Winnipeg ballet and symphony leaders step down
Posted May 10, 2025 12:07 pm.
Last Updated May 10, 2025 12:08 pm.
The close of this year’s arts season in Winnipeg marks the end of an era, as two longtime artistic leaders prepare to step down to open the door for new voices and new possibilities.
“I always say: respect the past, support the present, build the future,” said André Lewis, the artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB).
After three decades in the role, Lewis is stepping aside, having overseen a period of bold evolution and creative growth for the company.
“We’ve added works such as Dracula, The Handmaid’s Tale, Snow White, Jekyll and Hyde, Moulin Rouge and the likes. We also refurbished classics like Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, and created a new Nutcracker,” reflected Lewis. “Things have changed.”
Lewis said he hopes to be remembered for helping the RWB navigate challenges — particularly the COVID-19 pandemic — while continuing to bring innovative and engaging productions to the stage.
“There are always people who say, ‘Oh, you should stay with the old ways, with what made the RWB famous.’ I say, yes, that may have made us famous at one point, but the world moves, and we have to move with it.”
Also bowing out this year is Gwen Hoebig, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster, after an extraordinary 37 seasons.
“It’s been a real honour for me to hold this position for this time,” said Hoebig.
She described the orchestra as “the rock that holds this community together,” noting its vital role in performing for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Opera, and numerous cultural organizations across the city.
While both leaders are stepping back from the spotlight, neither plans to leave their respective organizations entirely.
“I’m not planning on retiring so much as stepping back from this position,” Lewis said.
“I’m hoping to join my colleagues at the back of the section and just sit there, without quite so much pressure on me as I do at the moment,” said Hoebig.
As Winnipeg’s arts institutions bid farewell to two of their most influential figures, a new chapter begins—one built on decades of legacy and poised for future transformation.
