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Oboist Luca Ortolani wins NACO Bursary Competition
April 9, 2024In an exciting weekend of spirited competition, a talented group of emerging musicians gathered on the University of Ottawa campus for the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s Bursary Competition. The competition, held from April 5 to 7, 2024, welcomed 16 aspiring brass and wind players, aged…
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Inner Elder: A journey of resilience through laughter
March 28, 2024Gemini Award-winner Michelle Thrush unveils her life with remarkable honesty and humour in her one-woman show, Inner Elder, arriving at the National Arts Centre from April 11-13. A comedy born from real-life challenges Michelle Thrush embraces the inherent vulnerability in presenting her…
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Sustaining artistic risk
March 18, 2024The Creation Fund’s tag line is We fund risk. Artistic creation is inherently risky, conjuring creative and logistical ingredients together in entirely new ways, all driven by the question “What if...?” One of the beautiful/infuriating truths about artistic creation is that there is no…
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The Spirit Horse Returns: A Fun Afternoon of Artmaking with Rhonda Snow
March 14, 2024The NAC’s Canal Lobby was a creative playground for audience members of all ages on February 11, preceding the NAC Orchestra and NAC Indigenous Theatre’s sold-out performance of The Spirit Horse Returns. Anishinaabe artist and Ojibwe horse breed expert Rhonda Snow delighted patrons with…
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Championing Francophone creativity
March 14, 2024In recent months, the National Creation Fund, fuelled by donors, has played a pivotal role in amplifying the voices of Quebec artists and propelling their creative endeavors to new heights. Projet Polytechnique Since November, the documentary theatre company Porte Parole has been touring…
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Celebration and joy at heart of Allison Russell’s new album
March 5, 2024The Montreal singer, songwriter, poet, activist and multi-instrumentalist comes to the NAC for the first time Allison Russell is making serious waves in Canada and the US. In 2023, she released her second album The Returner, which made Obama’s top album list of the year. Her single “Eve…
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Mois de la Francophonie: Acadie in the spotlight at the NAC
February 29, 2024The Kipnes Lantern takes on a distinctly Acadian flair for Lisa LeBlanc’s collaboration with the NAC Orchestra After Lisa LeBlanc’s latest album, Chiac Disco, was shortlisted for a prestigious Polaris Music Prize (having already won two ADISQ Félix awards for album production of the year…
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Jah’Mila brings her reggae roots to the classroom
February 27, 2024Dartmouth-area students get the full, immersive musical experience February is already off to a good start for students with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE). On February 1, 2024, Jamaica-born singer-songwriter Jah’Mila and her bandmates came to Woodlawn High to give lucky…
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Celebrating Canadian talent: Announcing the GGPAA laureates
February 22, 2024Join us in celebrating this year’s recipients of Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts! The 2024 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA) for Lifetime Artistic Achievement recognize artists who have made an indelible contribution to cultural life in Canada and around the…
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The search is on! NACO seeking first Resident Conductor
February 22, 2024You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience... Imagine navigating this dilemma in the intricate world of orchestral conducting! With limited opportunities and a unique set of challenges, aspiring conductors face a musical catch-22 in the pursuit of their…
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Inspiring inclusion on International Women’s Day
February 20, 2024On March 8, the National Arts Centre celebrates the strength, resilience, and brilliance of women on its stages and in its kitchen for International Women’s Day. Ladies Who Lunch We welcome a new Resident Chef in March. Amanda Ray, the culinary virtuoso steering the kitchens of Drake…
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The body speaks: Naishi Wang and Jean Abreu’s Deciphers
February 19, 2024The seeds of Deciphers were sown during the pandemic. At a time when many sought new ways to connect amid isolation, contemporary dance artists Naishi Wang and Jean Abreu explored these same emotions through their experiences as immigrants. As Anya Wassenberg from Ludwig Van Toronto,…
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The NAC returns to the Salon du livre de l’Outaouais
February 8, 2024We are pleased to be partnering with the Salon du livre de l’Outaouais for the first time since 2020, when the pandemic forced the collaboration to be put on hold. There’s a full schedule of events planned for this important cultural landmark, which will be taking place from February 22 to…
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Investing in creativity and new beginnings
February 8, 2024Is there such a thing as a true beginning? Whether we’re talking about the start of a year, a new creation, or – in my case – a job, the word beginning can feel not quite right. For example, does creation begin with the spark of an idea, the first time you describe a concept to someone…
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What is a Spirit Horse?
February 7, 2024The NAC Orchestra and NAC Indigenous Theatre join forces to present The Spirit Horse Returns in Southam Hall Do you know about Spirit Horses? They are small Indigenous horses that used to live alongside First Nations throughout the Boreal forests of Canada and the United States. Ken…