Sunday, January 29, 6:30 p.m., Orcas Center
— from Susannah Weaver —
Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty bursts with vivid magic in cinemas throughout the U.S. and Canada in January. Join us at Orcas Center for a romantic, dream-like night of dance streaming Sunday, January 29, 6:30 pm. In this resplendent ballet classic, the Bolshoi dancers take us on a journey to a magical kingdom with a youthful princess and a handsome prince. The Bolshoi’s sumptuous staging with its luxurious sets and costumes gives life to Perrault’s fairy tale unlike any other. A must see!
At the christening of Princess Aurora, the evil fairy Carabosse throws a terrible curse upon her: on her 16th birthday she will prick her finger and die. The Lilac Fairy lessens the curse: Aurora will sleep deeply for a hundred years but be awakened by a prince’s kiss. When the fateful birthday arrives, Aurora accidentally pricks her finger, faints and dies. All the kingdom falls asleep for a hundred years. A century passes and while hunting, Prince Désiré sees a vision of Aurora summoned by the Lilac Fairy. He kisses Aurora, breaking the evil spell. Aurora and all the people of the kingdom awake. A wedding celebration marked by music and dances performed by famous fairy-tale characters concludes “The Sleeping Beauty.”
Created for the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, Tchaikovsky’s, The Sleeping Beauty premiered in January 1890, and quickly became a huge success around the world. Choreographed by Marius Petipa, The Sleeping Beauty emerged as his masterpiece, with the ballet’s brilliant soloist among the most accomplished pieces in the classical repertoire. This new (1973) choreographic version stars Olga Smirnova as Princess Aurora and, as Prince Désiré, international ballet sensation Semyon Chudin.
Tickets for the Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema’s The Sleeping Beauty are $20, $15 for students, $2 off for Orcas Center members, and may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281 ext. 1 or visiting the Orcas Center Box Office open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 12 – 2 pm. $5 subsidized tickets are available at the Box Office. For more information about Orcas Center’s 2017 season visit www.orcascenter.org.
