James Neufeld – författare

This is the story of the National Ballet of Canada – the people, the determination, and how at sixty it is still creating new work while still representing the classics.

Passion to Dance is the story of the National Ballet of Canada – the people who dreamt the company into existence, the determination needed to keep it afloat, the bumps on the road to its success, and above all, its passion for dance as a living, evolving art form. From catch-as-catch-can beginnings – borrowed quarters, tiny stages, enormous dreams the National Ballet has emerged as one of North America’s foremost dance troupes. The company at sixty is a company of its time, engaged in creating challenging new work, yet committed to maintaining the classics of the past, favourites like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker,and The Sleeping Beauty. One hundred and fifty photographs from the company’s archives illustrate this definitive history, filled with eyewitness accounts, backstage glimpses, and fascinating detail. This is a record of one of Canada’s boldest cultural experiments, a book to enjoy now and keep forever.

This is the story of the National Ballet of Canada – the people, the determination, and how at sixty it is still creating new work while still representing the classics.

Passion to Dance is the story of the National Ballet of Canada – the people who dreamt the company into existence, the determination needed to keep it afloat, the bumps on the road to its success, and above all, its passion for dance as a living, evolving art form. From catch-as-catch-can beginnings – borrowed quarters, tiny stages, enormous dreams the National Ballet has emerged as one of North America’s foremost dance troupes. The company at sixty is a company of its time, engaged in creating challenging new work, yet committed to maintaining the classics of the past, favourites like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker,and The Sleeping Beauty. One hundred and fifty photographs from the company’s archives illustrate this definitive history, filled with eyewitness accounts, backstage glimpses, and fascinating detail. This is a record of one of Canada’s boldest cultural experiments, a book to enjoy now and keep forever.

Although she called herself "just a singer," soprano Lois Marshall (1925-97) became a household name across Canada during her thirty-four year career and remains one of the foremost figures in the history of Canadian music. She rubbed shoulders with Canada’s musical aristocracy – Glenn Gould, Sir Ernest MacMillan, Jon Vickers, Maureen Forrester – but Marshall always held first place in the hearts of her adoring fans.

At the height of the Cold War, Moscow and St. Petersburg embraced her as warmly as Canada had. Yet Marshall remained true to her Canadian roots and to Toronto, her lifelong home. This first-ever biography recounts her dazzling career and paints an intimate portrait of the woman, her childhood encounter with polio, and her complex relationship with her teacher and mentor, Weldon Kilburn. Hers is a tale of a warm, courageous woman; it is also the story of classical music in Canada.

Although she called herself "just a singer," soprano Lois Marshall (1925-97) became a household name across Canada during her thirty-four year career and remains one of the foremost figures in the history of Canadian music. She rubbed shoulders with Canada’s musical aristocracy – Glenn Gould, Sir Ernest MacMillan, Jon Vickers, Maureen Forrester – but Marshall always held first place in the hearts of her adoring fans.

At the height of the Cold War, Moscow and St. Petersburg embraced her as warmly as Canada had. Yet Marshall remained true to her Canadian roots and to Toronto, her lifelong home. This first-ever biography recounts her dazzling career and paints an intimate portrait of the woman, her childhood encounter with polio, and her complex relationship with her teacher and mentor, Weldon Kilburn. Hers is a tale of a warm, courageous woman; it is also the story of classical music in Canada.

This special bundle contains seven books that detail Canada’s long and storied history in the performing arts. We learn about Canada’s early Hollywood celebrity movie stars; Canadians’ vast contributions to successful international stage musicals; the story of The Grand, a famous theatre in London, Ontario; reminiscences from the early days of radio; the history of the renowned Stratford Festival; and a lavish history of the famous National Ballet of Canada. Canada’s performing artists blossomed in the twentieth century, and you can learn all about it here.

Includes

Broadway North Let’s Go to The Grand! Once Upon a Time in Paradise Passion to Dance Sky Train Romancing the Bard Stardust and Shadows

This is the story of the National Ballet of Canada – the people, the determination, and how at sixty it is still creating new work while still representing the classics. Passion to Dance is the story of the National Ballet of Canada – the people who dreamt the company into existence, the determination needed to keep it afloat, the bumps on the road to its success, and above all, its passion for dance as a living, evolving art form. From catch-as-catch-can beginnings – borrowed quarters, tiny stages, enormous dreams the National Ballet has emerged as one of North America’s foremost dance troupes. The company at sixty is a company of its time, engaged in creating challenging new work, yet committed to maintaining the classics of the past, favourites like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker,and The Sleeping Beauty. One hundred and fifty photographs from the company’s archives illustrate this definitive history, filled with eyewitness accounts, backstage glimpses, and fascinating detail. This is a record of one of Canada’s boldest cultural experiments, a book to enjoy now and keep forever.