Characters from Puss in Boots to Little Red Riding Hood gather to celebrate the birth of Princess Aurora—but all is not well in Storybook Land. Pageantry, beauty and humor come together in one of ballet’s greatest works. Told in San Diego Ballet’s signature whirlwind style, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY brings the beloved fairy tale to life in a production for audiences of all ages.
Director’s Notes:
Good vs. Evil. More storybook characters than you can shake a stick at. Ah, Sleeping Beauty. To most, Sleeping Beauty is a romantic fairytale to read to children at night. To some, it is a cartoon filled with fun fairy godmothers and the ultimate fabulous evil queen. To ballet aficionados, it is the pinnacle of classical dance… a 4 act, 3 hour-plus pinnacle. So where does that leave us? With a piece that has lots of pre-conceived expectations for lots of people.
To present Sleeping Beauty in Southern California in the 21st century and not expect that a large portion of your audience is going to be families with young children is just like putting your head in the sand. It is short sighted to not take advantage of the opportunity to expose these young minds to ballet in a way that is engaging and meaningful.In many ballets of the classical tradition, the story is furthered (usually through mime) and then there is a dance. Something modern audiences aren’t comfortable with. Our production imbeds the storytelling inside the dance itself. So the ballet moves faster.
Additionally, there are two groups of characters who bring much energy and fun to the ballet… Aurora’s fairy godmothers and famous storybook characters who come to celebrate her wedding. Usually, the fairies only appear in the 1st act and the storybook characters in the last. Because these are exactly the characters that today’s audience came to the ballet to see, I have expanded their presence. Hopefully, by seeing these recognizable figures from the start, it also draws our younger viewers in… which is kind of the point. isn’t it? – Javier Velasco
Balboa Theatre
San Diego, CA
May 8 @ 2pm & 8pm
