Congratulations!
Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation www.ggpaa.ca

This year’s recipients of the six Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement are:
• Peggy Baker: Internationally acclaimed as one of the most outstanding and influential contemporary dancers of her generation. A compelling performer, renowned choreographer, brilliant teacher, and passionate arts advocate, she has inspired several generations of young dancers, captivated audiences in Canada and abroad, and made an indelible mark on the modern dance scene;
• Édith Butler: One of the first artists to promote Acadian culture in Canada and around the world. For over 40 years this warm and generous performer has celebrated her rich heritage in story and song, from rollicking down-home party music to haunting laments, and has achieved star status both at home and abroad;
• Clémence DesRochers: A writer, broadcaster, singer, actress and monologuist regarded as a national treasure with a special place in the hearts of Quebecers. In a career spanning half a century she has made a profound mark on Quebec entertainment and paved the way for countless other artists and creators. A pioneer in many fields, this multitalented artist has shared the stories of her native province with audiences across the country;
• Robert Lepage: One of Canada’s best known artists, he has earned an international reputation for his dazzling work as a director, playwright, actor and filmmaker. From one-man shows to epic collective creations to classics of the repertoire,
Mr. Lepage’s original, highly visual style integrates new technologies, multiple languages, and different art forms to reinvest performance with a sense of ritual, magic and wonder;
• R. Murray Schafer: Acclaimed as a gifted composer, visionary educator and mentor, and committed environmentalist. In a career spanning over 50 years, he has explored the relationships between people and sound, created unique performance genres in the field of acoustic ecology, and raised awareness of Canada’s new music internationally; and,
• George F. Walker: A prolific and popular playwright, director and screenwriter who has greatly enriched Canada’s cultural landscape and garnered critical acclaim at home and abroad. Over the last 35 years he has written more than 20 plays and has created screenplays for several award-winning Canadian television series. His bold, darkly comic work sounds a unique note in Canadian theatre, and has inspired young writers and artists across the country.

Each recipient will receive a cash award of $25,000 contributed by the Canada Council for the Arts and a commemorative medallion struck by the Royal Canadian Mint.

Tickets for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala on Saturday, May 9, 2009 go on sale to the general public as of March 3, 2009 at the NAC Box Office and through Ticketmaster, 613-755 1111 or www.ticketmaster.ca.

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