Show of the Week - ENB's Sleeping Beauty (From Daily Echo)

Show of the Week - ENB's Sleeping Beauty

12:01pm Friday 22nd February 2013 in Stage News By Lorelei Reddin, Entertainments Editor

ENGLISH National Ballet will once again perform MacMillan’s classic production of Sleeping Beauty at The Mayflower next week.

The sumptuous production of The Sleeping Beauty opens as King Florestan and his Queen celebrate the christening of Princess Aurora. Their special guests are the fairy Godmothers who bestow their magic gifts on the infant. Just as the Lilac Fairy is to present her gift, the Fairy Carabosse, whose invitation has been overlooked by the master of ceremonies, arrives and takes her revenge by pronouncing that one day Aurora will prick her finger on a needle and die. The Lilac Fairy intervenes with the promise that Aurora will not die but fall into a deep sleep from which she will be awakened after 100 years by the kiss of a prince. Combining grand sets and costumes, Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous score and displays of virtuosic dancing, The Sleeping Beauty is a dazzling showcase of classical ballet.

It runs from Tuesday to Saturday.