Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet will take audiences on a mesmerizing journey into the realm of the original master of mind control with the Ottawa premiere of Svengali - the stunning new ballet of seduction and control, presented in Southam Hall from January 26 to 28, 2012.  All performances are accompanied by the National Arts Centre Orchestra, under the baton of Tadeusz Biernacki. Choreographed by Mark Godden, the creative genius behind RWB’s Dracula, the critically acclaimed full-length ballet is an explosive new  creation that unfolds with powerful athleticism and world-class artistry.
Hailed as “a triumph” and given five-stars following its world premiere in Winnipeg, RWB’s newest ballet takes its inspiration from a film treatment born of the fevered imagination of international film sensation Guy Maddin. Loosely based on the popular Victorian novel Trilby by George du Maurier, Svengali is a moving musical and visual journey that delves into the heart of what it means to be in control.

Yearning for public recognition, Svengali escapes the repression of his mother’s ballet studio to a decadent world reminiscent of mid-century Weimar, where he finds the beautiful and malleable young dancer, Trilby. Under Svengali’s entrancing power, Trilby is transformed into a glittering star of the ballet world. Svengali may have caused her star to rise, but it isn’t long before she soars beyond his powerful, emotional grasp. In a world where the forces of morality and decadence battle for supremacy, Trilby becomes the ultimate survivor.

With a dynamic musical selection featuring scores by Richard Strauss, Sergei Rachmaninov, Franz Liszt, Philip Glass, and captivating pieces from the Amsterdam Klezmer Band and the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, Svengali is an enthralling psychological drama that challenges our understanding of desire, power, and resistance.

"Svengali is beautiful, challenging and a visual turn-on. The ballet is, simply, a triumph, danced with explosive discipline by this talented company."
~ CBC

Svengali
Created & Choreographed by:   Mark Godden
Music:     Sergei Rachmaninov, Franz Liszt, Philip Glass, Richard
Strauss, Amsterdam Klezmer Band, Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band
Costume Design:     Paul Daigle
Scenic Design:     Andrew Beck
Lighting Design:     Pierre Lavoie
Based on the Novel Trilby by:   George du Maurier
Based on a Film Treatment by:   Guy Maddin
Duration: 2 hours, 2 minutes

Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Masterclass

Public class taught by Ballet Master Johnny Chang
for advanced level ballet students and dancers (aged 14 and up)
Tadeusz Biernacki will accompany the class

Saturday, January 28, 2012
10 to 11:30 a.m.

• Location: Rehearsal Hall B, National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin Street, Ottawa (enter by Stage Door)
• Cost: $20, payable in cash on site
• You must REGISTER in advance, as space is limited, at soutter@magma.ca or 613-947-7000 ext. 588 – Renata Soutter, Dance Outreach Coordinator

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Svengali performs in the Southam Hall Thursday to Saturday, January 26 to 28, 2012 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49.51, $68.87, $79.64 and $87.17 for adults and $26.26, $35.94, $41.32 and $45.09 for students (upon presentation of a valid student ID card).
Groups of 10 or more save 15% to 20% off regular ticket prices; to reserve your seats, call 613-947-7000, ext. 634, or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca.
Tickets are available for purchase:
• In person at the NAC Box Office
• At all Ticketmaster outlets
• By telephone from Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS)
• Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
• A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster
This production is eligible for the Trinity Live Rush program. Full-time students aged 13-29 with a valid Live Rush membership may buy up to two tickets per performance at the discounted price of only $12 per ticket. Live Rush tickets are available from 10 a.m. on the day before the performance until 6 p.m. on the day of the performance. This includes all available seats, including the best seats in the house. Check out liverush.ca for information on the Trinity Live Rush program.

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For more information, please call:
Eleri Evans
Marketing and Communications Officer, Dance
National Arts Centre
613-947-7000 ext. 379; e-mail: eleri.evans@nac-cna.ca
or visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca