Presented by Festival Ballet Theatre
FESTIVAL BALLET THEATRE: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

SAT APR 12, 2025 AT 7PM
SUN APR 13, 2025 AT 2PM

A timeless love story for the whole family!

Festival Ballet Theatre brings the classic story of a sleeping princess, a handsome prince, and the triumph of true love’s kiss to the Barclay with special guests from prestigious professional ballet companies in the lead roles. 

The tale begins at a grand celebration of the christening of princess Aurora. The Fairies of Serenity, Benevolence, Generosity, Happiness, and Temperament each bestow their gifts on the princess. At last, it is the Lilac Fairy’s turn, but before she can bestow her gift, the evil fairy Carabosse appears, blazing with anger because she was not invited to the celebration. Instead of a gift, Carabosse places a curse on baby Aurora that when she reaches her 16th birthday, she will prick her finger on a spindle and die.  

The Lilac Fairy cannot remove the curse, but she can soften it and promises that Aurora shall not die from the prick of her finger, but will fall into a deep sleep for 100 years until she is awakened by a kiss from a handsome prince. 

Sixteen years pass and the curse if fulfilled. Everyone falls into a 100-year sleep until a young Prince Florimund finds the Sleeping Beauty and awakens her with a kiss. The spell is broken. The entire kingdom celebrates the wedding of Princess Aurora to Prince Florimund.

Fabled storybook characters such as the White Cat and Puss-in-Boots, the Enchanted Princess and Bluebird, Little Red Riding Hood and Wolf all take part in the celebration of love and victory of good over evil. 

This production is set to the music of Peter Tchaikovsky with choreography by Artistic Director Salwa Rizkalla after Marius Petipa. The Sleeping Beauty was first performed by the Russian Imperial Ballet in January 1890. 

Guest Artists
Liudmila Konovalova - Wiener Staatsballett
Vsevolod Maievskyi - English National Ballet