October 05, 2005 -

Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre’s ninth annual fund-raising Gala, featuring a superb performance by the charismatic world-renowned soprano Kathleen Battle, NAC Orchestra Music Director Pinchas Zukerman and the rising Canadian star mezzo-soprano Susan Platts together with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, has reached a new fundraising high, netting a spectacular $825,000. This brings the total raised to date by the Galas to almost $4 million. All proceeds from the October 1 Gala, go to the National Arts Centre’s National Youth and Education Trust, a primary resource for supporting the artistic development of young Canadian talent.

The concert featured the extraordinarily beautiful voice of Grammy winner Kathleen Battle in works by Mozart, Bellini and Gounod, as well as a set of the spirituals for which she is so justly renowned. Mezzo-soprano Susan Platts, a protégé of Jessye Norman under the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative,sang an excerpt from Bach’s St. Matthew Passion accompanied on violin by Zukerman. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean and His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond were in attendance as well as Prime Minister Paul Martin accompanying his wife Sheila Martin, the Gala’s Honorary Chair. The glittering crowd included a number of Ambassadors, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and the Mayor of Ottawa.

Jacques J.M. Shore, Chair of the Gala Committee, said: “What a thrilling evening this was! It is the rewarding culmination of many months of effort on the part of an excellent and hard-working Gala committee and a wonderful team at the National Arts Centre. I am delighted and proud that we have achieved a new record in monies raised for such a worthy cause – the National Youth and Education Trust. Our thanks go to Pinchas Zukerman and the musicians of the National Arts Centre Orchestra who graciously donated their services for the occasion.”

The National Arts Centre Gala was presented by TELUS, Founding Partner of the National Youth and Education Trust, in association with SunLife Financial, CGI, Bruce Power, Michael Potter and Veronique Dhieux, supporters and patrons of the National Arts Centre Gala, and the National Arts Centre Foundation Donors' Circle.

“Through a combination of innovative thinking, technology and artistry the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust plays a major role in igniting in our youth a life-long passion for the arts by providing opportunities for young Canadians in all parts of our country to learn from the masters, to share ideas, to attend performances, and to express their own creativity,” said Janet Yale, TELUS Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs.  “TELUS is proud to be a partner of the NAC in this important work of connecting young people to the arts.” 

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For more information please contact:
Jane Morris, Communications Officer,
National Arts Centre Orchestra
(613) 947-7000, ext. 335
jmorris@nac-cna.ca