TORONTO — The National Ballet of Canada has named Toronto native Hope Muir as its new artistic director.
The board of directors says the appointment of Muir, who is artistic director of the Charlotte Ballet in North Carolina, follows a two-year international search to fill the role.
She succeeds ballet legend Karen Kain, who ended her more than 15-year tenure at the company’s creative helm last month, but will stay on as artistic director emerita.
Since assuming her post at the Charlotte Ballet in 2017, Muir has commissioned 12 world premières and presented six U.S. premières. She previously served as assistant artistic director of the Scottish Ballet.
She’s maintained a relationship with the National Ballet of Canada over the years, assisting with the creation of Crystal Pite’s “Emergence” in 2009 and staging the company première of Christopher Bruce’s “Rooster” in 2008.
Muir is set to start her new position Jan. 1, 2022.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2021.