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One of the most beloved parts of summer in Winnipeg’s fine arts community has returned to the Lyric Theatre stage at Assiniboine Park. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet will present a wide range of works performed by three different divisions at its annual Ballet in the Park performances, including a creative movement class from its recreational division, a range of pieces shared by students in the RWB School, and a featured performance of excerpts from T’əl: The Wild Man of the Woods by the RWB’s professional division.
That professional division will see performers new and old in their ranks for these performances. For Olivia Koppanyi, this performance of T’əl will mark her professional company debut. “I’ve always loved Ballet in the Park because it’s a fun experience and we get so many people out,” she says. “I just love performing outside... and I love this piece. I remember watching it two years ago when they did it, and I really found it very impactful, so I’m really excited to perform a small piece of it. It is really exciting for me.”
When Koppanyi watched T’əl the production a couple of years ago, one of the performers was Emilie Lewis, who was a member of the corp de ballet. Even though this is not her first performance of the work, there’s something special about these performances. “I think because the theatre is set on the background, has lots of trees, it can almost have a scenery that we didn’t necessarily have before,” she says. “Sometimes, the colours of the costumes come out different in the natural light than they do with the stage light, so it’s just a different perspective, but both are beautiful.”
Lewis and Koppanyi both point to two key figures in bringing this production to life in a new perspective. The first is choreographer and RWB alumnus Cameron Fraser-Monroe, who has been involved with the project since its inception. “He brings a lot of life to the studio,” says Koppanyi, “and I love how he articulates his ideas and brings his story into our dancing and his background into our dancing. I feel like there’s a lot of meaning behind what I’m doing.”
“He’s very good at bringing visuals and helping coach us in a way that sometimes, with classical ballet, we’re more doing the technical things,” adds Lewis. “And this allows us to bring a level of acting that sometimes we don’t get to do.”
Another major figure in this production is artistic director Christopher Stowell, who will be sharing his first major performance in this role. Lewis has been amazed by how involved Stowell has been in the process. “He’s been working with us in the studio, he’s been teaching us class, and it’s been a lovely environment,” she says. “It’s a great way to start.”
Koppanyi adds that an outdoor performance is a great way to start the tenure of a new artistic director. “Performing a ballet in the park is always a very freeing and uplifting environment,” she observes.
Ballet in the Park takes the stage at the Assiniboine Park’s Lyric Theatre from July 23 to 25, with all performances starting at 7:30 p.m. More information can be found at the company’s website.