Ottawa, December 8, 2021 — Beat the drums and sound the trumpets: the BIG BANG is returning to the NAC, live and in colour! After an all-digital 2021 edition, the vibrant festival of sonic adventures for the whole family promises once again to fill every nook and cranny of the NAC with sound.

“What a joy it is to welcome children and their families back to the BIG BANG, this great and beautiful celebration of sound! The word ‘party’ takes on its full meaning as we prepare, with great care and imagination, a thrilling reunion between the public and music in all its forms. More than ever, we can’t wait for you to join us for this supersonic adventure!”
—Mélanie Dumont, BIG BANG Program Coordinator and Associate Artistic Director, Youth Programming, NAC French Theatre

 

Since 2019, the annual BIG BANG has been attracting thousands of young visitors and their families to the NAC for an incredible weekend of sound! This year’s edition returns to a more familiar format, with an array of amazing on-site performances. Free activities and sound experiences of all kinds will also be offered in person and virtually. Stay tuned: the complete program will be announced on January 17!

 

Ready, set, go: the BIG BANG shows are waiting for you!

Acrobatic concerts, miniature theatre, mystery performances and more are on the program! Book your tickets and plan an unforgettable weekend now: www.bigbangfestival.ca

Families will find accessible prices with performance tickets ranging from $5-$15. Save 25% when you buy tickets to 2 or more Big Bang performances!

*Tickets on sale as of December 8, 10 AM

For curious of all ages.

 

 

Five Seasons Circus & Symphony

The circus arts meet the orchestra! Talented young artists from Montréal’s École nationale de cirque take to the stage to spin, tuck and tumble to Vivaldi’s greatest hits. A thrilling journey through the cycle of the seasons, imagined by Claudel Doucet and delivered by the virtuosity of Alexander Shelley and the NAC Orchestra musicians.

February 19 | $15

45 minutes ● Performed without words ● Ages 5–12

 

HUSH: Henry’s Dream Machine

Put on your finest silk stockings, board a ghost ship and discover the bewitching world of HUSH, an off-the-wall concert–performance about Henry Purcell, the Shakespeare of English music! Named “Best Opera” at the 2021 YAM (Young Audience Music) Awards, the amazing magic box imagined by Zonzo Compagnie makes its Canadian debut.

February 19 & 20 | $15

55 minutes ● Bilingual ● Ages 6–12

 

The Greenhouse

Three musicians in a greenhouse are rockin’ some garden songs! Rave party for kids, 360° show—The Greenhouse is all that and more! A concert–performance like a burst of spring freshness in the heart of winter. Who says vegetables are boring?

February 19 & 20 | $15

35 minutes ● In English ● Ages 2–7

*A French version of the show, Le Potager, will also be presented.

 

Sarah Thawer

A drumming superstar, Sarah Thawer rocks out in live performances and in her YouTube videos! A born percussionist, she has mastered all styles to perfection, from jazz and funk to R&B and hip-hop. Warning: you may be completely blown away by the energy of this beat pro!

February 20 | $15

45 minutes ● Bilingual ● Age 5+

 

Music Rooms

Are you a fan of the unexpected? Don’t miss these concentrated mini-performances! This festival favourite is still surprising and intimate, but this year the experience is offered in a “pick-your-own” format. Choose just one micro-concert or both!

February 19 & 20 | $5

15 minutes ● Multilingual ● Age 5+

 

 

Psst! The complete festival program and the happy band of young ambassadors will be unveiled on January 17! Free activities, exciting musical experiences and even some virtual events—there will be something for everyone.

 

 

WHAT MAKES THE BIG BANG UNIQUE?

The BIG BANG loves to travel, and what’s more, it loves to take visitors of all ages on adventures. It builds on the legacy of the OORSMEER festival, founded by Wouter Van Looy in 1995, to offer children an artistic and musical program designed specifically for them, and which they even help deliver by participating in certain interactive installations.

 

Over the past 10 years the festival has travelled to several European cities, from Tallinn to Lisbon, from Antwerp to Athens, from Seville to Dublin, from Lille to Enschede, via Ghent, Brussels, Rouen, Reykjavik and Copenhagen. In 2019, the event took a giant leap across the ocean to land in its first North American city: Ottawa! Since then, each edition has been a resounding success, bringing together thousands of curious people attracted by the many guest artists and some 30 invigorating performances and micro-concerts. Don’t miss the festival’s return to the NAC, in force and in person!

 

 

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR BIG BANG FRIENDS

The Ottawa presentation of the BIG BANG is the result of the NAC’s relationship with Belgium’s Zonzo Compagnie, which specializes in musical theatre for young audiences and is directed by Wouter Van Looy. Over the past few years the NAC has presented several Zonzo performances, including Listen to the Silence, set to the music of John Cage; Slumberland, an exploration of the world of dreams and the night; and Mile(s)tones, a show about legendary jazzman Miles Davis.

 

The BIG BANG in Ottawa is supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe Programme, Winterlude, the Sandra and Alain Bouchard Foundation, and Sun Life.

The BIG BANG is an initiative of Zonzo Compagnie.

 

 

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Explore the full lineup and book your spot right here: www.bigbangfestival.ca

 

 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE

The National Arts Centre is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams—the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety—and nurtures the next generation of artists and audiences from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation.

 

-30-