PRESS RELEASE
13 – 16 December 2012 at the Esplanade Theatre
In celebration of the magical Christmas season, a time of love, hope and festivities, Singapore Dance Theatre will enchant audiences with Sleeping Beauty, a ballet often considered as the pinnacle of classical repertoire. Staged by artistic director Janek Schergen featuring choreography by Marius Petipa, Singapore Dance Theatre will bring this beloved fairy-tale to life at the Esplanade Theatre as a grand finale to the 2012 season, with stunning costumes, spectacular sets and principal dancers of incomparable technique. This is the second time SDT is performing Sleeping Beauty, following the company premiere of the piece in 2010.
A treat for all ages, audiences will be captivated by this timeless tale about a beautiful princess, a spell of 100 years sleep, a charming prince and a true love’s kiss which awakens the kingdom’s slumber. Sleeping Beauty is set to a rich score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with stunning costumes designed by Tracy Grant Lord.
Sleeping Beauty was made famous by the legendary production of The Royal Ballet in London. Their production links directly back to the original performance of the ballet in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. The original score was created by P. I. Tchaikovsky especially for the first performance of the ballet. It remains one of the most well-known pieces of classical music in the world today. Sleeping Beauty is a perfect blend of music and dance, combined to become a visual spectacle.
Janek Schergen comments, “Sleeping Beauty is the turning point for technique for a company, and is often considered as the finest achievement in classical ballet. It is one of the most demanding ballet productions with over 150 roles, involving more classical dancing than any other ballet. To produce Sleeping Beauty is to declare that the company is mature.”
Indeed, staging Sleeping Beauty is exhilarating for Singapore Dance Theatre especially with the large cast essential for the production, the massive amount of costumes involved and dramatic set changes which reflect the transposition of time between acts. With its awe-inspiring opulence and outstanding choreography, Sleeping Beauty is set to turn heads this year.
Be spellbound by one of the most famous ballets in the classical repertoire!
