The Sleeping Beauty by Marius Petipa, music by Tchaikovsky
Marianela Núñez (Princess Aurora), Christopher Saunders (King Florestan XXIV), Elizabeth McGorian (The Queen) — The Royal Ballet
Cast
Program notes
The "ever-perfect Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov" (The Guardian) headline this immaculate Royal Ballet production of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty, in the classic choreography by Marius Petipa!
The first collaboration between Tchaikovsky and Petipa, the 1890 ballet was an instant success in Russia but didn't become a widespread repertoire staple until after Tchaikovsky's death. For the last century, it has retained a place of honor in the rotation of ballet companies worldwide as one of audiences' most beloved classical ballets. The work's popularity is easy to understand: it contains some of the most beautiful, sweepingly romantic music ever written by Tchaikovsky; features a sublime and elegant choreography by one of the all-time masters; and recounts in dance one of the world's favorite fairy tales—a tale further immortalized in the Disney film, which also makes excellent use of Tchaikovsky's timeless score.