OKC BALLET

NEWS RELEASE

“The Sleeping Beauty” Awakens February 17-19

OKLAHOMA CITY BALLET BRINGS “THE SLEEPING BEAUTY” TO LIFE    

Oklahoma City, OK- Oklahoma City Ballet will perform The Sleeping Beauty February 17-19, 2017 at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City. This classic good-versus-evil tale is based on the story by Charles Perrault, La Belle au Bois Dormant.

Debuting in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, The Sleeping Beauty is known as one of the most demanding ballets to perform.  Oklahoma City Ballet Artistic Director Robert Mills will stage this cornerstone of classical ballet repertoire by supplementing the Marius Petipa choreography that remains from the original production with his own new choreography.  The lead role of Princess Aurora is considered one of the most difficult roles for a ballerina in classical ballet.  The role will be split, with Principal Dancer Miki Kawamura and Soloist DaYoung Jung sharing the load. “The most intimidating part is that this role is so definitive of classical ballet. There’s no hiding, no cheating; you have to get it exactly right,” said Kawamura. “It was definitely on my bucket list.  I never thought I was the Aurora type, growing up.”  This will be her first time to dance the role of Aurora.

This visually stunning ballet tells the story of Princess Aurora, cursed by the evil Carabosse to die on her 16th birthday, when she will prick her finger on a spindle.  The spell is partially undone by the Lilac Fairy, who modifies the spell as much as she is able so that the Princess will not die, but instead sleep for 100 years.  The spell will then be broken by the kiss of a Prince. The Lilac Fairy chooses Prince Désiré to awaken Aurora, and leads him to her.  Despite Carabosse’s attempts to foil the Prince, he arrives at the castle and awakens the Princess.

The music for The Sleeping Beauty was composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, one of his famous trilogy of ballet scores (the other two are The Nutcracker and Swan Lake), and it will be performed live by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic at all performances.  This will be the first time in more than 15 years for The Sleeping Beauty to be performed by Oklahoma City Ballet, and marks the first time that all three Tchaikovsky ballets have been in OKC Ballet’s repertoire at one time.

The large cast will use the entire company, and also a number of children from The Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet. These students auditioned in September for roles in The Sleeping Beauty.

The family-friendly classical ballet in three acts will run in approximately 2 ½ hours.

For more information, visit www.okcballet.com, or call 405-848-TOES (8637).  Tickets go on sale January 6, 2017.