Music: Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: Elizabeth DiStasio-Waddell
Ballet Synopsis
Sleeping Beauty is the story of Princess Aurora. On her christening day, guests bringing gifts for the princess are received by the King and Queen. The fairy godmothers (the Woodland Fairies, the Song Birds, the Fairy of the Crystal Fountain, the Enchanted Garden Fairy, the Woodland Fairies, and the Fairy of the Golden Vine) arrive to present their gifts to the new Princess. The wicked fairy, Carabosse, furious at not having been invited to the Princess’ christening, places a curse on the Princess - on her 15th birthday, she will prick her finger on a spindle and die. The Lilac Fairy changes the curse, and instead of dying, the Princess will fall into a deep sleep. She will awaken after 100 years, but only after being kissed by a handsome prince. On her 15th birthday, the Princess receives a spindle, from a disguised Carabosse, the Princess pricks her finger on the spindle and falls into a long sleep. The palace residents and its coutiers are also frozen in time.
One hundred years later, Prince Florimund, while hunting, is visited by the Lilac Fairy, who tells him of the tale of Princess Aurora. The Lilac Fairy conjures up a vision of Princess Aurora. The Prince dances with the vision and is overwhelmed by her beauty. When she vanishes, the Prince begs the Lilac Fairy to take him to Princess Aurora. Prince Florimund, upon seeing the sleeping Princess, kisses her, and awakens her from her sleep.
The Prince and Princess are betrothed, the palace awakes, and characters from all the fairytales of childhood partake in the royal wedding festivities.