Sleeping Beauty
Russian ballerina Anna Johansson posing with two unidentified pages in an archival 1892 photograph taken at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg for the original production of The Sleeping Beauty.
QUICK F A C T S
- ✦ The Sleeping Beauty premiered in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
✦ The ballet is based on the fairy tale The Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault and features a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
✦ Princess Aurora's famous Rose Adagio is considered one of the most challenging and celebrated scenes in classical ballet.
✦ The ballet introduces memorable characters including the Lilac Fairy, Carabosse, Princess Aurora, and Prince Désiré.
✦ Widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballets ever created, The Sleeping Beauty helped establish the standard for grand nineteenth-century ballet.
Russian ballerina Anna Johansson posing with two unidentified pages in an archival 1892 photograph taken at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg for the original production of The Sleeping Beauty.
S U M M A R Y
What would you do if you knew your future had already been written? The Sleeping Beauty follows Princess Aurora, whose life is shaped by a powerful curse placed on her as a baby. Yet even as dark magic threatens her future, kindness, courage, and hope remain stronger forces. When Aurora pricks her finger on her sixteenth birthday, she falls into an enchanted sleep, waiting for the day she can awaken.
Dancers of the Cincinnati Ballet performing in a 2010 production of The Sleeping Beauty, photographed by Peter Mueller. Photo: Commons.
The original cast of the 1890 world premiere production of The Sleeping Beauty posing at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, starring Italian ballerina Carlotta Brianza as Princess Aurora.
The story comes from the fairy tale by Charles Perrault, which was later transformed into a grand ballet by choreographer Marius Petipa and composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Premiering in 1890, the ballet combines a classic fairy-tale adventure with some of the most beautiful and demanding choreography ever created. From Aurora's famous Rose Adagio to the enchanted forest and the storybook wedding celebration, the ballet is filled with unforgettable moments.
Today, The Sleeping Beauty is often considered the ultimate classical ballet. Its magnificent music, magical world of fairies and royalty, and dazzling choreography have made it a favorite of audiences for generations. More than a century after its premiere, Aurora's journey reminds us that even when the future seems uncertain, hope can help light the way forward.
Ballerina Andreja Kulešević as Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Serbian National Theatre (2012/13). Directed by Vladimir Logunov. Photo by M. Polzović / Wikimedia Commons.
E N C O R E
✦ On Today's Stage
The Sleeping Beauty remains one of the most important ballets in the classical repertory. Major companies around the world continue to perform it as a showcase of technical excellence, grandeur, and fairy-tale magic.
✦ Iconic Interpreters
Many legendary ballerinas have danced Aurora, including Olga Preobrajenska, Alicia Markova, Margot Fonteyn, Natalia Makarova, and Marianela Núñez. The role is often considered one of the greatest challenges in classical ballet.
✦ Legacy
Often called the crown jewel of classical ballet, The Sleeping Beauty brought together Marius Petipa's choreography and Tchaikovsky's music in a masterpiece that helped define the art form. More than a century later, its enchanted world of fairies, curses, and hope continues to inspire dancers and audiences alike.