Chelsea McMullan takes us inside the National Ballet of Canada’s 2022 production of Swan Lake, directed and staged by the legendary Karen Kain.
The November 15th screening will feature a 30 minute talk led by HPO Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson-Schulte.
SWAN SONG is an immersive look inside The National Ballet of Canada, as it mounts a legacy-defining new production of Swan Lake, directed by ballet icon Karen Kain on the eve of her retirement. With full access to the creative process, the film delves into the lives of the dancers as they push themselves to their limits to stage one of the most significant nights in their careers and company’s history.
"With outstanding visuals and gorgeous production, by the time the final curtain falls, it is impossible not to have a deeper appreciation and love of ballet." - Alliance of Women Film Journalists
"Kain’s accomplishments as a dancer notwithstanding, the film successfully contends that her true legacy lies in the contributions she’s made to ensure that the ballet world she leaves behind is better than the one she entered." - POV Magazine
About Abigail Richardson-Schulte:
Composer Abigail Richardson-Schulte was born in Oxford, England, and moved to Canada as a child. Ironically, she was diagnosed incurably deaf at five. Upon moving to Canada, however, her hearing was fully intact within months. Her music has been commissioned and performed by major orchestras, presenters, music festivals and broadcasters including the Festival Présences of Paris. Abigail won first at the prestigious UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers which resulted in broadcasts in 35 countries. She won the Karen Kieser Prize (CBC), Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best New Opera, Quenten Doolittle Award from New Works Calgary, and a Hamilton Arts Award.
Presented in partnership with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
