Kimiko’s Pearl
World Premiere June 22-23, 2024
Partridge Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catharines
A new ballet commissioned and produced by Bravo Niagara!
Presented by the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
Yue Shi and Chenxin Liu as Shizuo and Natsue Ayukawa.
Photo by Réjean Brandt.
A story of war, sacrifice and renewal based on the Japanese Canadian internment of WWII, Kimiko’s Pearl is a new ballet that unfurls the bittersweet story of one family spanning four generations. It is told through the eyes of Kimiko, a 15-year-old Toronto girl who discovers an old family trunk containing her great-grandfather’s diary and other precious keepsakes. As Kimiko reads the diary, her family’s tale comes to life before her eyes.
Inspired by the family history of Bravo Niagara!’s co-founders Christine Mori and Alexis Spieldenner,Kimiko’s Pearlis based on a story by Emmy Award winner Howard Reich. The production features original music by Kevin Lau, choreography by Yosuke Mino, dancers from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Vancouver Coastal City Ballet, and three generations of Japanese Canadian visual artists and musicians.
