The Sleeping Beauty
ballet in three acts and a prologue
music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Cast
Choreographer Nacho Duato has discovered new meanings, emotional nuances, and graceful imagery in the captivating music of Tchaikovsky and the magical story by Charles Perrault, so familiar to all of us since childhood. Inspired by the choreography of his great predecessor, Marius Petipa, Duato occasionally refers to him, with respect or light irony, without contradicting him. The grandeur of the classical style gets shaken up: it is as if a serious symphony orchestra has suddenly allowed itself some light, jazzy twists.
The ballet’s designers have created a space on stage which allows the audience to feel as if they are right inside the fairy tale, in the world of the fairies. Set against a background of flowering roses, the ballet’s characters sometimes resemble birds or butterflies. The wicked fairy, Carabosse, is portrayed as a vampish beauty, faithfully served by wily cockroaches with shining backs. In the finale, though, the evil spells are undone, and kindness and love win out. „In our time, adults, too, need fairy tales. They help us to return to something important and personal: the child within us.“ The production team are sure that this is true, and audiences gladly share their view.
Prologue
King Florestan and Queen are celebrating the christening of their daughter, Princess Aurora.
The court is waiting for the appearance of the King and the Queen. Catalabutte, the Master of Ceremonies, is revising the guest list. The feast begins. The Lilac Fairy, the godmother of the Princess, appears surrounded by good fairies.
Frightened servants herald the arrival of the evil Fairy Carabosse, who hasn’t been invited by mistake of Catalabutte. King and Queen are worried expecting the worst.
Enraged Carabosse escorted by her monstrous entourage arrives. How did they dare to forget her? Carabosse willing to revenge predicts that Princess Aurora will become the most beautiful and the smartest of all the princesses but once she will prick her finger with a needle and die.
The Lilac Fairy alleviates the prophecy of Carabosse. Princess Aurora shall not die, as Carabosse wished but will fall in a deep sleep and shall be awakened by a young Prince enchanted by the sleeping beauty.
Act I
Princess Aurora has turned sixteen. King and Queen are celebrating her birthday. Noble guests are coming to the palace to seek Aurora’s hand. The princes are introduced to Princess Aurora. She is nice to all of them, ready to dance with everyone but she doesn’t favour any of them. An old lady with a strange thing in her hands attracts Aurora’s attention. The Princess takes the needle from the old lady and starts playing and dancing with it. Suddenly she pricks her finger and falls senseless. The old lady is the Fairy Carabosse. She is triumphant.
The Lilac Fairy alleviates the prophecy of Carabosse : Princess Aurora shall not die but fall asleep for one hundred years. And everybody in the kingdom will fall asleep after her. In one hundred years the Princess will be awakened and the magic condemnation will lose its power.
Act II
One hundred years has passed. Prince Désiré, his friends and courtiers are hunting in the forest. Once Prince Désiré is alone, the Lilac Fairy appears. She tells him about the Princess. The Prince is longing to see the Princess in
reality.
The Lilac Fairy and Prince Désiré are sailing in a boat to the sleeping castle. A dense forest is around them. Τhe evil Fairy Carabosse and her servants are in the garden. Suddenly they hear the music signifying the appearance of the Lilac Fairy. Carabosse has no might against the Lilac Fairy.
Prince Désiré finds Princess Aurora. When he kisses the sleeping beauty, Aurora awakes.
Act III
King Florestan’s palace. The wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré is celebrated.
Many guests are coming to congratulate the newlyweds: the fairy-tale characters, fairies and princes. The happy newlyweds are dancing. The Lilac Fairy appears in the palace. All her kind promises have come true!
Premiere of the production: 16 December 2011
Libretto by Nacho Duato after Ivan Vsevolozhsky and the fairy tale by Charles Perrault
- ChoreographyNacho Duato
- Stage Designer, Costume DesignerAngelina Atlagić
- Lighting DesignerBrad Fields
- Assistant to Stage Designer adapting the artistic solutions to technical performanceOleg Molchanov
- Assistants to Stage DesignerMagdalena Vlajić, Branko Cvijić
- Costume TechnologyAlla Marusina
- Choreographer’s AssistantTony Fabre
