Atlanta Ballet Presents the Sleeping Beauty 2/11-13

Atlanta Ballet brings the splendor of Tchaikovsky's magical score and the charming fairytale of Princess Aurora and her heroic Prince to life in The Sleeping Beauty, Feb 11 through 13, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

Choreographed by Atlanta Ballet artistic director John McFall (based on Marius Petipa's original choreography), it's a magical journey to an enchanted kingdom, where good triumphs over evil with a single kiss. Brilliant bluebirds, dashing suitors, spooky ghouls, trap doors, and evil curses create a whimsical experience for the entire family.
"The Sleeping Beauty is a timeless production that crosses generations," said McFall. "It's a classic story of love and adventure that appeals to all audiences, with lavish costumes, amusing characters, extravagant sets, and a beautiful score performed live by the Atlanta Ballet orchestra. A perfect family ballet."

The company performs The Sleeping Beauty following a 23-performance run of The Nutcracker, which also features the music of Tchaikovsky. Although both are considered family ballets, McFall says they both require long rehearsal hours and tireless dedication from the dancers.

"There's often a misconception with the classic, story book ballets that these productions are less demanding, fluff performances," said McFall, who restaged Petipa's 1890 choreography in 2006. "When Petipa choreographed his version of Sleeping Beauty, he wanted to not only tell a story but to present a beautifully choreographed ballet. The same is true today." For example, Princess Aurora, the ballet's heroine, dances from her opening scene until the very last moment of the ballet, totaling more than 90 minutes of sheer dancing.

"That's the magic of productions like these," McFall added. "They are visually spectacular, yet technically challenging, engaging both young audience members and avid ballet-goers."

The production also requires a large ensemble cast of more than 80 dancers, including students from Atlanta Ballet's Centre for Dance Education.

Company members and husband-and-wife duo John Welker and Christine Winkler will lead cast A as Prince Desire and Princess Aurora. Welker and Winkler are both in their 16th season with Atlanta Ballet and are one of the more prolific pairings in the company. They will reprise their roles from the 2006 production.

Fellow company members Jacob Bush and Kristine Necessary will dance the lead roles of Prince and Princess in cast B. Tara Lee will dance the role of Carabosse, the evil witch in cast A, and Anne Tyler Harshbarger will dance the role in cast B.
The Sleeping Beauty, based on the 1697 Charles Perrault fairytale, is one of the most popular works of classical ballet and has been performed by ballet companies around the world since its debut in 1825. The most famous production was the 1890 Petipa/Tchaikovsky collaboration, which is still performed today. Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty composition is often regarded as his finest ballet score.

The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra will perform for the entire run, led by guest conductor Ari Pelto.

Tickets start as low as $20 and are on-sale now. Call the Ticketmaster Arts Line at (404) 817-8700, stop by a Ticketmaster outlet or the Cobb Energy Centre Box Office. To order on-line, visit www.atlantaballet.com. Groups of ten or more may call Atlanta Ballet Group Sales at (404) 873-5811 ext. 207.

Atlanta Ballet's The Sleeping Beauty is proudly sponsored by Publix Super Markets Charities.

 

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