Ballet in Cinema Presents THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, 1/13

By: Jan. 04, 2013
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Ballet in Cinema presents THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, A Ballet in Three Acts with a Prologue, Music by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Choreography by Marius Petipa, in HD from London's Royal Ballet, Sunday, January 13, 2013, 11:00 a.m. (Eastern). The running time is 170 minutes including one intermission, captured live in performance of December, 2011.

First staged in St. Petersburg in 1890, "The Sleeping Beauty" is the Royal Ballet's signature work. It represents the pinnacle of classical ballet: the perfect marriage of Petipa's choreography and Tchaikovsky's music, a glorious challenge for every dancer onstage. To mark the Company's 75th birthday in 2006, Monica Mason and Christopher Newton revitalized the Royal's landmark 1946 production, which re-established Petipa's choreography, as recorded by Imperial Ballet régisseur Nicholas Sergeyev, to a scenario and staging developed by Ninette de Valois. With Oliver Messel's gorgeous original designs wonderfully re-imagined by Peter Farmer, and additional choreography by Anthony Dowell, Christopher Wheeldon and Frederick Ashton, today's "The Sleeping Beauty" captures the mood of the original, as well as illustrates how the Company simultaneous grows and changes while celebrating its past. Lauren Cuthbertson and Sergei Polunin star as Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund.

Additional Choreography is by Anthony Dowell, Christopher Wheeldon, and Frederick Ashton; Conductor: Boris Gruzin; Production: Monica Mason and Christopher Newton after Ninette de Valois and Nicholas Sergeyev; Designer: Oliver Messel; Additional Designs: Peter Farmer; Lighting: Mark Jonathan.

The Cast Includes: Princess Aurora: Lauren Cuthbertson; Prince Florimund: Sergei Polunin; King Florestan XXIV: Gary Avis; The Queen: Genesia Rosato; Cattalabutte: Alastair Marriott; Carabosse: Kristen McNally; Lilac Fairy: Claire Calvert.

At the christening of their baby daughter the Princess Aurora, King Florestan XXIV and the Queen have invited all the fairies to be godmothers. The proceedings are interrupted by Carabosse, the Wicked Fairy. In her fury at not being invited Carabosse gives Aurora a spindle, with the curse that one day she will prick her finger on it and die; the Lilac Fairy softens the curse by promising that Aurora will only fall into a deep sleep, that she will not die. On Aurora's 16th birthday four princes have come to seek her hand. An old woman arrives and gives Aurora a spindle, on which she pricks her finger and falls in a dead faint; the old woman was Carabosse. The Lilac Fairy appears and casts a spell of sleep over everyone; a thick forest grows over the palace.

One hundred years later Prince Florimund is hunting in the forest. The Lilac Fairy appears and shows him a vision of Princess Aurora. Florimund accompanies the Lilac Fairy to the palace gates, where they are met by Carabosse, whom the Lilac Fairy repels. At last Florimund enters the palace, kisses Aurora awake. Their marriage is celebrated by fairytale characters attending the wedding and dancing: Puss-in-Boots and the White Cat, Princess Florine and the Bluebird, Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.

For other Ballet in Cinema and/or Opera in Cinema performance schedules, theatres, show times and tickets visit: www.balletincinema.com or www.operaincinema.com



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