Located in a historic building in the heart of St Petersburg, the Mikhailovsky Theatre — one of the city’s oldest theatres, opened in 1833 — presents The Sleeping Beauty, a jewel of classical ballet. Many of the dancers appearing in this production have performed on the stage of the legendary Mariinsky Theatre and were trained in the same prestigious academies that shaped generations of Mariinsky stars, bringing the elegance and brilliance of the Russian ballet tradition to life.
Choreographer Nacho Duato has discovered new meanings, emotional nuances, and graceful imagery in the captivating music of Tchaikovsky and the magical story by Charles Perrault, so familiar to all of us since childhood. Inspired by the choreography of his great predecessor, Marius Petipa, Duato occasionally refers to him, with respect or light irony, without contradicting him. The grandeur of the classical style gets shaken up: it is as if a serious symphony orchestra has suddenly allowed itself some light, jazzy twists.
The ballet’s designer has created a space on stage which allows the audience to feel as if they are right inside the fairy tale, in the world of the fairies. Set against a background of flowering roses, the ballet’s characters sometimes resemble birds or butterflies. The wicked fairy, Carabosse, is portrayed as a vampish beauty, faithfully served by wily cockroaches with shining backs. In the finale, though, the evil spells are undone, and kindness and love win out. „In our time, adults, too, need fairy tales. They help us to return to something important and personal: the child within us.“ The production team are sure that this is true, and audiences gladly share their view.