| Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

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Dora award-winning “triple-threat … coloratura” (Opera Canada) Maeve Palmer has performed with such organizations as the Stratford Symphony Orchestra, Tapestry Opera, Opera Atelier, Off Centre Music Salonga, New Music Concerts, Continuum Contemporary Music, Opera Atelier, the Brampton Rose Orchestra, and on tour with the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition. A lauréat of the Jim and Charlotte Norcop Prize in Song (UofT) (2021 winner), Maeve is known for her interpretation of contemporary song, and Irish art music. Maeve is also an interpreter of many classic opera roles including Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Sandrina (La Finta Giardiniera), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), and Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore).

Recent performances include the title role in The Czardas Princess, with Toronto Operetta Theatre (TOT), soprano soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with the Collingwood Chorale, Adele in Die Fledermaus with the Stratford Symphony Orchestra, Aunt Lydia in The Handmaid’s Tale by Ruders, arr Schlossberg, at the Banff Centre, and Adina in Donizetti’s Elixir of Love, with Highlands Opera.

World premieres include “Vita Brevis” for soprano and chamber ensemble by Norbert Palej, and R.U.R. A Torrent of Light by Nicole Lizée. Maeve’s voice is featured in the Hollywood film The Space Between Us, (2017).

Upcoming performances include Ava in the opera Missing by Brian Current, and the Dew Fairy and Sandman in Pacific Opera Victoria’s Hansel and Gretel.

An alumna of the University of Toronto Opera School, and the Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency at the Glenn Gould School, Royal Conservatory of Music,, Maeve holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Pedagogy and Performance from UofT during which time she resided as a Junior Fellow at Massey College. In her academic career, Dr. Palmer researches vocal function in sean-nós singing, and Irish song traditions within contemporary compositional idioms, and has taught English Song at UofT.

Soprano

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Born in Lima, Peru, Chela De Ferrari is a director and playwright. She founded Teatro La Plaza, a non-profit institution established in 2003, and served as its artistic director until 2021.

Teatro La Plaza defines itself as a space for theatrical creation that investigates and interprets reality, developing critical perspectives that engage in dialogue with its community. Through new works and contemporary interpretations of classic texts, its programming is committed to creating theatre that challenges, reflects, and remembers—and in which no one feels excluded.

In 2013, De Ferrari created Sala de Parto, a Teatro La Plaza program dedicated to nurturing new Peruvian playwriting. Over its first decade, the program helped bring more than 50 plays to life through collaborations with local and international partners, including London’s Royal Court Theatre. In recent years, the program has placed particular emphasis on supporting women creators throughout the development of new works.

De Ferrari’s work as a director and playwright has focused on contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare—including Richard III (2013), Much Ado About Nothing (2016), and Hamlet (2019)—as well as new Peruvian playwriting. In close collaboration with Peruvian playwright Luis Alberto León, she created La cautiva (2014), Savia (2017), and La Barragana (2023), a trilogy exploring three periods of extreme violence in Peru’s history.

In 2024, she presented an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull featuring actors who are blind or have low vision. The production premiered at the Festival d’Avignon and Spain’s National Drama Centre.

She is also the director of Ser Hamlet (Being Hamlet), a documentary following the year-long creative process of eight actors with Down syndrome as they rehearse Hamlet.

Writer and Producer

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Teatro La Plaza is a theater creation space that investigates and interprets reality to build a critical point of view that dialogues with its community. Opens its doors in 2003 with the purpose of connecting with its community by offering a production of works capable of questioning, provoking and surprising. Through texts of new playwrighting, as well as classics under a contemporary look, their proposals seek to formulate key questions that allow us to better understand our reality, the hectic times we live and the complex nature of human being. With the intention of collaborating in the development of local playwrights, in 2013 La Plaza created Sala de Parto, a program that stimulates the birth of new Peruvian plays and authors.

Production Company

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Post-post-modern diva Meow Meow has hypnotized, inspired, and terrified audiences globally with unique creations and sell-out seasons from New York’s Lincoln Center and Berlin’s Bar Jeder Vernunft to London’s West End and the Sydney Opera House. Named one of the “Top Performers of the Year” by The New Yorker, the spectacular crowd-surfing tragi-comedienne has been called “sensational” (The Times, UK), a “diva of the highest order” (New York Post), “The Queen of Chanson” (Berliner Zeitung), and “a phenomenon” by the Australian press. Her award-winning solo works have been curated by David Bowie, Pina Bausch, Mikhail Baryshnikov and numerous international arts festivals.

As well as being a prolific original music, theatre and dance-theatre creator, Meow Meow specializes in the Weimar repertoire and French chanson. She has played Jenny in Weill’s Threepenny Opera in Paris and London with the London Philharmonic and Anna 1 and 2 in Weill's Seven Deadly Sins with Orchestra Victoria, as well as numerous Weimar works with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Oregon Symphony, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Bergen Philharmonic.

Meow Meow’s albums with frequent collaborators, composer Iain Grandage and the Wild Dog Orchestra, include Vamp, Songs from a Little Match Girl, and Mermaid (with the Siren Effect Orchestra). Her latest album, Hotel Amour, recorded with Thomas M. Lauderdale of Pink Martini, features duets with Rufus Wainwright, the late Michel Legrand, and The Von Trapps as well as original songs written by Lauderdale and Meow Meow, performed with members of Pink Martini and the Oregon Symphony.

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BANFF, AB, September 2, 2026 – Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is excited to announce Sharon O’Sullivan as the newest member of The Banff Centre Foundation Board of Directors for a three-year term, beginning June 11, 2026 and ending June 10, 2029.

O’Sullivan joins the board with more than 20 years of experience in financial services, including senior leadership roles spanning strategy, technology, governance, risk management, and innovation. She also brings a broad perspective on building partnerships and creating lasting impact across industry, academia, government, startups, and community-based organizations.

Sharon O’Sullivan is Head of Technology Research & Innovation at BMO Financial Group, where she leads enterprise mandates in tech innovation and ecosystem development, advancing emerging technology adoption, new market exploration, and cross-border partnerships globally. She also serves on university and innovation advisory boards and is an active mentor and investor in early-stage deep tech ventures.

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In a time of rapid technological and societal change, the ideas that shape the future rarely emerge from a single discipline. Banff Centre brings together creativity, leadership, and diverse perspectives in ways that inspire new possibilities for culture, community, and society. I am honoured to support its next chapter and its continued impact in the Bow Valley, across Canada, and internationally.

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Sharon O’Sullivan, member of the Banff Centre Foundation

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Recently relocated to Bow Valley after more than two decades in the Greater Toronto Area, O’Sullivan is committed to contributing to and strengthening the community she now calls home. Her work focuses on building partnerships, strengthening institutions, and enabling lasting economic, social, and community impact.

O’Sullivan holds Executive MBA degrees from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan.

The Banff Centre Foundation plays a vital role in supporting the long-term sustainability of Banff Centre and advancing Banff Centre’s mission to bring artists, leaders, and communities together to create, collaborate, share, envision, learn, and be inspired. Guided by the Golden Rule of Endowment Management, the Foundation manages and stewards its endowed funds with transparency, accountability, and fiscal prudence.

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See Banff Centre’s Media Room here.

For photos, information, or interview requests, please contact:

Carly Maga
Director, Communications
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
tel: +1.403.763.6210
cell: +1.403.431.3423
carly_maga@banffcentre.ca

About Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

Founded in 1933, Banff Centre is a post-secondary institution built upon an extraordinary legacy of excellence in artistic and leadership development. What started as a single course in drama has grown to become a global organization leading in arts, culture, and creative decision-making across dozens of disciplines, from the fine arts to Indigenous Wise Practices. From our home in the stunning Canadian Rocky Mountains, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to move everyone who attends our campus—artists, leaders, thinkers, and audiences—to unleash their creative potential and realize their unique contribution to build an innovative, inspiring future through education, performances, convenings, and public outreach. banffcentre.ca

Banff Centre
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Banff, Alberta
Canada
T1L 1H5
403.762.6100
www.banffcentre.ca

We recognize, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minihrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Métis Nation of Alberta, Rockyview District 4. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play here, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.

Media Release

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Christopher Stowell and Chris Lorway, photo by Rita Taylor.

Christopher Stowell (left) and Chris Lorway (right), photo by Rita Taylor.

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The two foundational figures in Banff Centre’s dance program, and co-founders of what is now the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, represent a decades-long relationship between the two companies that continues this season with the Northern Lights Project.

BANFF, AB, AUGUST 31, 2026 – Canada’s leading post-secondary institution dedicated to arts training and development, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, is honouring two of the most influential figures in Canadian dance history by naming two studios after Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally—the visionary leaders who helped establish Banff Centre's dance program and co-founded what would become the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

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The history of dance at Banff Centre is inseparable from the vision of Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally. Their leadership helped establish foundations that continue to shape artists and audiences today. Naming these studios in their honour recognizes a remarkable legacy while inspiring future generations of artists who come here to create, learn, and collaborate.

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Chris Lorway, President and CEO of Banff Centre

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The naming was celebrated during the first Banff Centre residency as part of the Northern Lights Project, a national initiative led by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in collaboration with the National Arts Centre, Banff Centre, and Fall for Dance North. Bringing together artists from across Canada to create new work that places ballet in conversation with diverse artistic disciplines and creative practices, the project reflects a shared commitment to innovation, collaboration, and supporting Canadian talent.

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The Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Banff Centre share a deep commitment to nurturing artists and advancing the art form. It is especially meaningful to celebrate Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, whose vision and leadership helped establish both institutions as enduring homes for Canadian dance. As we look to the future through initiatives like the Northern Lights Project, we continue to build on the foundation they created for generations of Canadian dance artists.

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Christopher Stowell, Artistic Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet

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The connection between Banff Centre and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet stretches back nearly eight decades. Lloyd founded Banff Centre's first dance program in 1947, while Farrally joined the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1950 and went on to serve as a faculty member, mentor, and artistic leader for more than three decades. Together, they co-founded the Winnipeg Ballet Club and the Canadian School of Ballet, laying the foundation for today's Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

The relationship between the two institutions extended beyond shared founders. Lloyd and Farrally used Banff Centre's summer ballet programs as a space to develop and experiment with new choreography, bringing ideas cultivated in Banff into full productions. Later, Arnold Spohr, Artistic Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet from 1958 to 1988, also led Banff Centre's summer dance program from 1968 to 1981, strengthening ties between the organizations while championing Canadian dancers and choreographers. For decades, Banff Centre also hosted Royal Winnipeg Ballet performances in Banff Centre’s Eric Harvie Theatre (now the Jenny Belzberg Theatre), creating a vibrant artistic exchange between the organizations.

In Banff this month, the Northern Lights Project began its interdisciplinary creation process led by Robert Binet, Artistic Director and co-CEO of Fall for Dance North. Participating artists include choreographers Esie Mensah, Alyssa Martin, and Charlie Skuy; sound designer Ben Sellick; sound artist and musician Ashley Au; playwright, director, and actor Debbie Patterson; designer Evan Ducharme; and musician Jason Burnstick. Together, they are developing an innovative model for ballet creation, one that places interdisciplinary collaboration at the heart of the creative process from the very beginning.

Work developed during the residency will be shared in its first public iteration by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, with the potential to continue evolving through future presentations in Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Toronto.

By recognizing Lloyd and Farrally while supporting the creation of new work through the Northern Lights Project, Banff Centre and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet are celebrating a shared history while investing in the future of Canadian dance. The newly named studios will stand as lasting reminders of two artists whose vision helped shape both institutions and whose influence continues to inspire creators today.

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See Banff Centre’s Media Room here.

For photos, information, or interview requests, please contact:

Carly Maga
Director, Communications
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
tel: +1.403.763.6210
cell: +1.403.431.3423
carly_maga@banffcentre.ca

About Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

About the Royal Winnipeg Ballet

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet teaches, creates, and performs, enriching lives through the power of exceptional dance. With a legacy spanning more than 85 years, the RWB is recognized for its versatility, technical excellence, and commitment to artistic quality. Under the artistic leadership of Christopher Stowell, the Company continues to build on its classical foundation while presenting a wide range of works for audiences in Winnipeg and beyond. In addition to its renowned Company, the RWB is home to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, which includes the Professional Division, an internationally acclaimed training ground for aspiring professional dancers and educators, and the Recreational Division, Winnipeg’s largest dance school, welcoming students of all ages, levels, and interests. www.rwb.org

Fall for Dance North

Fall for Dance North invites Toronto to fall in love with dance through their annual international festival that makes extraordinary performances affordable. The festival connects audiences with the artists who move Toronto, as well as exceptional dancers and choreographers from around the world. Through the power of dance, they celebrate human expression, foster community and connection, and reflect the cultural richness of their community. By stripping away signals of exclusivity and presenting it as an open, social experience that anyone can find and fall into, they aim to create new and accessible gateways to dance. www.ffdnorth.com

Banff Centre
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Banff, Alberta
Canada
T1L 1H5
403.762.6100
www.banffcentre.ca

Media Release

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Miles Foxx Hill is a bassist, recording engineer, and composer. As an electric and acoustic bass player, he has worked with some of the world’s biggest music names including Van Morrison, Michael Buble, Chad Kroeger of Nickleback and the Brazilian jazz superstar Ivan Lins. Miles is known for his profound sense of time, unique arrangements and diverse musical styles. He has played on over 600 recordings that cover the musical spectrum, from jazz, funk, and tango to country and rock.

Bass

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Hailed for his "uncommon sensitivity and feeling" (The New York Times), Roman Rabinovich is a pianist of profound musical insight, celebrated for interpretations that combine technical brilliance with bold artistic personality. Winner of the 12th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, he has appeared on major stages across Europe and the U.S.

He has garnered acclaim for concerto performances collaborating with leading orchestras and conductors worldwide, including the Israel Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, Prague Symphony, KBS Symphony, and all major Israeli orchestras. In North America, he has appeared with the Seattle Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Sarasota Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, and Edmonton Symphony.

2026-27 season include concerto performances with Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Jacksonville Symphony, Sheboygan Symphony, Mississauga Symphony, Harmonium of Texas and Idaho Falls Symphony.

In the 2027–28 season, Rabinovich will embark on a complete cycle of Beethoven's piano sonatas, with full cycles in the US, Canada, and Israel. His recital repertoire spans six centuries, from Byrd to Boulez, with a recent focus on Bach's Goldberg Variations. His recital for Mezzo was televised to 39 countries, reaching millions of viewers.

An avid chamber musician, he has appeared at major festivals including Marlboro, La Jolla SummerFest, Klavier Festival Ruhr, Lucerne, Davos, Prague Spring, Dvorak Prague and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Born in Tashkent and raised in Israel, Rabinovich debuted with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta at age 10. A graduate of the Curtis Institute (Seymour Lipkin) and Juilliard (Robert McDonald), he was among the first three pianists selected by Sir András Schiff for his Building Bridges series. He is co-artistic director of ChamberFest Cleveland and ChamberFest West in Calgary, creating adventurous programs that spark conversation, foster connection, and enrich the communal experience of music.

Pianist

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Rob has worked professionally in theatre and the wider performing and visual arts field for 20 years. His specialisation is at the intersection of technology and art, designing and implementing interactivity and control systems that can tell a story. He has an in-depth knowledge of lighting design, audio visual design, stage automation, computer programming and he regularly produces custom technical solutions for artists. Rob has worked extensively with Melbourne Theatre Company, Arts Centre Melbourne, Auckland Theatre Company, Lawrence Arabia, Taika Waititi, Sharing Stories Foundation, Opera Australia, The Australian Ballet, OPTO projects, Dancenorth, Lucy Guerin Inc and Stephanie Lake Company.

Dolson Rhona

Technical Manager

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