King and Queen from "The Sleeping Beauty"
“Sleeping Beauty ...The Spell” is a Highlands Ballet spin on a fairy tale that is familiar to everyone. It can be seen at the McGlothlin Center for the Arts on the Emory & Henry College campus, Emory, Virginia, May 8 and 9 at 2:30 p.m.
Popularized by the Brothers Grimm it was derived from the writings of Charles Perrault. Perrault, in turn, had based his story on folk tales that date from 1330–1344.
The classical ballet version was first performed in 1890 with music written by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The score was completed in 1889 and is the second of his three ballets. The choreographer of the original production was Marius Petipa. The popular Disney movie premiered in 1959. The directors of Highlands Ballet have used the original Tchaikovsky music as well as other musical pieces.
“So just what is Sleeping Beauty? A fairytale? Folk legend? Ballet? Yes, of course, and quite naturally in the hands of the Highlands Directors it is all of that and still more. It’s a performing art for yesterday, today and, even for tomorrow. Highlands’ enchanting version of this age-old story will include all the fairy variations, Aurora’s Variation and so much more. Our 21st century audience will experience many new twists, turns, surprises, as well as moments of laughter,” says Deanne Cole, artistic director.
The story opens in the moors where Fairies frolic as Maleficent Caribous, protector of the moors from the human kingdom, enters. Stefan, returning from the hunt, visits Maleficent whom he has come to love since childhood. As time passes Stefan is influenced by greed, ambition and the need to please the dying king of the human realm. The king wants to take over the moors and the fairy realm and convinces Stefan to betray Maleficent. Stefan slips her a sleeping potion and the betrayal is at hand. Upon the king’s death, Stefan marries the old king’s daughter and as promised takes the throne. Maleficent, devastated, is left unable to fly. Diavlo the Raven becomes her confidant as she pledges revenge.
Now King, Stefan’s court prepares for the christening of the princess Aurora. Fairies of the moor attend offering blessings to Aurora with their individual qualities of Purity, Vitality, Generosity, Eloquence and Temperament (or Honesty, Grace, Prosperity, Song and Generosity). Maleficent, seeing this as an opportunity for her revenge, makes her uninvited entrance. She predicts that Aurora on her 16th birthday will prick her finger on a spinning wheel spindle and fall into a deep sleep from which she will never wake. The Lilac Fairy (Wisdom) tells the King and Queen that instead the curse can be broken by true love’s kiss. The three Fairy Godmothers, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, are given charge of baby Aurora to care for her and to ensure her safety. Alas, the Godmothers prove to be neglectful. Maleficent cares for the child from afar to ensure that her curse was completed, only to eventually develop a maternal affection for her.
To purchase tickets, visit www.ehc.edu/mca.
