Dawson, Goecke, Tudor: A Review of The National Ballet of Canada’s Winter Triple Bill 2025

A delicate reflection on time, a dark plunge into the subconscious, and a bold reimagining of a classic—the National Ballet of Canada’s latest Triple Bill offers an evening of works connected by a common thread of reflection and transformation. The program features the 50th-anniversary performance of Antony Tudor’s The Leaves Are Fading, the gorgeous yet unsettling Morpheus’ Dream by German choreographer Marco Goecke, and a new take on The Four Seasons, choreographed by the National Ballet’s new Resident Choreographer, David Dawson.

The evening opens with Antony Tudor’s The Leaves Are Fading, a 40-minute work that serves as the older, more neoclassical counterpart to the newer contemporary pieces on the program. The National Ballet of Canada first performed the piece in 1990, and this production marks its return to the stage after nearly three decades, having last been presented by the company in 1995.

While The Leaves Are Fading is largely plotless, that doesn’t mean it isn’t filled with emotion and meaning. The work aims to capture the passage of time and is rich in atmosphere and mood, a hallmark of Tudor’s choreographic style. The choreography unfolds gradually, mirroring the slow turning of autumn leaves, with gentle and fluid movements and strong partner work.

The design of the piece is one of its main strengths. Ming Cho Lee’s scenic design features a lush, leafy green backdrop that encompasses the entire stage, with a single large tree branch hanging down from the ceiling. Patricia Zipprodt’s costume design features white flowing dresses and tunics with hand-painted watercolour accents, adding to the soft atmosphere. The music, Antonín Dvořák’s chamber music for strings, complements the choreography well, with its lyrical and melancholic tones underscoring the ballet’s themes of memory and transience.

The piece is structured around a series of pas de deux interspersed with larger group sequences. The casting heavily leans on the corps de ballet, giving younger dancers the opportunity to shine. Corps member Connor Hamilton stood out for her clarity and presence. Yet, the highlight of the work was the lead pas de deux, danced by principal dancers Tirion Law and Naoya Ebe, who brought quiet intensity and technical strength to their roles. 

While The Leaves Are Fading isn’t a flashy or dramatic work, it doesn’t need to be. It’s a gentle, introspective piece and a fitting opener for the program.

Following a three-minute pause, the evening shifts dramatically as Morpheus' Dream plunges us into a surreal and disorienting dreamscape. This 10-minute duet by German choreographer Marco Goecke embraces the fragmented, disorienting nature of dreams. As the title suggests, it references Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams, but also exudes a bit of a Morpheus from The Matrix aesthetic.

The piece begins in darkness with dancer Ben Rudisin alone on stage. The movement is sharp, angular, and staccato—precise yet unsettling, with a serious, almost insect-like quality. His rapid, fluttering gestures, combined with sudden body isolations, create a sense of controlled chaos. Genevieve Penn Nabity later joins him, and the two make a compelling duo, attacking the choreography with the same unsettling energy and precision. The tension builds alongside the music – with piano by Keith Jarrett and later the unexpected addition of Lady Gaga’s vocals of Bad Romance.

One of the most striking moments of the work involves Rudisin continually lighting matches on stage. This creates a stunning cloud of smoke that billows around the dancers in the darkness. It’s a beautiful visual, adding an almost mystical quality to the performance. A fantastic work leaving me wanting to see more of Goecke's choreography.

Following a 25-minute intermission, the program closes with David Dawson’s The Four Seasons. Initially, when I saw the piece title, I assumed this would be a revival of James Kudelka’s version. Instead, it is a contemporary take set to Max Richter’s reimagined score of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. This piece arrives alongside the announcement of Dawson as the company’s new Resident Choreographer, a position I believe was last held by Kudelka, making for a fitting connection.

Technically demanding, Dawson’s choreography is met with precision and commitment by the company. While the ballet still follows a journey through the seasons, it does so through a contemporary ballet lens, emphasizing expansive movement and intricate layers. Dawson’s choreography pushes the dancers to use their full facility, featuring huge backbends, forever flowing wrists and arm movements, and intricate layers of choreography across the stage. Dawson's choreography masterfully plays with repetition, speed, and spatial design. 

Richter’s score retains the essence of Vivaldi’s iconic compositions. While I had hoped for a bit more playfulness in the musical interpretation, I wasn’t disappointed. The only drawback, in my view, was the costume design by Yumiko Takeshima. While the unisex unitards were a nice touch, their darker colors, I found, caused a muting of the articulation of the movement. The high necklines also disrupted the line of the dancers’ extensions, raising the question of whether greater contrast or more exposed skin might have better highlighted the choreography.

Overall, this triple bill is an easy and fun watch. The Leaves Are Fading offers a wistful nod to the past, Morpheus' Dream pushes into the avant-garde, and The Four Seasons points toward the National Ballet of Canada’s future. With the company embracing more contemporary voices and international perspectives, it will be exciting to see what they do next.

The Four Seasons/ Morpheus’ Dream/ The Leaves Are Fading, presented by the National Ballet of Canada at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts (145 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 4G1) is playing until March 6th, 2025. Tickets range from $54 to $256. Tickets can be purchased online here.

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Photo credits:

• Photo 1: Tirion Law and Naoya Ebe in The Leaves are Fading. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
• Photo 2: Genevieve Penn Nabity and Ben Rudisin in Morpheus' Dream. Photo by Bruce Zinger.
• Photo 3: Christopher Gerty and Genevieve Penn Nabity in The Four Seasons. Photo by Bruce Zinger.

Written by Deanne Kearney | DeanneKearney.com @deannekearney