Tickets for the National Arts Centre Gala with international piano superstar Lang Lang go on sale to the general public at the NAC Box Office on Tuesday May 8. The Box Office is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The National Arts Centre Gala -- benefitting the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust – is delighted to welcome CIBC as the new Presenting Sponsor. The NAC Gala is also pleased to welcome back Associate Sponsor Vale. Other sponsors include Quebecor Media Inc., Emond Harnden LLP, St-Laurent Volvo, TransCanada Corporation, Calian Technologies Ltd, Trinity Development Group, The Ottawa Citizen, and Le Droit.
On Saturday, September 22, a glittering, glamorous evening beckons! It begins with a pre-concert reception at 5:30 p.m. -- with complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres -- then the Gala begins at 6:30 p.m. Maestro Pinchas Zukerman leads the NAC Orchestra in a sparkling concert which features talented young artists and piano phenomenon Lang Lang, who is guaranteed to display his trademark dazzling charisma, electrifying technique, and undeniable cool.

The National Arts Centre Gala benefits the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust, the primary resource for youth and education funding at the National Arts Centre. Through the Trust, individual and corporate donors from all across the country help the NAC nurture and develop the creativity of young people in all regions across Canada and support the educators and artists who challenge and encourage them.
Lang Lang says, “I am really looking forward to the National Arts Centre’s Gala celebration and I applaud the work the NAC does with young people. My International Music Foundation is dedicated to working with young people all around the world to demonstrate the power and importance of music. I want every child to have access to music experiences as I believe it will help educate them, as well as help bridge cultural divides that exist throughout the world.”

The New York Times wrote, “The hottest artist on the classical music planet may well be the Chinese pianist Lang Lang” and he was hailed by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Lang Lang’s performance at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games was witnessed by more than 4 billion people worldwide and is said to have inspired more than 40 million Chinese youngsters to take up the piano. His heart-stopping concerts have sold out worldwide -- causing a truly unprecedented cultural frenzy.

The NAC Gala with Lang Lang takes place in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Saturday, September 22 starting at 5:30  p.m. Tickets are $95, $155, and $190 and include the pre-performance reception. Tickets are available at the NAC Box Office (in person) and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS); Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s website www.nac-cna.ca.

For additional information, visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca

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Information:  
Gerald Morris
Communications Officer, NAC Music
613-947-7000, ext. 335
[e-mail]  gerald.morris@nac-cna.ca