Casting Announced for National Ballet's THE WINTER's TALE

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada today announced the principal casting for The Winter's Tale by Christopher Wheeldon. A co-production with The Royal Ballet (UK), The Winter's Tale opens the National Ballet's 2017/18 season on November 10, 2017 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.

The opening night cast will feature Principal Dancer Piotr Stanczyk and First Soloist Hannah Fischer who reprise the lead roles of Leontes and Hermione. Performing the roles of Perdita and Florizel will be Principal Dancers Jillian Vanstone and Naoya Ebe. Principal Dancers Harrison James and Xiao Nan Yu will dance the roles of Polixenes and Paulina.

Reprising the role of Leontes will be Principal Dancers Guillaume Côté and Evan McKie, with Mr. James making his debut. Principal Dancers Jurgita Dronina, Heather Ogden and Sonia Rodriguez will dance the role of Hermione.

The role of Perdita will also be performed by Principal Dancer Elena Lobsanova and Second Soloist Rui Huang, with First Soloist Tina Pereira making her debut in the role. First Soloists Skylar Campbell, Francesco Gabriele Frola and Dylan Tedaldi will dance the role of Florizel. First Soloist Brendan Saye and Second Soloist Félix Paquet will perform the role of Polixenes. Principal Dancer Svetlana Lunkina and First Soloist Tanya Howard will dance the role of Paulina and Principal Dancer Greta Hodgkinson will make her debut in the role.

The National Ballet of Canada's most recent collaboration with The Royal Ballet saw dancers from each company perform The Dreamers Ever Leave You by Choreographic Associate Robert Binet to sold-out audiences at The Printworks, Canada Water in London, October 12 - 13, 2017. The Winter's Tale is the second co-production between the National Ballet and The Royal Ballet, the first being the smash hit Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Based on the play by Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale is a story of loss and redemption, a meditation on love, jealousy and the nature of family. Combining elements of fairy tale, comedy, tragedy and fantasy, The Winter's Tale, by renowned British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, features an original score by Joby Talbot, designs by Bob Crowley and lighting by Natasha Katz.

Casting

Leontes
Piotr Stanczyk (November 10, 15 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Evan McKie (November 11, 17 at 7:30 pm/November 16 at 2:00 pm)
Guillaume Côté (November 12 at 2:00 pm/November 18 At 7:30 pm)
Harrison James* (November 16 at 7:30 pm/November 19 at 2:00 pm)

Hermione
Hannah Fischer (November 10, 15 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Jurgita Dronina (November 11, 17 at 7:30 pm/November 16 at 2:00 pm)
Heather Ogden (November 12 at 2:00 pm/November 18 at 7:30 pm)
Sonia Rodriguez (November 16 at 7:30 pm/November 19 at 2:00 pm)

Perdita
Jillian Vanstone (November 10, 15 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Elena Lobsanova (November 11, 17 at 7:30 pm/November 16 at 2:00 pm)
Rui Huang (November 12 at 2:00 pm/November 18 at 7:30 pm)
Tina Pereira* (November 16 at 7:30 pm/November 19 at 2:00 pm)

Florizel
Naoya Ebe (November 10, 15 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Francesco Gabriele Frola (November 11, 17 at 7:30 pm/November 16 at 2:00 pm)
Skylar Campbell (November 12 at 2:00 pm/November 18 at 7:30 pm)
Dylan Tedaldi (November 16 at 7:30 pm/November 19 at 2:00 pm)

Polixenes
Harrison James (November 10, 15 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Brendan Saye (November 11, 17, 18 at 7:30 pm/November 12, 16 at 2:00 pm)
Félix Paquet (November 16 at 7:30 pm/November 19 at 2:00 pm)

Paulina
Xiao Nan Yu (November 10, 15 at 7:30 pm/November 18 at 2:00 pm)
Svetlana Lunkina (November 11, 17 at 7:30 pm/November 16 at 2:00 pm)
Greta Hodgkinson* (November 12 at 2:00 pm/November 18 at 7:30 pm)
Tanya Howard (November 16 at 7:30 pm/November 19 at 2:00 pm)

*Debut