The Sleeping Beauty is one of the three great classical ballets, alongside Swan Lake and The Nutcracker — all composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It premiered at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on 16 January 1890, with original choreography by Marius Petipa. Over 130 years later it remains one of the most technically and musically demanding works in the classical repertoire.
The Story: Sleeping Beauty Ballet Synopsis
Prologue — The Christening
Princess Aurora is born. Six good fairies attend her christening, each bestowing a gift: beauty, grace, generosity, musical talent, courage, and the promise of happiness. The wicked fairy Carabosse arrives uninvited, furious at being overlooked. She curses the infant: on her 16th birthday Aurora will prick her finger on a spindle and die. The Lilac Fairy steps forward and softens the curse — instead of dying, Aurora will fall into a deep sleep for 100 years and be awakened only by a prince’s kiss.
Act I — Aurora’s 16th Birthday
The kingdom celebrates Aurora’s 16th birthday. Four princes from distant lands court the princess in the Rose Adagio — the most celebrated passage in the entire ballet. Aurora accepts and releases each prince’s hand in turn, holding extraordinary balances on pointe during every handoff. An old woman (Carabosse in disguise) presents a bouquet hiding a spindle; Aurora pricks her finger and falls into a deep sleep. The entire court slumbers with her, and the palace disappears into an enchanted forest.
Act II — The Vision Scene and Awakening
One hundred years later, Prince Désiré is hunting. The Lilac Fairy appears and conjures a vision of Aurora. The prince falls instantly in love. He demands to find the sleeping princess; the Lilac Fairy leads him through the enchanted forest to the palace. He discovers Aurora and kisses her; the spell breaks, the court awakens, and the forest retreats.
Act III — The Wedding
Aurora and Prince Désiré are married in a magnificent celebration. Storybook figures attend as guests — Puss in Boots, the White Cat, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Bluebeard — each performed in a witty character divertissement. The ballet ends with the Grand Pas de Deux between Aurora and Désiré, one of the most beloved in all of classical ballet.
The Music: Tchaikovsky’s Masterpiece
Tchaikovsky composed the Sleeping Beauty score in 1888–1889, considering it his finest work. The music is built on two contrasting themes: the Lilac Fairy’s warm, flowing motif representing good; and Carabosse’s harsh, hammering march representing evil. Key musical highlights include:
- The Prologue – Each fairy is introduced with her own leitmotif, a technique borrowed from Wagner.
- The Rose Adagio – Slow, expansive music requiring the ballerina to sustain long, breathless balances.
- The Vision Scene – Ethereal, dreamy scoring as the prince imagines Aurora dancing.
- The Grand Pas de Deux – Triumphant, majestic music for the wedding duet and final celebrations.
Main Characters in Sleeping Beauty
- Princess Aurora – The heroine; the lead female role and one of the most demanding ballerina roles in the repertoire.
- Prince Désiré (or Prince Florimund) – Aurora’s love; the principal male role.
- The Lilac Fairy – The most senior good fairy; the embodiment of goodness and the ballet’s moral anchor.
- Carabosse – The wicked fairy; often played as a dramatic character role, sometimes performed by a male dancer.
- The Six Good Fairies – In the RAD syllabus: the Fairy of the Crystal Fountain, the Fairy of the Enchanted Garden, the Fairy of the Woodland Glades, the Fairy of the Song of Birds, the Fairy of the Golden Vine, and the Lilac Fairy.
- King Florestan and Queen – Aurora’s parents; character roles providing regal presence and comic reaction.
Famous Productions Around the World
Every major company maintains Sleeping Beauty in its repertoire:
- The Royal Ballet (London) – The 1946 production reopened the Royal Opera House after World War II and is still performed today, revised by Ninette de Valois and later by Anthony Dowell.
- American Ballet Theatre – Multiple productions including a 2015 staging with designs by Richard Hudson.
- Bolshoi Ballet (Moscow) – Known for opulent staging, large casts, and dramatically coached acting.
- Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty (2012) – A radical reimagining set across three time periods, replacing fairies with vampires and the traditional prince with an immortal gamekeeper.
Sleeping Beauty in Ballet Training
The Royal Academy of Dance uses Sleeping Beauty excerpts throughout its syllabus. The Lilac Fairy variation appears in the Intermediate examination, while Aurora’s Act I and Act III variations feature in Advanced 1 and Advanced 2. The Rose Adagio is the benchmark balance sequence studied in senior vocational levels. Students following the RAD pathway will encounter this ballet throughout their entire training journey.
What to Wear to See Sleeping Beauty
Most major productions are formal evening performances lasting approximately 2.5–3 hours with two intervals. Smart casual to formal dress is appropriate. Young students often enjoy dressing as Aurora or the Lilac Fairy. Explore our range of ballet leotards, tutus and skirts, and tiaras and accessories for performance-inspired looks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sleeping Beauty ballet about?
The Sleeping Beauty ballet tells the story of Princess Aurora, cursed by the wicked fairy Carabosse to prick her finger on a spindle on her 16th birthday and sleep for 100 years. The Lilac Fairy softens the curse so Aurora sleeps rather than dies, and is eventually awakened by a prince’s kiss. It is a story of good defeating evil, with love as the agent of transformation.
How long is the Sleeping Beauty ballet?
Sleeping Beauty typically runs 2.5 to 3 hours with two intervals. It is one of the longest works in the classical repertoire. Some companies perform a shorter two-act version for younger audiences, cutting the Act III divertissement. Check the specific company’s programme for exact running times before attending.
What is the Rose Adagio in Sleeping Beauty?
The Rose Adagio is the centrepiece of Act I, where the 16-year-old Aurora meets four suitors on her birthday. She accepts and releases each prince’s hand in turn while holding long, steady balances on one pointe shoe. The music is slow and the silences between handoffs are terrifying for the ballerina. It is widely considered the greatest test of a classical ballerina’s technique and poise.
Who wrote the music for Sleeping Beauty?
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed the score between 1888 and 1889. He also wrote the music for Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, making him the dominant composer in the classical ballet repertoire. Tchaikovsky considered Sleeping Beauty his finest ballet score. The original choreography was by Marius Petipa, staged at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.
Is Sleeping Beauty based on a fairy tale?
Yes. The ballet is based on Charles Perrault’s 1697 fairy tale “La Belle au Bois Dormant” and the Brothers Grimm version “Little Briar Rose.” The librettist Ivan Vsevolozhsky expanded the fairy characters and added the Act III wedding divertissement featuring other fairy-tale characters as wedding guests.