A Message from the Artistic Director
FRANCESCO VENTRIGLIA | Artistic Director
Welcome to Romeo & Juliet
Dear Friends,
As I stand at the helm of this breathtaking production of Romeo & Juliet, my heart swells with gratitude. It has been a profound honour to collaborate with such immensely talented dancers and a dedicated crew and artistic team. Each rehearsal has been a celebration of passion, artistry, and the relentless pursuit of beauty.
I extend my deepest thanks to the brilliant creators who have brought this vision to life: James Acheson for his stunning costumes, Italo Grassi for the evocative set design, and Mario Mattia Giorgetti for his insightful dramaturgy. Your contributions have transformed my dreams into reality.
This production is my love letter to Alberta, to Canada, my new home. In every movement, in every note of the stunning Prokofiev score.
As Shakespeare beautifully penned, “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.”
Love, in all its forms, is the heartbeat of life, and I hope this performance inspires a deeper connection to the beauty that surrounds us.
With heartfelt appreciation,
FRANCESCO VENTRIGLIA
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
The Story
ACT I
It is morning in Verona’s market square.
The Capulet family leads a procession – a public display of pride and power that fills the market. The ceremony is abruptly disrupted. A chance encounter between the high-spirited young men from the Capulet and Montague families leads to a raging battle in the piazza. What begins as taunts and bravado ignite into a swordfight, rapidly spreading through the piazza as townspeople choose sides and the choreography swells from skirmish to chaos. The violence escalates, the feud consumes the square. Escalus, Prince of Verona arrives and admonishes Lord Montague and Lord Capulet to keep the peace, on pain of death. They do so, unwillingly.
Later in the day, Juliet prepares for her first ball, under the fond gaze of her childhood nurse. Her mother arrives with news that it is time for Juliet to marry, and that her parents have chosen Paris as her future husband.
As dusk falls, the guests arrive at the Capulets’ palazzo for a grand masked ball. Tybalt and Paris are present as members of the Capulet clan. Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio arrive in masks, joining the festivities to goad Tybalt. Romeo sees Juliet, and it is love at first sight for both of them: neither realising until it is too late that their families are sworn enemies. Tybalt recognizes Romeo and is furious at the insult. Romeo leaves, only to return to the palazzo garden and Juliet’s balcony, where the young couple meet again and fall even deeper in love.
ACT II
The next morning, Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio return to the market square.
Romeo is preoccupied with thoughts of Juliet and hesitates to join his friends in the carnival celebrations. Juliet’s nurse arrives with a letter from Juliet: if Romeo is sincere in his love for her, she will meet him that morning at Friar Lawrence’s church, so that they can be married. Romeo is overjoyed, and a short while later, Romeo and Juliet are joined together in holy matrimony by the Friar. Juliet returns home to await Romeo’s visit to her bedroom that night.
Romeo leaves the church and is accosted by Tybalt, looking to avenge the insult of Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio’s unwanted attendance at Lord Capulet’s party, and spoiling for a fight. Romeo, knowing that he is now related to Tybalt by marriage and wanting no argument, tries to leave but is goaded by Tybalt. A fight soon breaks out. In the melee, Mercutio is fatally wounded by Tybalt. He dies, cursing the Montagues and Capulets for their senseless quarrel. Enraged at the death of his friend and forgetting his earlier desire to make peace, Romeo kills Tybalt. Romeo flees as Lord and Lady Capulet arrive, grief stricken at the death of their nephew, followed by Escalus, who proclaims that Romeo is now banished from Verona, on pain of death.
ACT III
Dawn breaks the next morning.
As dawn breaks the next morning, Romeo and Juliet awaken in Juliet’s bedroom, having spent their secret wedding night together. Romeo must leave; if he is found inside Verona’s walls he will be executed. Juliet’s nurse enters followed by Lord Capulet with Paris: Lord and Lady Capulet have decided that, following Tybalt’s death, Juliet’s marriage to Paris must take place as soon as possible. Juliet is reluctant but, seeing no way out, gives in.
Desperate, Juliet runs to Friar Lawrence. He gives her a potion that will give the appearance of death. She should drink it the night before her marriage to Paris, her parents will convey her lifeless body to the family crypt, where she will wake 42 hours later. Meanwhile, Friar Lawrence will send word to Romeo, who will come and meet her as she wakes, so that they may leave Verona and be together. Alone in her bedroom, Juliet summons all her courage and drinks the potion.
The following morning, Juliet is discovered ‘dead’ in her bed. Dressed in her wedding gown, she is laid to rest in the Capulet family crypt. Romeo, who has returned without receiving Friar Lawrence’s message with Juliet’s plan, is maddened by grief and kills Paris, who has remained beside Juliet’s coffin. Rather than live without Juliet, Romeo drinks poison, and breathes his last breath as Juliet wakes from her deathly sleep. Finding Romeo dead, Juliet is distraught and finds no other reason to live. She takes his dagger and stabs herself.
EPILOGUE
The kingdom gathers for a final celebration.
As the Capulets and Montagues mourn their children, Escalus encourages them to forget their quarrel, forgive each other, and make peace.
Romeo & Juliet
Creative Team
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Francesco Ventriglia is an Italian ballet dancer, choreographer and Artistic Director. Having graduated from La Scala Ballet School, Ventriglia joined the ballet company of La Scala in 1997. He danced numerous soloist and principal roles with the company, including works by Roland Petit, Nureyev, Balanchine, Forsythe, Makarova, Ailey, Neumeier, Cranko, Preljocaj, Godani, Kylian, Guillem, and Bejart. Internationally, his performances with La Scala included Hilarion at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and at Covent Garden, opposite Sylvie Guillem in her creation of Giselle.
Ventriglia is a choreographer of classical and contemporary ballet, having works performed internationally by companies such as the La Scala Ballet, Arena di Verona, Bolshoi Theatre, The Mariinsky Theatre, Grand Theatre du Geneve, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Ballet Nacional Sodre, and at the Venice Biannale.
In 2010, he was appointed as Artistic Director and principal choreographer by the Florence Opera House for Maggio Danza until 2013. In 2014, he was named the Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
Ventriglia’s tenure as Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet concluded in June 2017, however he continued his artistic relationship with the company, creating a new full-length ballet, Romeo and Juliet which toured nationally.
From January 2018, Ventriglia was adjunct artistic director of the National Ballet of Uruguay, Ballet Nacional Sodre. From 2020 to 2024, Ventriglia established himself in Sydney and co-founded the Sydney Choreographic Centre and Ensemble. In January 2024, he was appointed Artistic Director of Alberta Ballet. For Alberta Ballet, Ventriglia has choreographed productions such as La Sylphide, The Wizard of Oz, and Don Quixote. In April 2025, Alberta Ballet toured to Dubai and presented his creation, A Thousand Tales at the Dubai Opera.
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Sergei Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor whose music bridged late Romanticism, modernism, and Soviet classicism, making him one of the most distinctive voices of 20th-century music. He was born in 1891 in Sontsovka (now Ukraine) and showed extraordinary musical talent at an early age, composing pieces by the age of five. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he gained a reputation as a bold innovator, known for sharp harmonies, driving rhythms, and a provocative, sometimes sarcastic musical style.
After the Russian Revolution, Prokofiev spent nearly two decades living abroad, primarily in the United States and Western Europe. During this period, he composed major works including The Love for Three Oranges, his Third Piano Concerto, and several symphonies and ballets. His music from this time balances modernist edge with lyrical clarity, reflecting both experimentation and a desire for broad appeal.
In the 1930s, Prokofiev returned permanently to the Soviet Union, believing he could thrive artistically there. While he produced some of his most enduring works – such as the ballet Romeo and Juliet, the children’s symphonic tale Peter and the Wolf, and film scores for Sergei Eisenstein’s Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible – his later years were complicated by political pressure and censorship under Stalinist cultural policies.
Prokofiev’s music is marked by memorable melodies, rhythmic vitality, and emotional range, from irony and brilliance to deep lyricism. Despite facing personal and political challenges, he left a vast and influential body of work that remains central to concert halls, ballet stages, and film music worldwide.
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James Acheson is a British costume designer celebrated for his meticulous research, sensibility, and influential contributions to historical and art-house cinema. Born in England in 1946, he trained at London’s Central School of Art and Design, where his interest in fine art and history helped shape an approach to costume that treats clothing as a key storytelling and world-building tool rather than simple decoration.
Acheson rose to prominence through his long and visually distinctive collaboration with filmmaker Peter Greenaway. Their work together, including The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982), The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), and Prospero’s Books (1991), is known for its bold color symbolism, period precision, and theatrical stylization. These films established Acheson as a designer known for blending historical authenticity with striking conceptual design.
He gained international recognition in Hollywood with his work on lavish period dramas. He won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design twice: first for Dangerous Liaisons (1988), for its elegant and expressive 18th-century costumes, and again for Restoration (1995), for its textured, lived-in portrayal of Restoration-era England. He also received additional nominations, including one for The Tempest (2010).
Throughout his career, Acheson has been admired for his deep engagement with historical sources: paintings, garments, and social customs, while allowing character and narrative to guide design choices. His costumes often reveal power, morality, and transformation, making him a key figure in modern costume design and a lasting influence on how history is visualized on screen.
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Italo Grassi is a set designer and professor at the Academy of Fine Arts. With over 150 set designs, his work spans Opera, Ballet, and Musical theatre, showcases in leading theaters across Italy and globally (France, Spain, Germany, Korea, Brazil, Russia, Finland, Estonia, Croatia, Canada). Notably active in Japan, he debuted in Biwako in the 2000s for Verdi operas conducted by Maestro Wakasugi and directed by Keisuke Suzuki.
Grassi has also designed exhibition spaces and served as a technical director in opera theaters. Recent highlights include: Don Pasquale at Teatro Real in Madrid with Riccardo Muti, Simon Boccanegra in Seoul with M. Chung and Marco Gandini, Betulia Liberata in Salzburg with Muti, Viaggio a Reims and Farnace at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and Zaide at Teatro dell’Opera in Rome with Graham Vick and Daniele Gatti. He has designed classical ballets like Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet, winning the 2013 best ballet scenography award for Swan Lake with Maggio Danza and Francesco Ventriglia. Recently, he’s focused on musicals, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Fame, and Rocky.
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Mario Mattia Giorgetti is an Italian actor, director, and cultural organizer whose career spans theatre, cinema, television,
radio, and criticism. Born in Prato, he began his
professional life in the 1950s working with La Nazione in
Florence. In 1961 he graduated from the Piccolo Teatro
di Milano as an actor and theatre director, launching
a lifelong engagement with experimental and socially
engaged theatre. Early in his career he collaborated
closely with major figures such as Giorgio Strehler,
Orazio Costa Giovangigli, and Mario Missiroli.
In 1965 Giorgetti co-founded the Compagnia Informativa
’65 with playwright Massimo Binazzi and actress Delia
Bartolucci, earning the Noci d’Oro Award in 1967 as
best company of the year. After closing that group,
he established La Contemporanea del Centro Attori
di Milano, which remains active, serving as its artistic
director, director, and principal actor. He has directed
around eighty productions, ranging from the theatre
of the absurd and modern drama– Beckett, Ionesco,
Camus, Osborne, Albee– to contemporary international
authors and classics by Machiavelli, Molière,
Shakespeare, and Goldoni.
Giorgetti has held major leadership roles, including
artistic director of the Taormina Festival, the Festival dei
Confronti Internazionali dello Spettacolo, the Festival of
the Aeolian Islands, and the Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza.
He also directed prominent Milan theatres and served
as president of the international BITEF theatre jury in
Belgrade.
Alongside theatre, he has worked extensively in film,
television, and radio, collaborating with directors such as
Carlo Lizzani and Liliana Cavani, and with RAI and Swiss
television. Since 1984 he has been editor-director of the
Italian theatre magazine Sipario, confirming his central
role in Italian and international theatrical culture.
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Alejandro Fajardo is a Colombian artist based in New York City, working primarily as a lighting designer for theater, dance, and live events, with recent ventures into production design for immersive and theatrical projects.
His multidisciplinary career spans industries including fashion and music, having designed lighting for New York Fashion Week (2015–2019) through IMCD Lighting and Rob Ross Design, and created custom light art installations for major music festivals. Deeply involved in the dance world, he serves as lighting director for the Flamenco Festival and associate lighting director for the Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center. He has toured nationally and internationally as lighting supervisor for productions like The Day (Lucinda Childs, Wendy Whelan, Maya Beiser), Brian Brooks’ works, and Tesseract by Rashaun Silas & Charles Atlas.
His theatrical credits include Public Servant, The Healing (Theatre Breaking Through Barriers), The Last Five Years (Warren Miller Performing Arts Center), SUPERHERO (Southern Theater), and The Rake’s Progress (Curtis Institute of Music), among many others. Fajardo also has a strong background in photography, and is skilled in both digital and analog formats. He is a contributing photographer for Chance Magazine and covered the 2015 Prague Quadrennial.
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Hayna Gutierrez was born in Havana, Cuba, and trained at the Cuban National Ballet School. She joined Ballet Nacional de Cuba in 1998, becoming Principal Dancer in 2004. From 2010 to 2019, Gutierrez was Principal Dancer with Alberta Ballet, performing leading roles including Giselle, Kitri (Don Quixote), Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), and Cio Cio San (Madame Butterfly).
She has created roles in works by Jean Grand-Maître, Yukichi Hattori, and Wen Wei Wang, and has performed featured roles in Balanchine’s works. Gutierrez has danced across Europe and North America and has over 20 years of experience as a ballet educator. In 2013, she received the Miami Life Award for Best Hispanic Female Dancer and has performed internationally at the Incolballet Ballet Festival.
Now in her first season as Rehearsal Director with Alberta Ballet, Gutierrez brings her expertise, leadership, and passion to guide the company toward artistic excellence.
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After a distinguished 17-year career as a professional dancer, including eight seasons with Alberta Ballet, Yoshiya Sakurai has transitioned to the role of Rehearsal Director at Alberta Ballet. His extensive experience on stage and in rehearsal studios now enriches the company from a new perspective.
Originally from Niigata, Japan, Sakurai began his ballet training at Niigata Ballet School and age of 14, he won scholarships to Royal Ballet School and John Cranko Ballet School at Japan Grand Prix. He furthered his education at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto where he graduated and received the Peter Dwyer Scholarship. He has danced with American Repertory Ballet, Boston Ballet II, and Kansas City Ballet before joining Alberta Ballet in 2016. He also performed as guest artist and guest teacher internationally.
Throughout his career, he has captivated audiences with his remarkable interpretations of iconic roles. He has worked with internationally known choreographers and performed many principal roles such as Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Prince Desire in The SleepingBeauty, and The Prince in Cinderella.
Now, as a Rehearsal Director, Sakurai brings his wealth of experience and insight to guide the next generation of dancers.
Music Credits
Music recording courtesy of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Recorded by Orchestra Wellington in 2017 at the St. James Theatre, Wellington, New Zealand and conducted by Hamish McKeich.
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Born in London, Gillian Whittingham trained at the London College of Dance and Drama and later in New York with Gabriela Darvash. She began her professional career as ballet mistress for Compagnia Italiana Balletto under Carla Fracci, choreographing several works directed by Beppe Menegatti. She has remounted major classical works such as Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Les Sylphides, Petruška, and Le Spectre de la rose, working with prestigious dancers and companies throughout Europe.
In 1995, Whittingham co-founded the Olympic Dance Company with Mario Mattia Giorgetti, presenting works across Italy, London, and New York. As Principal Ballet Mistress at Teatro alla Scala for a decade, she collaborated with major choreographers such as Béjart, Petit, Forsythe, and Guillem. Her international work includes staging productions for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet, and the Tokyo Ballet, among many others. Whittingham continues to play a vital role in preserving and restaging classical and contemporary works. Her recent projects include staging for Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, such as Nureyev’s Cinderella, Paquita with Eleonora Abbagnato, Carla Fracci’s Giselle with Julio Bocca, as well as Roland Petit’s production of Notre-Dame de Paris at de l’Opéra de Paris and La Chauve-souris at Vienna State Opera.
Romeo & Juliet
Casting
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Juliet
Luna SasakiRomeo
Aaron AnkerMercutio
Mirko MelandriBenvolio
Danier LaganzoTybalt
Yaroslav KhudychParis
Rémy GrayFriends of Juliet
Chizuru Kikuchi, Hinata Takahara, Hotaru Maruyama, Kairi WatanabeLady Capulet
Mariko KondoLord Capulet
Kelley McKinlayPrince of Verona
Yi-Min TsungThe Nurse
Allison PerhachFriar Lawrence
Kurtis GrimaldiHarlots
Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Jolie Rose LombardoLady Montague
Lulu ManzurLord Montague
Caleb DurbinMontague Market – Men & Ladies
Andrea Arbasino, Kevin Alsina, Paloma Bonnin, Grace Campbell, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeFriends of Tybalt
Fulvio Zamagna & Dylan WestCapulet’s Ball – Men & Ladies
Kevin Alsina, Patrice Bertrand, Paloma Bonnin, Zachary Boresow, Victoria Bourassa, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahahra, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeMandolins
Andrea Arbasino, Grace Campbell, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeExtras
Willa Clark*, Aoi Engauchi*, Sophia Hudson*, Takumi Ino*, Margulan Taubayev*, Tom Waters** Indicates Alberta Ballet School Trainees or Alberta Ballet School Post-Graduate Students
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Juliet
Alexandra Anker-HughesRomeo
Rémy GrayMercutio
Patrice BertrandBenvolio
Danier LaganzoTybalt
Yaroslav KhudychParis
Caleb DurbinFriends of Juliet
Grace Campbell, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Camryn VisserLady Capulet
Mariko KondoLord Capulet
Kelley McKinlayPrince of Verona
Aaron AnkerThe Nurse
Allison PerhachFriar Lawrence
Kurtis GrimaldiHarlots
Paloma Bonnin, Jolie Rose Lombardo, Kate McDonaldLady Montague
Lulu ManzurLord Montague
Yi-Min TsungMontague Market – Men & Ladies
Andrea Arbasino, Kevin Alsina, Paloma Bonnin, Grace Campbell, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeFriends of Tybalt
Fulvio Zamagna & Dylan WestCapulet’s Ball – Men & Ladies
Kevin Alsina, Patrice Bertrand, Paloma Bonnin, Zachary Boresow, Victoria Bourassa, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahahra, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeMandolins
Andrea Arbasino, Grace Campbell, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeExtras
Willa Clark*, Aoi Engauchi*, Sophia Hudson*, Takumi Ino*, Margulan Taubayev*, Tom Waters** Indicates Alberta Ballet School Trainees or Alberta Ballet School Post-Graduate Students
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Juliet
Alexandra Anker-HughesRomeo
Rémy GrayMercutio
Patrice BertrandBenvolio
Danier LaganzoTybalt
Yaroslav KhudychParis
Caleb DurbinFriends of Juliet
Grace Campbell, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Camryn VisserLady Capulet
Mariko KondoLord Capulet
Kelley McKinlayPrince of Verona
Aaron AnkerThe Nurse
Allison PerhachFriar Lawrence
Kurtis GrimaldiHarlots
Paloma Bonnin, Jolie Rose Lombardo, Kate McDonaldLady Montague
Lulu ManzurLord Montague
Yi-Min TsungMontague Market – Men & Ladies
Andrea Arbasino, Kevin Alsina, Paloma Bonnin, Grace Campbell, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeFriends of Tybalt
Fulvio Zamagna & Dylan WestCapulet’s Ball – Men & Ladies
Kevin Alsina, Patrice Bertrand, Paloma Bonnin, Zachary Boresow, Victoria Bourassa, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahahra, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeMandolins
Andrea Arbasino, Grace Campbell, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeExtras
Willa Clark*, Aoi Engauchi*, Sophia Hudson*, Takumi Ino*, Margulan Taubayev*, Tom Waters** Indicates Alberta Ballet School Trainees or Alberta Ballet School Post-Graduate Students
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Juliet
Luna SasakiRomeo
Aaron AnkerMercutio
Mirko MelandriBenvolio
Danier LaganzoTybalt
Yaroslav KhudychParis
Rémy GrayFriends of Juliet
Chizuru Kikuchi, Hinata Takahara, HoaLady Capulet
Mariko KondoLord Capulet
Kelley McKinlayPrince of Verona
Yi-Min TsungThe Nurse
Allison PerhachFriar Lawrence
Kurtis GrimaldiHarlots
Paloma Bonnin, Jolie Rose Lombardo, Kate McDonaldLady Montague
Lulu ManzurLord Montague
Yi-Min TsungMontague Market – Men & Ladies
Andrea Arbasino, Kevin Alsina, Paloma Bonnin, Grace Campbell, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeFriends of Tybalt
Fulvio Zamagna & Dylan WestCapulet’s Ball – Men & Ladies
Kevin Alsina, Patrice Bertrand, Paloma Bonnin, Zachary Boresow, Victoria Bourassa, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahahra, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeMandolins
Andrea Arbasino, Grace Campbell, Zoe Horn, Bel Johnson-Darby, Chizuru Kikuchi, Rikuto Kubota, Hotaru Maruyama, Hinata Takahara, Camryn Visser, Kairi WatanabeExtras
Willa Clark*, Aoi Engauchi*, Sophia Hudson*, Takumi Ino*, Margulan Taubayev*, Tom Waters** Indicates Alberta Ballet School Trainees or Alberta Ballet School Post-Graduate Students
Alberta Ballet Dancers
Alberta Ballet Artistic Team
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Originally from just outside of Seattle, WA, Reilley joined Alberta Ballet as a dancer in 2008 and has long considered Canada her home. After her fourteen-year career as a dancer with Alberta Ballet, Reilley transitioned into the administrative side of Alberta Ballet in the Artistic Department. She is currently the Artistic Executive Manager and enjoys helping behind the scenes and sharing the knowledge that she has gained while working within the organization over the years. Ballet continues to play a central role in her life not only through her own career but also through her husband, a former Alberta Ballet dancer, and their two children, who are both dedicated students at the Alberta Ballet School.
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Raven has been working in the arts for 18 years as a stitcher, costume crafter, dresser, wardrobe assistant, head of wardrobe, production director and now as a part of the Alberta Ballet artistic team. Being a local Albertan, Ravens’ work has been concentrated in Calgary, but has also taken her around our great province, across Canada, to the US and Europe in theatre, film and dance. More than half of her career has been spent at Alberta Ballet and she is so excited to be a part of the artistic team, assisting in bringing ballet magic to our community and beyond.
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Originally, from Medicine Hat, Rebecca relocated to Calgary after completing a BFA in Theatre Studies from the University of Lethbridge to pursue her passion for the arts. She has worked for various arts organizations in the city in the last 7 years and is enjoying her time working with both the artistic and production teams at Alberta Ballet. She is looking forward to what this season brings and is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented group of people and artists.
Alberta Ballet Artistic Support
Company Teachers | Francesco Ventriglia, Yoshiya Sakurai, Hayna Gutierrez,
Class Pianists | Lorel Leal, Michael Li
Physiotherapy | Peak Health and Performance
Stage Manager | Marisa Mireau
Second Stage Manager | Ingrid Kottke
Apprentice Stage Manager | Kade Mazur
Intimacy Coordinator | Shawna McGill-Legault
Production Team
Technical Director | Jason McLellan
Head Carpenter | Brian Chmielewski
Lead Fly | Kevin Green
Lead Props | Cassandra Thorbjornsen
Lead Lighting | Chris Axford
Second Lighting | Oliver Petti
Lead Wardrobe | Erin LeBaron
Second Wardrobe | Lori McMahon
Wardrobe Cutter | Sarah Cameron
Stitchers | Hannah-Lee Harris, Karen Crocker
Scenic Painter | Patrick O’Neill
Wig & Hairpiece Styling | Brenda Boutet
Stage Technicians provided by IATSE Local 212.
Costumes courtesy of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
The Alberta Ballet Foundation:
More than what you see on stage
The Alberta Ballet Foundation is part of the vital network of supporters and funders who help make this vision possible. This support sustains scholarships, outreach, and artistic initiatives. From training young dancers to bringing ballet to new audiences, these programs keep the art form thriving.
In addition to supporting Alberta Ballet’s commitment to creating new productions and bringing new stories to life, Alberta Ballet Foundation also supports:
Opening Doors to Excellence – At Alberta Ballet School, 61 students received scholarships to pursue their passions for dance.
Inspiring Young Movers – Traveling throughout Alberta, we’ve introduced the joy of ballet to 1,000 youth in 8 communities from Chateh to Medicine Hat.
Breaking Down Barriers – Through partnerships with 40 community organizations throughout Alberta.
This impact is based on 2024/25 activity.
Thanks to sustaining support from Alberta Ballet Foundation, Alberta Ballet is steadily building on this progress in 2025/26.
Alfred Sorensen
Chair
Alberta Ballet Foundation
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Inclusive of all Donations from April 1st, 2025 to February 1st 2026
$500,000+
Alfred Sorensen$250,000 to $499,999
Barbara Palmer
Edmonton Community
Foundation$50,000 to $249,999
Clarice Siebens$10,000 to $49,999
Erin Thrall & Peter Johnson
Peter Stapleton & Ethel Nakano
McDonald & K Smith Family Fund
Joanne Stalinski
Penelope Weir
Chambers Family Legacy$5,000 to $9,999
Diana Mulherin$1,500 to $4,999
Valerie Seaman
Ashley McNeil
Michelle Schurek
Joni Hughes
Tom Plunkett & Sarah Palmer$500 to $1,499
Joanne Bakker
Ruth Cross Foundation
Karen Savoy & Mark Eade
Jacqueline Walsh
Frances Coward
Richard Mah
Carl Cohen
Laurel McKay
ALBERTA BALLET DONORS 2025/26
February is the perfect time to share our gratitude for all the contributions you have made to support the art form you love. A lot of that love has gone into the creation of Romeo & Juliet, with its dazzling sets, exquisite costumes, brilliant score and of course, Francesco Ventriglia’s innovative choreography that come together to create a grand production worthy of Albertans. As you are swept away to Verona, we hope you will take a moment to reflect on what your support has enabled us to do together, and we hope that partnership is reflected in a ballet company you can be proud of. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to our Dance Circle Members, Subscribers and audience members for your ongoing generosity. We honour you with every rise of the curtain.
Dance Circle Membership $1,500
Patron Program $5,000 +
If you’re a passionate Alberta Ballet subscriber, consider taking part in our donor activities.
To learn more, please contact us at Gifts@AlbertaBallet.com.
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$50,000+
Calgary Foundation
Edmonton Community Foundation$10,000 to $49,999
Ann Falk
Annie Freeze
Gail O’Brien
Heather Edwards Foundation
Heather Rae Family Fund
Madelyn Lang
Janice Heard & Bruce McFarlane
Lynn & Vern Hult
Penelope Weir
Peter Stapleton & Ethel Nakano
Sharon Martens
Walter & Irene Deboni$5,000 to $9,999
Andal Family Fund
Cheryl Gottselig
Diana Mulherin
Dorothy Woolstencroft
Ellie Siebens
Golda Elliot Memorial Fund
Hope & Jim Smith
Jeff & Kim Van Steenbergen
Lindsay Rachel Giacomelli Memorial Fund
Milavsky Family Fund
Patricia Strickland
Sharon McNaughton
Tom Plunkett & Sarah Palmer$1,500 to $4,999
Adrian Jones
Alfred Sorensen
Anne Marie Toutant
Annette Milbradt
Anthony Anker
Brenda Nugent
Brian Mahoney
Charlene O’Fee
City Dancewear
Diana Andriashek
David Andrew Howarth
Doug Myhre
Elizabeth A. Whitsitt
Fath Group/O’Hanlon Paving
Heather Bourne
Heather Rae
Garry & Ruth Ramsden-Wood
George & Colleen Bezaire
John & Barbara Feldberg
John & Susan Hokanson
Kerri & Sean Barr
Leslie Dort
Martin & Theresa Trotter
Michel Kelly-Gagnon
Michelle Schurek
MNP Ltd.
Lance & Nicole Yanke
Peabody Family Gift Fund
Peter Johnson
Rod & Betty Wade
Roderick & Jean Mckay
Russell Varnam
Foundation - John & Megan Grace Fund
Super Save Group
The Memphis Group
Thomas Fath
Valerie Seaman
Viewpoint Foundation$500 to $1,499
Barbara & Michael Morin
Betty Stein
Brian Mills
Callow & Associates
Management Consultants Inc.
Carl Cohen
Christopher & Ingrid Eggertson
Davin Macintosh
Douglas & Laurie Strother
Don Hobsbawn
Elaine Gidluck
Helen Otto
James & Allison Murphy
John & Sheilagh Langille
Kathy Wright
Lana Bistritz
Laura Graham
Laurel Mckay
Leona Gibb
Linda K. Crawford
Maria Binnion
Martin Merritt
Mary Rosza de Coquet
Nancy Knowlton
Nancy Scrymgeour
Patricia Seamans
Peggy Garritty
Penny Lazarick
Renate Palmer
Richard & Mary Shaw
Richard Mah
Ronald & Carole Middleton
Ruth Cross Foundation
Sandra Clarkson
Sarah Krotz
Shirine Lund
Shirley Mercer
Sheila Watson
Sue Heuman
Susan Ditchburn
Susan J. Tyrell
Victoria Mckinnon -
Anonymous
Alberta Ballet Foundation
Benevity
Calgary Foundation
CanadaHelps.org
Edmonton Community Foundation
Fabbrici Foundation for the Arts
GiftFunds Canada
Heather Bala Edwards Foundation
Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by Altalink
Seaver Family Flow Through Fund and the Calgary Foundation
Viewpoint Foundation
Baker Tilly Catalyst
Palmer Family Foundation
Farrell Engineering Sales Inc.
Osten-Victor Fund
Callow & Associates Management Consultants Inc.
AltaLink, A Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company
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$1,500
Adrian Jones
Aggie Mikulski
Alan & Geri Moon
Alfred Sorensen
Alfredo Martin
Amber Denise Leeson
Andrea Brussa
Andrew & Alison Love
Ann Calvert
Ann Falk
Ann McCaig
Anne Marie Toutant
Annie McKitrick
Annie Freeze
Arliss Miller
Bob Willows
Bradford Musgrove Family
Brenda Nugent
C. Giannoulis-Stuart
C. J. de Jong
Carol Larsen & John Masters
Charlene O’Fee
Cheri Diane Boyle
Chris & Elizabeth Bourassa
Christopher & Ingrid Eggertson
CNL Resources Ltd.
Colleen Hartley
Corinne Bleakley & Lindsay Williams
Craig & Valerie Johnstone
Crystal L. B. Willie
Darin H. Grisdale
Daryl Fridhandler
David & Violet Todd
David Andrew Howarth
David Haigh & Dawn Riley
Dianne Grant
Dorothy Woolstencroft
Erica McBeth & Darwin Smith
Eileen Jones & Nicole Jones
Ethel Nakano & Peter Stapleton
Farrell Engineering
Frank Molnar & Anna Maria Marroco
Focus Communications
Gail O’Reilly
Garry and Ruth Ramsden-Wood
Geoffrey Mar
George & Colleen Bezaire
Georgina Clark
Gerard McInnis
Gina Pylatuik
Gordon Sombrowski & Kevin Allen
Heather Bourne
Heather Klimchuk
Heather Rae
Helen Drebit
Hope Smith
Ingrid Vicas
Jack & Donna Newton
J’Adore Dance
James & Allison Murphy
James Silvius
Jana Neal
Jane McCaig & Richard Waller
Janice Heard & Bruce McFarlane
Jennifer & Torval Mork
Jill A. Strueby
Joan Bedard
Joanne Graham & Ian Laxdal
Joanne Stalinski
Jocelyn Beckett
John & Barbara Feldberg
John & Sheilagh Langille
John & Susan Hokanson
John C. Bonnycastle
Joni Hughes
Joni Rynsburger
Jose-Carlos Herrero & Nicole Herrero-Langlais
Julia Boberg
Kathy J. McMillan
Katie A. Hayes
Keith & Cindy O’Neill
Kelly Bourassa
Kerri & Sean Barr
Kevin Stecyk
Kristine Eidsvik
Laura Connolly
Laurie Bayda
Leona Gibb
Leslie Ann O’Leary
Leslie & Gerald Giacomelli
Leslie Dort
Leslie Pidcock
Lindsay Walsh & David Maclean
Liz Anne Tonken
Lynn & Vern Hult
Margo L. LaValley
Marguerite Paulsen
Melanie Houley
Melissa Cook
Melissa Padfield
Michael & Natasha Simaeys
Mike Grovue
Mitch & Susanne Williams
Mona & Scott Rose
Monique Courcelles
Nadine Reynolds
Nicole & Lance Yanke
Noël Papadopoulos
Noel Xavier
Northern Timber Corp
Pamela FitzGerald
Patricia Culver
Patricia Seamans
Peggy Garritty
Penelope Weir
Richard & Aurora Musto
Rita Tripathy & Murray Coleman
Robert & Jean Ann Rooney
Rod and Betty Wade
Roderick & Jean McKay
Roger Mapp
Ronald & Carole Middleton
Roxanne McCaig
Ruben & Heather Nelson
Sandy Evans
Sarah Palmer
Sharon Martens
Sharon McNaughton
Sheila Watson
Shelley Smith
Shep Secter
Susan E. Andrews
Terrie Faber
Tricia Leadbeater
Valerie & Tony Barlott
Valerie Macleod
Veronica Prokop & Peter Andrekson
Victoria Johnston & Gregory McLeod
Vivian Manasc
Walter & Irene DeBoni
Wendy Gnenz
Yolanda Van Wachem
A whole community is working behind-the-scenes,
helping us inspire you with dance!
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Chair
Heather Rae, HRJ Consulting (Calgary)Vice Chairs
Sarah Palmer, LL.B., ICD.D (Calgary)
Heather Klimchuk, MacEwan University (Edmonton)Corporate Secretary
Frank Molnar, Field Law (Calgary)Treasurer
Jana Neal, SFG Investments (Calgary) -
Denise Clarke, One Yellow Rabbit (Calgary)
Peggy Garritty, PG Communications Ltd. (Edmonton)
Wendy Gnenz, MNP (Edmonton)
Agnieszka (Aggie) Mikulski, TIPP Consulting (Edmonton)
Melissa Padfield, University of Alberta (Edmonton)
Noël Papadopoulos, Papas Group (Edmonton)
Jeannie Rooney, Naysmith Law (Calgary)
Jill Strueby, MNP Ltd. (Calgary)
Bob Willows, Willows Construction (2001) Ltd. (Winfield)
Noel Xavier, Edmonton Community Foundation (Edmonton)
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CHAIR/PRESIDENT
Alfred SorensenSECRETARY/TREASURER
Peter StapletonDIRECTOR
Heather RaeDIRECTOR
Jana NealDIRECTOR
Joni HughesDIRECTOR
Rita TripathyDIRECTOR
George Bezaire