Phantom fever has hit downtown Moncton! People were dancing in the streets on Monday morning, June 20th, celebrating a new cultural tourism initiative! Starting on Friday July 15, 2011, Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada will present its celebrated “World of Shadows-PHANTOM, the Ballet”, twice a week on the Capitol Theatre stage in Moncton for the entire summer. Tickets are on sale now!
The unveiling prompted a crowd of people from the community and local businesses to unite in front of City hall for a Flash Mob, dancing to the tune of “Dancing in the Streets” (Martha and the Vandellas) and all wearing Phantom masks!
“World of Shadows-PHANTOM, the Ballet”, choreographed by Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada Founding Artistic Director Igor Dobrovolskiy, is based on the famous story Phantom of the Opera. Performances will take the stage every Tuesday and Friday night at 7:30 pm until September 2nd, 2011. The announcement was made during a news conference Monday morning, June 20th, in collaboration with the City of Moncton, Downtown Moncton Centre-Ville Inc. and Enterprise Greater Moncton.
Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc hopes this will be one of the many steps towards a more vibrant downtown: “Moncton is one of the most successful cities in the province and I would say in the country, and to have high quality entertainment such as world class ballet presented all summer in the heart of our city will be a great cultural and economic boost. Culture is one of the pillars of our growth towards a more prosperous community.”
According to a major study conducted for the Department of Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada and titled The Economic Impacts of Cultural and Sport Tourism in Canada in 2007 (prepared by The Outspan Group Inc. Amherst Island in association with Research Resolutions & Consulting Ltd. Toronto), the gross domestic product derived from cultural tourism in Canada in 2007 amounted to over $5.1 billion and produced labour income of almost $3.3 billion. Receipts for cultural tourism amounted to $8 billion. Cultural tourism alone generated over 110,000 full-time jobs. It is clear that an investment in cultural tourism initiatives have a substantive economic impact.
The mayor adds, “I believe that highlighting our local talent is an essential foundation–especially when we have a world class company like Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada here in our community. Also to have the beautiful Capitol Theatre animated during the summer months is a wonderful gift for tourists and citizens of Moncton.”
Susan Chalmers-Gauvin, Founder and CEO of Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada, explains that the ballet is an original interpretation of Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera and set to the haunting music of composer Francis Poulenc. “The ballet has toured to sold-out crowds across Canada and Europe and we are thrilled to give the production a permanent summer home here in our community! It’s a wonderful performance with romance, heartbreak, and beautiful dancing… great entertainment for all.”
Mrs. Chalmers-Gauvin adds that Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada is proud to be part of the downtown development and hopes the initiative will become a destination tourism attraction for the city. She underlines that partnerships have been established with the Town of Riverview, the City of Dieppe, Enterprise Greater Moncton, Downtown Moncton Centre-Ville Inc., the Capitol Theatre, and local hotels and restaurants: “This initiative represents a truly collaborative effort to help further develop our downtown but also the broader community. In subsequent years we plan to incorporate activities within the tri-community.”
Good for the community and the province
“This is a big first for Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada, Downtown Moncton, and the Capitol Theatre and guaranteed to be a big push for tourism,” says Mr. LeBlanc underlining that the Greater Moncton region offers excellent day time tourism opportunities, top notch food and accommodation venues and is a perfect staging area to visit the entire Maritime region. “With this new initiative, visitors will be able to visit local attractions such as Hopewell Rocks and Fundy National Park during the day, have an excellent meal at a top restaurant, and enjoy world-class ballet in the evening and finish off on a terrace on Main Street. The twice weekly presentation will add a world class tourism attraction to the New Brunswick tourism product”.
Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada plans to release more information in the coming weeks on activities for families and visitors surrounding the production.
“World of Shadows, PHANTOM – the Ballet”
“World of Shadows, Phantom – The Ballet” evokes timeless themes and images of outcasts, love and loneliness. The narrative revolves around a man abandoned by society; driven by hopeless love, he lives and haunts the theatre and lurks in the shadows of a world of his own creation.
On the stage
Dancers taking the stage for the 2011 summer production are: Sergiy Diyanov (in the role of Erik) and Anya Nesvitaylo (in the role of Christine) as well as Janie Richard, Kyle Davey, Leigh Alderson, Olena Zakharova, Louis-Philippe Dionne, Anton Lykhanov, Evelina Sushko, and Samantha-Jane Gray.
Costume design is by Paul Daigle, an internationally known freelance designer and former dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Set designer Brian Perchaluk is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg and the National Theatre School of Canada. Lighting design is by Pierre Lavoie who has worked as a lighting designer since 1982. “World of Shadow’s” dramaturge is by Sharon Pollock, one of Canada’s leading contemporary English-language playwrights.
Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada
Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada is a neo-classical ballet company dedicated to performing original works by one choreographer – Artistic Director, Igor Dobrovolskiy. Founded in 2001 the Company pursues a continuous creative process through collaboration with like-minded artists attracted by the vision and artistic philosophy of its Artistic Director. The Company performs in Belgium, Switzerland, France, and Germany. All the information on the company is available at www.atlanticballet.ca.
Tickets
Tickets for “World of Shadows, PHANTOM – the Ballet” are on sale for the price of $37.50 + tax for adults and $32 + tax for students and seniors. They can be bought at the Capitol Theatre Box Office located at 811 Main Street in Moncton or via phone at 506.856.4379 and 1.800.567.1922 or on the Internet at www.capitol.nb.ca.
