ANNA KARENINA Principal Casting Announced At National Ballet of Canada

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced the principal casting for the North American premiere of John Neumeier's Anna Karenina. The first co-operation between The National Ballet of Canada, The Hamburg Ballet and The Bolshoi Ballet, Anna Karenina is inspired by Leo Tolstoy's great masterpiece and opens the National Ballet's 2018/19 season November 10 - 18, 2018 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. #AnnaKareninaNBC

As previously announced, Principal Dancers Svetlana Lunkina, Heather Ogden and Sonia Rodriguez will make their debuts in the title role as Anna Karenina. Debuting in the role of Alexei Vronsky are Principal Dancers Harrison James, Guillaume Côté and Naoya Ebe. Principal Dancers Piotr Stanczyk and Evan McKie and First Soloist Brendan Saye will debut as Alexei Karenin.

The 2018/19 season marks Ms.Ogden's 20th anniversary with the company and she will be honoured during the November 15, 2018 performance of Anna Karenina at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Set to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Alfred Schnittke and Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, the ballet has been hailed "an Anna Karenina for our times" (NPR) following acclaimed performances in Hamburg and Moscow.

Prior to the Thursday, November 15, 2018 matinee performance of Anna Karenina, a special Ballet Talk with Principal Dancer Xiao Nan Yu and former dance critic John Coulbourn will take place in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Ms. Yu, who retires at the send of the 2018/19 season, will reflect on the past 22 years dancing with the National Ballet. The talk will begin at 1:15 pm and is free to all ticket holders.

Principal Casting

Anna Karenina
Svetlana Lunkina (November 10, 14, 16 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Heather Ogden (November 11 at 2:00 pm/November 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Sonia Rodriguez (November 13 at 7:30 pm/November 15, 17 at 2:00 pm)

Alexei Vronsky
Harrison James (November 10, 14, 16 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Guillaume Côté (November 11 at 2:00 pm/November 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Naoya Ebe (November 13 at 7:30 pm/November 15, 17 at 2:00 pm)

Alexei Karenin
Piotr Stanczyk (November 10, 14, 16 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Evan McKie (November 11 at 2:00 pm/November 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Brendan Saye (November 13 at 7:30 pm/November 15, 17 at 2:00 pm)

Levin
Skylar Campbell (November 10, 14, 16 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Félix Paquet (November 11 at 2:00 pm/November 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Kota Sato (November 13 at 7:30 pm/November 15, 17 at 2:00 pm)

Kitty
Meghan Pugh (November 10, 14, 16 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Antonella Martinelli (November 11 at 2:00 pm/November 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Calley Skalnik (November 13 at 7:30 pm/November 15, 17 at 2:00 pm)

Dolly
Xiao Nan Yu (November 10, 14, 16 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Chelsy Meiss (November 11 at 2:00 pm/November 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Jenna Savella (November 13 at 7:30 pm/November 15, 17 at 2:00 pm)

Stiva
Naoya Ebe (November 10, 14, 16 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Ethan Watts (November 11 at 2:00 pm/November 15, 17 at 7:30 pm)
Christopher Gerty (November 13 at 7:30 pm/November 15, 17 at 2:00 pm)

All casting is subject to change.

More Information About Anna Karenina >