The Sleeping Beauty

The McDonald College Secondary Ballet Stream is proud to present The Sleeping Beauty – a tradition fairytale ballet set to Tchaikovsky’s breathtaking score that tells the story of Princess Aurora. A struggle between good and evil and the triumph of love.

At Princess Aurora’s christening, six good fairies are invited to endow their gifts upon the baby princess. The joyous ceremony is soon disturbed by the wicked fairy named Carabosse furious at being left off the guest list. In revenge, Carabosse curses Princess Aurora to prick her finger on a spindle and die on her sixteenth birthday. The Lilac Fairy softens the curse so that Aurora will instead fall into a deep sleep for a hundred years until awoken by a prince’s kiss. Years later, despite efforts to protect her, Aurora pricks her finger and the entire kingdom falls asleep with her. 

After a hundred years, Prince Désiré is guided by the Lilac Fairy through the forest to a vision of the sleeping princess. The prince implores the Lilac Fairy to lead him to the princess, and he awakens Aurora with a kiss, breaking the spell. The court and various fairy-tale characters celebrate with the grand wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Desiré.  

The Sleeping Beauty has a running time of approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes including one 20-minute intermission and is suitable for audiences aged 5 and above. Patrons are advised that theatrical haze is used throughout this performance.