Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Presents THE SLEEPING BEAUTY as its 2022-23 Season Finale

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) will perform the majestic, family-friendly ballet The Sleeping Beauty as its 2022-23 season finale May 19-21st. This magnificent ballet will be staged at the Benedum Center with the Tchaikovsky score performed live by the PBT Orchestra.

The Sleeping Beauty is one of the greatest of the classical story ballets, a tour de force of classical choreography and fairytale charm. The ballet comes to life with storybook scenery, glittering costumes and pristine choreography. Audiences of all ages will revel in a suite of delightful dances by Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré, six fairies, the evil Carabosse and storybook characters including Puss 'n Boots, the White Cat and the Bluebirds.

In the 130 years since its 1890 premiere in St. Petersburg, Russia, The Sleeping Beauty has captivated the hearts of audiences worldwide. It is often considered the gold standard for classical ballet technique.

"I am thrilled to be staging and directing my first full-length ballet for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre," said Adam W. McKinney, artistic director at PBT. "The Sleeping Beauty is iconic and an absolutely gorgeous ballet. I am excited to present our updated version to our Pittsburgh audiences. This ballet has something for everyone; from impeccable ballet choreography to storybook characters to themes of love and overcoming adversity, my hope is that Pittsburgh will appreciate the experience."

In 1888, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, director of Russia's Imperial Theatre ideated the work. He envisioned a ballet that would not only tell the story of an enchanted princess but would also pay tribute to the opulent, 17th-century court of Louis XIV, the French king who loved and codified ballet and ballet technique. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will be performing The Sleeping Beauty based on the original 1890 choreography and concept by Marius Petipa with original music from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The staging and direction is by PBT Artistic Director Adam W. McKinney and is based on PBT's 2019 production.