The Sleeping Beauty

Scottish Ballet's festive production for 2007 is The Sleeping Beauty, choreographed by Ashley Page and sponsored by the Bank of Scotland. The Sleeping Beauty is the third of a trilogy of ballets with a fairytale theme, following the hugely successful productions of The Nutcracker (2003) and Cinderella (2005).

The production will begin in early December and will tour to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Newcastle.

The Story

Princess Aurora is born into an enchanted world where mortal members of Europe’s sovereign court mingle with the celestial beings of the forest and their fairy kings. While at the royal baby’s christening, each of the kingdom’s fairies gifts the child a number of virtues including truth, grace, beauty, intelligence and kindness.

A jealous fairy who has fallen from grace watches on, enraged that she was not invited to join the celebrations and casts the ultimate curse. The curse is that on her 16th birthday, Aurora will prick her finger and die.  The Lilac Fairy counteracts the spell, declaring that a profound slumber for 100 years can save the innocent princess, until she is woken by a truelove kiss.

Unfolding throughout the perspective of over 100 years, the production showcases a spectrum of fashions, from the simple elegance of the 1830s and the opulent glamour of neo-gothic Victorian dress, through to the austere silhouette of 1940s post-war Europe. The Sleeping Beauty's stunning set creates whole new worlds of magic and mystery, and Tchaikovsky's score, alive with musical motifs and poetic images, will be performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra.

Tour dates 11 - 29 December 2007 - Theatre Royal, Glasgow Box office: 0870 060 6647 Book online at the Theatre Royal website 4 - 12 January 2008 - Edinburgh Festival Theatre Box office: 0131 529 6000 Book online at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre website 6 - 19 January 2008 - His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen Box office: 01224 641122 Book online at His Majesty's Theatre's website Eden Court, Inverness 23 - 26 January 2008 Box office: 01463 234 234 Book online at the Eden Court website Theatre Royal, Newcastle 20 - 23 February 2008 Box office: 08448 11 21 21 Book online at the Theatre Royal website