The Sleeping Beauty Fairies is an excerpt from the prologue of the classical Ballet Sleeping Beauty, a four act ballet. It was first performed in 1890. The music was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and it is based on Charles Perrault’s La Belle as bois dormant. The original choreography is by Marius Petipa.
In the ballet Sleeping Beauty the King and Queen are preparing for the christening of their only child, their daughter Aurora. The King tells his Master of Ceremonies, Catalabutte, to invite the fairies of the kingdom as godmothers to the baby princess. Catalabutte does not want to invite Carabosse, the Fairy of Wisdom, who hasn’t been seen for years, so he doesn’t. He invites the Lilac Fairy, the Crystal Fountain Fairy, the Fairy of the Enchanted Garden, the Woodland Glades Fairy, the Fairy of Songbirds, and the Fairy of the Golden Vine.
All of the invited fairies come to the christening. The Lilac Fairy leads the fairies to the christening. The fairies give gifts to their goddaughter: grace, joy, a musical voice, a serene temperament, and beauty. Just before the Lilac Fairy gives her gift, Carabosse arrives in a rage at not receiving an invitation so she curses Aurora: on her 16th birthday she will prick her finger on a needle and die. Everyone is horrified.
The Lilac Fairy cannot undo Carabosse’s curse, but she weaves her own spell. The Princess will not die, but fall into a deep sleep. The spell will break when a Prince who loves her wakes her with a kiss.
Carabosse is furious and disappears. The King banishes all needles and sharp objects from the kingdom.
Don't miss Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy's performance of the Sleeping Beauty Fairies. Streaming Begins March 5th!
Get your streaming link at anchorageballet.org/digital-season