Premiere of The Sleeping Beauty 16, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, and 30 December
This new version of Tchaikovsky’s celebrated ballet is being staged by Nacho Duato. The first non-Russian choreographer to take charge of a Russian ballet company since Marius Petipa, Duato’s work does not aim to usurp that of his famous predecessor, who was the first to stage The Sleeping Beauty 120 years ago. Rather, he has found new meanings, emotional nuances and graceful images in the captivating music and the magical story, familiar to everyone since childhood.
Nacho Duato, Artistic Director of the Mikhailovsky Ballet and choreographer-producer of the new production, said: “This is the first time I have staged a full-scale three-act ballet and the first time I have composed dances to Tchaikovsky’s music. I have fully devoted myself to this work and completely immersed myself in the creation of a magical fairytale. Now the composition of the ballet is almost complete, I have begun to feel sad: I don’t want this special period in my life — a time I have felt absolutely happy — to come to an end. I’ve been coming to the rehearsal room every day and composing a marvellous fairytale. Soon it will begin to live a life of its own on stage, and it’s a pity that I can’t stay in the enchanted kingdom any longer”.
Those working with Nacho Duato on the new version of The Sleeping Beauty are costume and set designer Angelina Atlagić, and lighting designer Brad Fields. The theatre’s principal dancers, Irina Perren and Leonid Sarafanov, will lead in the premiere.
The latest news about the premiere are available in our . Video recordings of rehearsals, sketches for costumes and scenery, unique photographs and interviews with the performers of the leading roles.
