Fernand Nault

Fernand Nault, OC, CQ (* December 27, 1920 in Montreal as Fernand- Noël Boissonneault, † December 26, 2006 ) was a Canadian ballet dancer and choreographer.

Fernand Nault wanted to be a priest, but came off that decision and studied with Maurice Morenoff dance in Montreal, and later in New York, London and Paris originally. 1944 Nault was hired by the American Ballet Theatre ( ABT) for a show in Montreal. He remained at ABT and rose to the ballet master. Later he was even head of the Ballet School of the ABT. In 1965 he returned to Canada and became a choreographer and later deputy director at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. His most famous work is probably the Les Grands version of The Nutcracker.

Other pieces of Nault are Carmina Burana (1967) and the rock ballet Tommy (1970), based on the rock opera Tommy by The Who, which was performed at Expo 67 in Montreal. Nault was also a choreographer and ballet master at the École supérieure de danse du Québec. 1977, he was Canada's highest award, the Order of Canada, conferred.

Fernand Nault was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and succumbed to the disease on December 26, 2006, one day before his 86th birthday, in a Montreal hospital.