| NEWS 12.12.08 11:49 AM |
PRINT | SEND TO A FRIEND |
|
| National Ballet's Live Nutcracker Broadcast Expands to 79 Theatres |
|
 |
Sonia Rodriguez will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Saturday's performance.
Photo: Bruce Zinger
|
|
|
The National Ballet of Canada is broadcasting Saturday's 2 p.m. presentation of The Nutcracker live in HD in 79 Cineplex theatres across the country. The company launched the initiative last year—and drew an audience of more than 10,000 people. This year there are "at least 10 more theatres" participating, said Kevin Garland, the National Ballet's executive director. "Everybody in the performing arts world has been watching the Metropolitan Opera broadcast with much interest," she said. " We approached Cineplex last year and asked if they would be interested in doing a ballet performance. They jumped at The Nutcracker."
The ballet will be captured by six HD cameras at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and transmitted live via satellite, said Garland, who noted that the broadcast is a massive undertaking. “We produce live ballet. We don’t know anything about producing live television." The company got some advice from New York's Metropolitan Opera—which launched a Live-in-HD program during the 2006-07 season—and turned to Joan Tosoni at Insight Productions for assistance. “She really masterminded the six cameras in the theatre," Garland said of Tosoni. "It’s a ballet with a lot of detail."
Having a production company on board "allowed us to put a budget to the project," said Garland. "It’s hugely expensive. It cost us $550,000 to do it and we got $80,000—half the theatre revenue." So, why is the National Ballet moving ahead with the initiative for a second year? “Because if we don’t do it, there will be an American or British company that will do it, and we think it’s important that Canadians see Canadian performances. It’s really audience development," Garland said.
She reported that the company received emails following last year’s broadcast from viewers across Canada who would never otherwise have had the opportunity to see the ballet. “It takes a lot of resources and a lot of time, but we’re hoping it will be an annual event. We’re very dependent on funding from sponsors," she said. This year, three corporate sponsors pulled out but TD Waterhouse and CTV signed on within the last month. Bravo will air Saturday's performance of The Nutcracker at 8 p.m. on December 18.
—Susan O'Neill
RELATED TOPICS
National Ballet of Canada, TD Waterhouse, CTV, Bravo
MORE NEWS STORIES
ISES Toronto Honours McCulloch, Cuthbertson, Nienhuis, Luscombe
Poll Results: Readers Judge Invitations on Case-by-Case Basis
Toronto Wins 2015 Pan Am Games
Poll Results: 2010 Event Budgets Look Bigger
Australian Nonprofit Uses Facial Hair for Guerrilla Cause Marketing
MORE STORIES ABOUT NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA
TIFF Expands Free Programming at Yonge-Dundas Square
National Ballet Fills Auditorium With Clouds, White Decor for Gala Dinner on Stage
National Ballet of Canada Trusts Terrain Flowers
MORE STORIES ABOUT CTV
Veteran CTV Planner Francine Socket Running Own Event Design Firm
Drivers, Celebrities Pair Up for Fund-Raising Scavenger Hunt With Interactive Pit Stops
| More Suppliers/Venues to Consider |
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|
Embassy Grand Convention Centre
The Embassy Grand Convention Centre is what all convention centres aspire to be. As the newest property of the Infinity Event Group, the Embassy Grand boasts the best of the best, with state-of-the-art audiovisual technology, modern design, multilateral rigging points, professional event planning, and a stunning outdoor reception area complete with a waterfall and gazebo. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
|
Snapshot Photobooth, powered by Flow Photo
Instantly capture the fun of your event and unleash your creativity with the Snapshot Photobooth—a fully automated, unique, interactive photobooth experience your guests will love! Guests fill the frame, pose, click, and leave with a branded print available in 4 x 6 , 5 x 7 or vintage-style 2 x 6 strips with four poses in either colour or black-and-white. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
|
The Butler Did It
The Butler Did It has earned a reputation for being Toronto's finest event and hospitality staffing firm. Since 1989 they have come to represent the epitome of professionalism in the hospitality industry. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
