Sleeping Beauty set to captivate audiences

The Meridian Season of The Sleeping Beauty
Choreography: Greg Horsman (after Marius Petipa)
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Wellington
October 28-30 and November 2-5
St James Theatre
Then touring to Invercargill, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Napier, Auckland and Rotorua (see dates below)

The Royal New Zealand Ballet's final production of the year is the magical The Sleeping Beauty. Gary Harris, the former artistic director of the company, has returned to New Zealand to design the work, which will feature spectacular sets, sumptuous costume design and stylish classical choreography that will bring one of the most traditional ballets to life.

The ballet tells the tale of Princess Aurora and opens during festivities to mark her birth.

Lilac Fairy, and all of her maidens are celebrating Princess Aurora’s birth but the wicked fairy, Carabosse, who has not been invited, turns up anyway disguised as a beautiful fairy to enjoy the festivities and also to create mayhem.

In a rage she casts a spell over Princess Aurora saying that on her 16th birthday she will prick her finger and die. However, Lilac Fairy casts another spell saying that she will only fall asleep after pricking her finger.

Sixteen years later, the royal family begins to celebrate Aurora’s 16th birthday. Since the night of her birth, the King had ordered that all sharp objects be kept out of the kingdom so she could not hurt herself.

Carabosse again come to the party disguised as a seamstress and presents Princess Aurora with a beautiful tapestry. When Aurora touches the tapestry she pricks her finger on a needle that Carabosse has hidden in the threads.

Aurora goes to sleep and Lilac Fairy casts a spell on the entire family and court to fall asleep ensuring them of their safety.

One hundred years later in a dark forest, Prince Florimund is out hunting. Lilac Fairy speaks to him when she hears that he is lonely and is in need of love. She shows him an image of Princess Aurora and he instantly falls in love.

She leads him to the castle to rescue the Princess but as he enters the castle, Carabosse appears before him and prevents him from proceeding.

There is a battle of wills with Florimund finally overpowering her and he races into the castle, finds Princess Aurora and kisses her. The spell is broken and Carabosse is finally defeated. Princess Aurora and her entire family wake up from their deep sleep. Princess Aurora accepts Prince Florimund's proposal for marriage, the family approves and they have a big party.

Other venues:

Invercargill
November 8-9
Civic Theatre

Dunedin
November 12-13
Regent Theatre
Featuring the Southern Sinfonia

Palmerston North
November 22-23
Regent on Broadway

Napier
November 26-27
Municipal Theatre

Auckland
November 30-December 4
Featuring the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
Civic Theatre

Rotorua
December 7-8
Civic Theatre