The National Arts Centre has unveiled its spring 2026 lineup, and it's shaping up to be one of the most ambitious seasons the Ottawa institution has put together in recent years.
Orchestra Highlights
The NAC Orchestra, one of Canada's finest, anchors the season with a series of programs under music director Alexander Shelley. Highlights include an all-Beethoven evening marking the 200th anniversary of the composer's death, a world premiere of a new commission by Canadian composer Ana Sokolović, and a family-friendly "Music Alive" afternoon that's become a staple for Ottawa parents trying to introduce kids to live classical music.
Theatre and Dance
The theatre program opens with a co-production between the NAC and a leading Indigenous theatre company: a reimagining of a classic Canadian story through an Algonquin lens, performed bilingually in English and Anishinaabemowin. It's the kind of production that simply doesn't happen without the resources and partnerships the NAC can bring together.
On the dance side, the NAC is hosting two programs from Quebec's contemporary dance community, both of which Ottawa audiences rarely get to see without a trip to Montreal.
Canadian Premieres
Two international touring productions are making their Canadian debuts in Ottawa this spring before heading to Toronto and Vancouver. That's increasingly common: the NAC's reputation and its deal-making capacity mean Ottawa often gets first access to major international work.
Getting Tickets
Tickets are available at nac-cna.ca, with student rush pricing ($15–$20) available one hour before most performances. The NAC Box Office at 1 Elgin Street is open Tuesday through Saturday.
For a city that sometimes undersells its cultural life, the spring season at the NAC is a reminder of what Ottawa quietly has going for it.
Source: CBC Arts / RSS
