Sleeping Beauty - The Best Ballet Classic of All Time

International Festival Ballet & Festival Orchestra present
A Fairy Tale of Beauty, Elegance, and Grace
SLEEPING BEAUTY
The best ballet fairy tale of all time
Music: P. I. Tchaikovsky
Choreography: V. Vsevolozhsky and M. Petipa
Set Design and Costumes: V. Okunev
Artistic Direction: Elena Antsupova

Sleeping Beauty, one of the most famous works in ballet literature and a beautiful children's fairy tale. Performed by the International Festival Ballet, it tells the fabulous story based on Charles Perrault's fairy tale "La belle au bois dormant," which was premiered as a ballet in 1890 with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa. The impressive fairy tale of beauty, elegance, and grace, combined with stunning costumes, a truly royal set design, and the unique passion of the dancers from the "International Festival Ballet," transports the audience in an impressive way into the enchanting world of fantasies and dreams. A completed work of art accompanied by a live orchestra.

Sleeping Beauty was a beautiful child...
It will be a fairy-tale world of fairies, princes, and a beautiful girl, as the best ballet ensemble of the "International Festival Ballet" presents the fabulous story of one of the most beloved children's fairy tales of our time – Sleeping Beauty. Originally known in the German-speaking world as a tale by the Brothers Grimm, the story of the young girl who is cursed by an evil fairy and can only be saved by the kiss of true love was adapted into a ballet and premiered in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. To this day, Sleeping Beauty remains one of the most popular ballets and is now part of the international standard repertoire of classical ballet.

The ballet Sleeping Beauty was created in close collaboration between Peter I. Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa, the most significant choreographer of the 19th century, and fascinates the discerning connoisseur due to its formal perfection and highly developed choreographic and musical expression; thanks to its fairy-tale immediacy and theatrical brilliance, the ballet Sleeping Beauty also captivates a broad audience. Additionally, the grand set design by the brilliant theater designer Vyacheslav Okunev, who has worked for the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and La Scala in Milan, beautiful costumes, and the boundless elegance and carefree lightness of the "International Festival Ballet" ensemble create a dreamy and fairy-tale version of a classical ballet that continues to fascinate even after more than 100 years.

International Festival Ballet Ensemble performs
The International Festival Ballet was founded in 2009 to represent the best traditions and spirit of classical ballet. The International Festival Ballet is an international ballet that thinks beyond national borders, uniting dancers from 20 different nations and standing for understanding and coexistence in the poetry of art, music, and dance. Artistically, the ballet represents the Russian school of classical ballet in its purest form. Strict elegance combined with influences from modernity and the 21st century creates a top-class dance performance – all in conjunction with magnificent costumes and splendid stage designs.

In the new season, the International Festival Ballet will again present a very special gem of classical ballet: "Swan Lake." The immortal ballet classics of Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky are known worldwide and enchant people of all ages. Everyone knows the romantic story of "Swan Lake" with the white and black swan, which has become synonymous with the elegance of classical ballet at the highest level. The centuries-old sleep of Sleeping Beauty, from which only the love of a prince can awaken her, has captivated audiences for generations. And the story of the ballet "The Nutcracker" offers the perfect winter and Christmas magic for the whole family. The unique performances of the International Festival Ballet bring beloved ballets to life in delightful beauty and perfection.

Classical ballet has a long tradition in Eastern Europe, which is still maintained today. The renowned ballet schools are known for their high standards and rigor, and the students for their determination, ambition, and enormous talent. The 42 dancers of the International Festival Ballet have also undergone this rigorous training, whether at the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, the Moscow Academy of Choreography, the ballet school in Ufa, or the ballet academy in Perm in Russia, as well as the ballet schools in Kyiv or Kharkiv in Ukraine, or the Italian La Scala or the French Grand Opera. They have all worked at the most important ballet theaters in Europe and have won numerous awards at international ballet festivals and competitions. Together, they have become one of the most aesthetically and technically successful ballet companies not only in Europe but also, as part of the International Festival Ballet, worldwide. In addition to an absolutely precise dance technique, this ballet at a high level is characterized by a harmonious and coherent overall picture and elegant lightness. The International Festival Ballet shines with a perfect dance performance that takes the audience's breath away.

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Artistic Director & Conductor: Normunds Vaicis

The Festival Orchestra was founded by talented musicians from Moldova, Hungary, Ukraine, and Latvia. The artistic director and chief conductor is the renowned maestro Normunds Vaicis. The orchestra's repertoire includes works by Ravel, Debussy, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Massenet, Faure, Albegis, Gounod, and many others. The music for classical ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote, and many others is at the heart of the repertoire. The orchestra has collaborated with renowned ballet ensembles from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The Festival Orchestra performs with great success in France, the UK, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and other European countries and has established itself as one of the best ballet orchestras in Europe despite its relatively small size. In the near future, they will play the classical ballet seasons for the famous International Festival Ballet Company in Scandinavia, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria.