Synopsis
Choreography by Ben Stevenson O.B.E. after Marius Petipa (1818-1910) Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
PROLOGUE The court of King Florestan is celebrating the christening of Princess Aurora. The courtiers are assembled around her cradle as the festivities begin. The king and queen enter, followed by six fairies and their cavaliers. Each fairy dances, offering her special gift to the infant princess. Suddenly, before the Lilac Fairy can present her gift, the wicked Fairy Carabosse interrupts the ceremony. Angry because she has not been invited, Carabosse delivers a curse upon the tiny princess: she will grow up to be beautiful, but one day will prick her finger and die. The Lilac Fairy intervenes, promising that the princess will but sleep until awakened by a prince’s kiss.
Costume and Scenic Design by Desmond Heeley (1931-2016)
Original Lighting Design by Duane Schuler
Lighting Design Re-created by Lisa J. Pinkham
World Premiere: January 16, 1890 by the Imperial Ballet renamed Mariinsky Ballet at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Houston Ballet Premiere: September 28, 1978 at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas. Costume and Scenic Design by Peter Farmer. Houston Ballet Wortham Premiere: May 24, 1990 in the Brown Theater at the Wortham Theater Center in Houston, Texas. Costume and Scenic Design by Desmond Heeley. WHAT YOU’RE WATCHING The Sleeping Beauty, a defining work in Ben Stevenson O.B.E.’s career, based on Charles Perrault’s classic fairytale. The Artistic Director Emeritus first premiered his 1967 retelling for Houston in 1978. In 1990, designs by Tony Award- winning Desmond Heeley revitalized Stevenson’s retelling into the ballet seen today. Stevenson’s production, influenced by Russian ballet traditions, was further enriched by coaching from Dame Margot Fonteyn. WHAT YOU’RE LISTENING TO The second of his three ballet scores, Tchaikovsky’s score for The Sleeping Beauty was born from a collaboration with choreographer Marius Petipa and director Ivan Vsevolozhsky. Despite a delayed start, Tchaikovsky was captivated by the poetic subject matter, composing the score with passion and urgency, completing the music in eight months. Tchaikovsky, who was often disappointed with his works, regarded The Sleeping Beauty as one of his best.
INTERMISSION
ACT I It is Aurora’s sixteenth birthday party. Her father informs her that she must select one of four visiting princes as her husband. Aurora dances with the princes, each of whom offers her a rose and declares his love. As the celebration continues, the disguised Carabosse hands Aurora a bouquet in which a spindle is concealed. Aurora pricks her finger, and as she falls, the Lilac Fairy appears and casts her spell, putting the entire court to sleep.
INTERMISSION
ACT II One hundred years have passed. Prince Florimund and his hunting party stop beside a lake. As the hunt moves on the prince is left alone. To his amazement, the Lilac Fairy appears and conjures a vision of Princess Aurora. Enchanted by the vision, Prince Florimund begs the Lilac Fairy to lead him to Aurora. A boat takes them to the castle, where they are confronted by Carabosse, who turns herself into a monster. With help from the Lilac Fairy, the prince overpowers Carabosse. Once inside the castle, Prince Florimund discovers the sleeping Aurora and awakens her with a kiss.
INTERMISSION
ACT III The court is celebrating the wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund. Characters from other fairy tales have joined the celebration. After Aurora and Florimund’s grand pas de deux, the occasion ends as the entire court joins in the finale.
“
[ The Sleeping Beauty music] is beautiful, simply gorgeous. Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty, the three ballets that have endured, all have Tchaikovsky scores. If only he had lived for a few hundred years more.”
BEN STEVENSON O.B.E. CHOREOGRAPHER, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS
HOUSTON BALLET
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