National Ballet of Canada Announces Principal Casting for THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced the principal casting for Rudolf Nureyev's landmark production of The Sleeping Beauty. A "grand jewel in The National Ballet of Canada's repertoire" (National Post), The Sleeping Beauty is onstage March 8 - 18, 2018 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Making their debuts as Princess Aurora this season are Principal Dancer Elena Lobsanova and First Soloist Alexandra MacDonald. Debuting in the role of Prince Florimund are First Soloist Brendan Sayeand Corps de Ballet member Peng-Fei Jiang.

The opening night cast will feature Principal Dancers Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côté as Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund. Principal Dancers Jurgita Dronina, who makes her company debut, Svetlana Lunkina, Jillian Vanstone and Xiao Nan Yu will also dance the role of Princess Aurora. Principal Dancers Naoya Ebe, Harrison James and First Soloist Francesco Gabriele Frola will perform the role of Prince Florimund.

Also making debuts this season are First Soloist Emma Hawes as the Principal Fairy, First Soloists Francesco Gabriele Frola, Dylan Tedaldi and Jenna Savella, Second Soloist Rui Huang and Corps de Ballet members Siphesihle November and Miyoko Koyasu in the Bluebird pas de deux, and First Soloist Hannah Fischer, Second Soloist Donald Thom and Corps de Ballet member Christopher Gertyin the Diamond pas de deux, and Principal Character Artist Stephanie Hutchison as Carabosse, the Wicked Fairy.

Nureyev's 1966 adaptation of The Sleeping Beauty was immediately recognized as a landmark interpretation and when he set the work on the National Ballet in 1972, it became one of the most beloved and admired works in the company's repertoire.

Principal Casting

Princess Aurora
Heather Ogden (March 8, 14 at 7:30 pm/March 18 at 2:00 pm)
Svetlana Lunkina (March 9, 15 at 7:30 pm)
Jurgita Dronina† (March 10 at 2:00 pm)
Jillian Vanstone (March 10, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Xiao Nan Yu (March 11 at 2:00 pm/March 16 at 7:30 pm)
Elena Lobsanova* (March 13 at 7:30 pm)
Alexandra MacDonald* (March 17 at 2:00 pm)

Prince Florimund
Guillaume Côté (March 8, 14 at 7:30 pm/March 18 at 2:00 pm)
Harrison James (March 9, 15 at 7:30 pm)
Naoya Ebe (March 10 at 2:00 pm/March 13 at 7:30 pm)
Francesco Gabriele Frola (March 10, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Peng-Fei Jiang* (March 11 at 2:00 pm/March 16 at 7:30 pm)
Brendan Saye* (March 17 at 2:00 pm)

King Florestan
Jonathan Renna (March 8, 10, 13, 14, 17 at 7:30 pm/March 18 at 2:00 pm)
Etienne Lavigne* (March 9, 15, 16 at 7:30 pm/March 10, 11, 17 at 2:00 pm)

Queen
Sophie Letendre+

Catalubutte, Master of Ceremonies
Hazaros Surmeyan (March 8, 10, 13, 14, 17 at 7:30 pm/March 18 at 2:00 pm)
Tomas Schramek (March 9, 15, 16 at 7:30 pm/March 10, 11, 17 at 2:00 pm)

The Lilac Fairy
Tanya Howard (March 8, 10, 14, 16, 17 at 7:30 pm/March 10, 11,17,18 at 2:00 pm)
Stephanie Hutchison (March 9, 13, 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)

Carabosse, the Wicked Fairy
Alejandra Perez-Gomez (March 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17 at 7:30 pm/March 18 at 2:00 pm)
Stephanie Hutchison* (March 10, 11, 17 at 2:00 pm/March 16 at 7:30 pm)

Principal Fairy
Alexandra MacDonald (March 8, 14 at 7:30 pm/March 10 at 2:00 pm)
Hannah Fischer (March 9, 16 at 7:30 pm/ March 11 at 2:00 pm)
Emma Hawes* (March 10, 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Kathryn Hosier (March 13 at 7:30 pm/March 17, 18 at 2:00 pm)

Bluebird
Francesco Gabriele Frola* (March 8, 14 at 7:30 pm)
Skylar Campbell (March 9 at 7:30 pm/March 17 at 2:00 pm)
Kota Sato (March 10 at 2:00 pm/March 13 at 7:30 pm)
Siphesihle November* (March 10, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Naoya Ebe (March 11 at 2:00 pm/March 15 at 7:30 pm)
Dylan Tedaldi* (March 16 at 7:30 pm/March 18 at 2:00 pm)

Princess Florine
Emma Hawes (March 8, 14 at 7:30 pm)
Tina Pereira (March 9 at 7:30 pm/March 17 at 2:00 pm)
Jenna Savella* (March 10 at 2:00 pm/March 13 at 7:30 pm)
Miyoko Koyasu* (March 10, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Jillian Vanstone (March 11 at 2:00 pm/March 15 at 7:30 pm)
Rui Huang* (March 16 at 7:30 pm/March 18 at 2:00 pm)

Diamond Lady
Alexandra MacDonald (March 8, 10 at 7:30 pm)
Hannah Fischer* (March 9, 14, 16, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Chelsy Meiss (March 10, 18 at 2:00 pm /March 13 at 7:30 pm)
Jordana Daumec (March 11,17 at 2:00 pm/March 15 at 7:30 pm)

Diamond Man
Jack Bertinshaw (March 8, 10 at 7:30 pm)
Christopher Gerty* (March 9, 14, 16, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Donald Thom* (March 10, 18 at 2:00 pm /March 13 at 7:30 pm)
Giorgio Galli (March 11,17 at 2:00 pm/March 15 at 7:30 pm)
*Debut †Company Debut +Guest Artist

Jillian Vanstone with Artists of the Ballet in The Sleeping Beauty. Photo by Karolina Kuras.

All casting subject to change.