Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB) is thrilled to announce the immediate appointment of David Nixon CBE as its new artistic producer, coinciding with the ballet company’s 90th anniversary.
Nixon, a distinguished Canadian-born artist, concluded a remarkable two-decade tenure as the longest-serving artistic director at Northern Ballet (UK) in 2022.
His international acclaim includes two Dance Europe Director of the Year awards and honours such Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2010 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2022.
Expressing his excitement about his new role, Nixon said: “It is a privilege to be involved in shaping the artistic vision for a company with such an incredible backstory. I also look forward to contributing to Cape Town’s cultural landscape with CTCB.”
Nixon’s wife, Yoko Ichino, a former principal ballerina and renowned master trainer, will join him in South Africa, contributing to aspects of dancer training and coaching.
For the CTCB’s season, Nixon will stage his acclaimed work, “I Got Rhythm”, in May. The production will be a blend of ballet, jazz, live music, and song, featuring the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Brandon Phillips and guest artists from Cape Town Opera.
During his tenure at Northern Ballet, Nixon enriched the repertoire with 29 full-length ballets, 23 one-act works, and 14 original full-length musical compositions, establishing the company as a premier global dance institution.
Robyn Taylor, executive manager of the CTCB, said: “Having David Nixon CBE as artistic producer is an absolute coup for Cape Town City Ballet, steering the company into a dynamic new era as we enter our 90th year.”
The 2024 repertoire promises a dynamic experience for audiences, including the company's celebratory 90th-anniversary, “Gala at Artscape”, in the latter part of the year.