The Sleeping Beauty holds a very special place in The Royal Ballet’s heart and history. It was the first performance given by the Company when the Royal Opera House reopened at Covent Garden in 1946 after World War II. In 2006, this original staging was revived and has been delighting audiences ever since. Frederick Ashton famously cited the pure classicism of Marius Petipa’s 19th-century ballet as a private lesson in the atmospheric art and craft of choreography. Be swept away by Tchaikovsky’s ravishing music and Oliver Messel’s sumptuous fairytale designs with this true gem from the classical ballet repertory.

Choreography: Marius Petipa

Additional choreography: Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell and Christopher Wheeldon

Production: Monica Mason and Christopher Newton after Ninette de Valois and Nicholas Sergeyev

Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky

Original designs: Oliver Messel

Additional designs: Peter Farmer

Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan

Conducted by: Koen Kessels

Cast: TBC

Running time: 3 hours and 25 minutes (including two intervals)