BRILLIANCE, GRANDEUR AND BEAUTY
Looking ahead with joy and optimism to its ever-popular Christmas season, the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) will open its magical new production, The Ryman Healthcare Season of The Sleeping Beauty on 29 October.
This stunning new production of the quintessential classical ballet has been created by dynamos of creativity, led by RNZB Artistic Director Patricia Barker. The creative team includes New Zealand costume designer Donna Jefferis, Austrian dramaturg Michael Auer, American lighting designer Randall (Rico) Chiarelli, and American scenic designer Howard C. Jones, known for the RNZB’s much- loved classic production of Giselle (2012).
Patricia Barker says, “We considered our production of this beautiful, enchanting story from all angles – from the original ballet, to the Disney story, and even as a Netflix-style compelling drama with storytelling and characters at its heart. The result is a bold new production with all the brilliance, grandeur, and beauty of the beloved classical ballet”.
The grandest of fairy tales, The Sleeping Beauty, while luxuriating in Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous orchestral score, spills over with fairies, woodland sprites, grand princes and, at its heart, an enchanting princess. This special Christmas production will unfurl like a fragrant summer rose with all the radiance and joy that any ballet lover, young or old, could wish for.
The Sleeping Beauty includes one of the most iconic ballet scenes of all time – the beautiful Rose Adagio, which is considered among dancers as one of the most technically difficult segments for a ballerina. And, of course, there is a spectacular wedding.
In a time when love and kindness are more important than ever, sharing the joy of a timeless ballet with the young and young at heart this Christmas seems like one of the very best ways to bring a sparkle of joy to the end of a challenging year.
Experience the magic of The Sleeping Beauty at The Isaac Theatre Royal, from 19 to 21 November.