Ballet Kelowna

Macbeth


Photo: Abigail Wiens

Founded in 2002, and under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO (AD/CEO) Simone Orlando since 2014, Ballet Kelowna delivers compelling and inspiring performances to regional, national, and international audiences. The Company presents numerous styles of dance from Canada’s finest emerging and established choreographers, and embraces the precision and athleticism of ballet technique to create original new works that captivate and engage today’s diverse audiences. Serving as the only professional dance company in BC’s Interior, Ballet Kelowna is committed to its role as a leader in the region through encouraging, promoting, and developing Canadian dancers and choreographers. The Company performs annually for over 12,000 audience members in Kelowna and on tour, while also providing unique dance training opportunities and outreach programs. AD/CEO Simone Orlando is an award-winning choreographer and former dancer with Ballet BC and The National Ballet of Canada. Ms. Orlando is actively leading Ballet Kelowna in collaborations with other community organizations, to educate and cultivate new dance audiences, and to enhance the impact of performances and programs.

Ballet Kelowna respectfully acknowledges our presence on the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan people.

Macbeth

Ballet Kelowna is proud to be the first Canadian ballet company in over forty years to commission a female Canadian choreographer to create a full-length work. Originally scheduled to premiere in May 2020, and postponed due to the pandemic, the visceral production features choreography from Canadian choreographic star Alysa Pires, an original score by Dora Award-winning music director, composer, and lyricist Adam Sakiyama, and atmospheric multimedia visuals from Okanagan landscape artist Jane Everett.

With its themes of ambition, power and corruption, Macbeth’s renowned tragedy has remained relevant throughout time. Considered one of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays, Macbeth follows the story of the titular character, a brave soldier and powerful man whose heady ambitions to Scotland’s throne turn him into a callous, yet tortured, murderer, spurred on by his equally determined wife, Lady Macbeth. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth become hopelessly entangled by their atrocities, the pair descend into madness.

Performance History

May 6 & 7, 2022 - World Premiere
Presented by Ballet Kelowna
Kelowna Community Theatre, Kelowna, BC

Project Details

Project created by: Ballet Kelowna commissioned Alysa Pires to create Macbeth.

Key Collaborators: Choreography: Alysa Pires
Composer: Adam Sakiyama
Visual design: Jane Everett
Costume & set concept: Alysa Pires
Costume renderings: Nicole Bach-Labrecque
Costume builders: Joy Green, Lori Lawler, Hazel Rodgers
Lighting design: Rylee Block
Projection design: Aaron Quibell
Set builders: Dave Brotsky, Bill Haidei
Rehearsal director: Joanna Lige

The commissioning of Macbeth has been made possible through the generous support of Leadership Giving Donors Dr. Adrian Bak and Patricia Ainslie.

Audience: General Audience

Length in minutes: Act 1: 50 minutes | Act 2: 57 Minutes - Full length work

Space required:

Preparation required: This program requires load-in and tech the day prior to the performance day.

General technical requirements: Video projector, Wood floor, The company tours this production in BC with lighting, Marley dance floor, and sets.

Availability: November 6 – Dec. 3, 2023; February 18 – March 17, 2024; May 6 – June 30, 2024, November 4 – Dec. 1, 2024; February 17 – March 30, 2024; May 5 – June 30, 2025

Number of performers on tour including choreographer: 12

Number of support staff on tour: 5

Community Engagement Activities

1) Artistic Director, Rehearsal Director, or company dancer teaches 1.5-hour ballet master class for dance students 12 years old and up.
2) Entire company leads 2-hour community workshop where body awareness exercises and excerpts of company repertoire are taught.
3) Post-performance Q and A with dancers hosted by Artistic Director/CEO.

Contact: Ballet Kelowna, ad.ceo@balletkelowna.ca

Website: balletkelowna.ca

Facebook: balletkelowna

Instagram: balletkelowna

Photo: Abigail Wiens