Set to Tchaikovsky’s sweeping romantic score, played live by the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, this production is made possible by a grant of over R1 460 000 from the National Lotteries Commission.*

Through an evil spell cast by the wicked fairy Carabosse, Princess Aurora pricks her finger and falls into a deep sleep for 100 years, but it takes just one kiss from her Prince to guarantee a happy-ever-after ending for this bewitching ballet.

The Sleeping Beauty returns to Joburg Ballet’s repertoire after an absence of eight years, produced for the company by Maina Gielgud. After a glittering career as a dancer in the UK and Europe, Gielgud became artistic director of The Australian Ballet followed by The Royal Danish Ballet. She is now a renowned producer, teacher and coach worldwide.

Artistic director Iain MacDonald said: “It’s a tremendous privilege for Joburg Ballet to have Maina producing The Sleeping Beauty for us. I know from working with her that she brings an enormous amount of knowledge and expertise gained over a long performing and teaching career that will translate into a wonderful production for our dancers and an unmissable event for our audiences. We’re also thrilled to be joined once again by the JPO, after two highly successful seasons with us in 2018.”

The Sleeping Beauty opens at Joburg Theatre on Friday 29 March for a season of ten performances, ending on Sunday 7 April. The JPO will play for all performances except Tuesday 2 April at 11:00, which will be to a recorded score to facilitate filming of The Sleeping Beauty for release on DVD.

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