The Sleeping Beauty at Royal Opera House

The Sleeping Beauty at Royal Opera House

16 November, 2009
by: Gemma Bergomi

The 19th century Russian classic The Sleeping Beauty  returns in its classic form to  the Royal Opera House, stunning audiences  young and old alike with breathtaking dances set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. A festive treat at Covent Garden.

The story follows Princess Aurora,  cursed on the day of her christening by the evil fairy Carabosseout of spite for not being invited. Aurora, now destined to  prick her finger on a spindle and die, is thrown a bone by a good fairy who transforms the curse: instead Aurora will fall asleep until woken by a prince’s kiss. Aurora is definitely the star of the show, and is a roaring successdespite a few wobbly moments. The central masterpiece is definitely the rose adagio where she performs some near impossible balances when presented with her four suitors. In fact,  the woman next to me deems this part of the ballet so crucial it can’t be topped, and makes her entrance and exit for this act alone. But where would a princess be without her prince to save her? Their dances together project a perfect union. The prince's solos are forcefully impressive but the highlights in the last act come from his synchronicity with Aurora.

As with every fairytale, the baddie makes the story. Carabosse glides effortlessly on-stage as the embodiment  of evil, destroying the christening with her freaky dancing rat people.

Impressive though these set pieces are, The Sleeping Beauty is not all about the larger performances - some of the best dances of the night are performed by  the more marginal characters, particularly in the final act. The Bluebird and Princess Florine are the highlight of the wedding ceremony, enjoyed so much by the audience that I’m nearly deafened by a young man nearby shouting ‘Bravo!’ with all his might. Another audience favourite is the  routine between the unexpected Red Riding Hood and her hungry wolf companion, especially when the pair turn to the crowd to take a bow and little Red makes a quick dash for freedom leaving  the wolf standing  bemused before he scuttles off to reclaim her.

The sets, the dancers and a memorable score combine to make The Sleeping Beauty a bewitching recreation of a classic fantasy world.  Whether you are already a fan of traditional  ballet or new to it, The Sleeping Beauty is sure to impress.

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Gemma Bergomi