CBJ’s vision for Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet™ is being brought to life by an exceptional team of leading industry creatives. Meet the artistic visionaries behind CBJ’s newest ballet and learn what they each have to say about their creative work for this unprecedented production.
Bengt Jörgen, C.M
Artistic Director & CEO
Bengt Jörgen is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Canada’s Ballet Jörgen. He has created over 30 full-length ballets and is the choreographer and creative work leader for Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet™.
“This will be a playful and colourful production seamlessly integrating dancers, sets and costumes. Dancers will become an extension of the traditional sets and props, creating an array of traditional production elements with their bodies and movement. The characters, the community of Green Gables and the surrounding area of Avonlea will all come to life through this unique relationship and interplay between the dancers, sets and props. We will use humour, dramatic clarity and intimacy to showcase the simple beauty of the story and our art form.”
Heinar Piller
Stage Director & Co-creator of Synopsis
Heinar Piller has directed or produced over 200 productions, including two musical versions of Anne of Green Gablesfor the Sony Arts Centre in Toronto and the Grand Theatre Company in London, Ontario.
“I helped Bengt develop the scenario for Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet™. Our version will be quite different from the musical, telling Anne’s story from a different perspective, relating her joys and sorrows through movement instead of words and songs. I will work closely with Bengt, helping the dancers to find the essence of the characters they will portray. All our ballets distinguish themselves with the dancer not only dancing beautifully, but also becoming real, believable persons in each story they tell. More than ever we need to accomplish this to depict Anne’s story.”
Sue LePage
Costume, Prop & Set Design
Sue LePage has designed costumes and/or sets for over 100 Canadian productions, including theatre productions about Lucy Maud Montgomery and her works. Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet™ is Sue’s third project with Canada’s Ballet Jörgen.
“I am the set, props and costume designer for Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet™. I have my unfinished costumes sketches scattered all around me today. Bengt and Heinar and I are still in the midst of finding new ways to bring these characters and the world of Anne’s imagination to life. In a short couple of months there will be piles of fabric, a team of carpenters, mask makers and painters at work, and the dancers will be starting rehearsals. That will be exhilarating and very busy, so for now I am enjoying the freedom and inspiration in our small group!”
Alexander Levkovich
Orchestrator
Composer Alexander Levkovichhas created over 50 original pieces and 60 adaptations of existing compositions. His work has been performed internationally by Philip Hirshhorn, Julian Milkis, Dimitri Yablonsky, the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
“My role as composer is to create two hours of ballet orchestration out of the one-hour music of Anne of Green Gables – The Musical®. That means making brand new orchestration and transforming the vocal music into musical content driven by dance and movement.”
Look for our full interviews with each member of the Creative Team in our monthly Anne Newsletters!
Written by Victoria Campbell Windle, CBJ Communications Contributor.
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