Xara Choral Theatre
Xara is Canada's leading creator of narrative-based choral theatre performances. Primarily dedicated to collaborations with Indigenous artists, the professional ensemble gives life to sung stories that are a feast for the senses and heart-felt explorations of identity, community, and culture. Based in Kji'puktuk/Halifax on traditional Mi'kmaq territory, Xara was formed in 2007 when Artistic Director Christina Murray (she/her) and a team of four passionate choral performers began a year-long process to create an ensemble that embodied their dedication to music making, integrative arts, and social/environmental justice. For its first ten season, choreographer Claire Leger served as associate artist and co-artistic director as the ensemble explored the boundaries of its interdisciplinary art form. Xara’s work has gained national and international recognition for its innovation in the genre, telling stories both true and mythical through a rich tapestry of challenging choral repertoire, movement, lighting, spoken word, and visual elements. Xara's creative team and many acclaimed collaborators have led the group to appearances at Festival 500, the Atlantic National Event of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the Titanic 100 commemoration, and several national tours, to name a few. In July 2013, Canada’s national choral competition proclaimed Xara the top women’s choir in the country. In 2015, the group released their first full-length album, Here on These Branches, which was nominated for a 2016 East Coast Music Award and a Nova Scotia Music Award for Classical Recording of the Year.
