Seasons Centre is located on the right-hand side (southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street).

From South (Niagara Falls, Buffalo): Take Queen Elizabeth Way East to Gardiner Expressway. Exit at York Street and proceed north to Richmond Street West. Turn left on Richmond Street to University Avenue. Turn right on University Avenue and the Four Seasons Centre is located on the right-hand side (southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street.
1. Is there parking nearby?
There is parking for approximately 200 vehicles underneath the Four Season Centre building. The parking entrance is on York Street, south of Queen Street. Please note that traffic on York Street is now two-way between Queen and Richmond streets. Additional parking for all events is just steps away at the GREEN P lot under Nathan Phillips Square. For directions, visit www.greenp.com.

2. Can my group attend a ballet talk before the performance?
Yes, 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.
Groups of ten or more save 20% off regular ticket prices.

• One complimentary ticket per ten paid tickets (to a maximum of 4) on all orders received a   minimum of one week prior to the performances.
• Low handling fee of $10 for groups of 10 – 49, $20 for groups of 50-99 and $25 for groups of 100   or more.
• For orders placed more than a month in advance, a non-refundable deposit of 20% and the   handling fee is due within 5 business days of booking.
• Full payment is required immediately on any orders booked less than 30 days prior to the show   date requested.
• Final Payment: The balance is due 30 days prior to show date on advance orders. If not received   by due date, seats will be released without notice. Deposit and handling fee will be forfeited to The   National Ballet of Canada.
• Our Group Sales Representatives work with you to get the best seats available in your desired   price range. The earlier you book, the better your chance of getting excellent seats.

Note: All sales are final. There are no exchanges or refunds.




Click below for a more detailed PDF of the Four Seasons seating map
Section Seating Map ( Adobe Reader Required )
Orchestra View
Grand Ring View
Ring 3 View
Ring 4 View
Ring 5 View