Ballet by Royal Classical Ballet
The premiere of The Sleeping Beauty took place in 1899 at the Mariinsky Theater. The stage adaptation of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale by Marius Petipa became one of the most expensive productions of that time – 42 thousand pre-revolutionary rubles (a quarter of the annual budget of theaters in St. Petersburg). Thanks to the creative union of the brilliant French choreographer and Russian composer, a masterpiece of ballet art was born, which has not lost its popularity over 120 years. P.I. Tchaikovsky’s music not only accompanies the dance action, it describes the inner world of each character, conveys the main conflict – the struggle between light and darkness. The Sleeping Beauty ballet is like a symphony, each act is a complete independent work. The performance is a breeze to watch. A gilded palace, a blooming garden, a dense forest – bright scenery replaces one another. All kinds of fairy-tale characters appear on the stage – fairies, Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, Blue Bird. The extravaganza is crowned with a large wedding adagio, glorifying the victory of love. This ballet is a real gift for aesthetes who want to enjoy the beauty of lines and the magic of classical dance.
