English National Ballet - The Sleeping Beauty

We are delighted that Tamara Rojo has recently joined English National Ballet as Artistic Director, and that she will be dancing the role of Princess Aurora at all the venues throughout the tour.

The Sleeping Beauty reawakens the magic of the world’s favourite fairy tale in an enchanted world of castles and curses, forests and fairies. Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, Princess Aurora lived in an enchanted castle where fairies bestowed her with gifts of beauty, temperament, purity, joy, wit and generosity. The wicked Fairy Carabosse put a curse on Aurora; to prick her finger and die on her 16th birthday.

Following the huge success of The Sleeping Beauty revival in 2005, and again in 2008 when it was seen by over 150,000 people, English National Ballet will once again perform MacMillan’s classic production in Autumn 2012.

MacMillan’s sumptuous production of The Sleeping Beauty opens as King Florestan and his Queen celebrate the christening of Princess Aurora. Their special guests are the fairy godmothers who bestow their magic gifts on the infant. Just as the Lilac Fairy is to present her gift, the Fairy Carabosse, whose invitation has been overlooked by the master of ceremonies, arrives and takes her revenge by pronouncing that one day Aurora will prick her finger on a needle and die. The Lilac Fairy intervenes with the promise that Aurora will not die but fall into a deep sleep from which she will be awakened after 100 years by the kiss of a prince. Combining grand sets and costumes, Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous score and displays of virtuosic dancing, The Sleeping Beauty is a dazzling showcase of classical ballet.

The Sleeping Beauty will be a wonderful development for any child who saw My First Sleeping Beauty in Spring 2012, performed by ENB2. The My First Ballets are the beginning of a series of productions bringing children their first taste of the magical world of ballet. English National Ballet will perform The Sleeping Beauty across the UK visiting Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Manchester. Alongside the performances, English National Ballet also offers a series of events that delve deeper into the magical world of The Sleeping Beauty. These include on-stage Ballet Workshops, Choreographic Masterclassses, and workshops designed for the whole family.

“The staging is visually a delight… this handsome Beauty is respectful of what this masterpiece means as apotheosis of classic ballet.” Financial Times

With wonderful choreography by Kenneth MacMillan, The Sleeping Beauty features some of Tchaikovsky’s best-loved ballet music ever, including the Rose Adagio and the music used as Once Upon a Dream in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

The Sleeping Beauty
Created for American Ballet Theatre and known as the “Million Dollar Production”, join English National Ballet’s internationally acclaimed The Sleeping Beauty presented by the Company’s 67 dancers and full symphony orchestra. With wonderful choreography by Kenneth MacMillan, The Sleeping Beauty, features some of Tchaikovsky’s best-loved ballet music ever, including the Rose Adagio and the music used as Once Upon a Dream in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty .

The Sleeping Beauty
National Tour
17 October 2012 – 2 March 2013
London Coliseum
9 January 2012 – 19 January 2013

English National Ballet – The Sleeping Beauty