The Sleeping Beauty
Reawaken your sense of wonder! Lavish sets, opulent costumes, and remarkable dance artistry bring this timeless tale to life, transporting audiences to a magical realm where good triumphs over evil.
March 12-15, 2026
Details
Location
Centennial Concert Hall
Run Time
2hr, 25min (includes intermission)
Genre
Classical, Story Ballet
Program
Coming soon
Price starts at
$40
performance
Overview
Step into the enchanting world of The Sleeping Beauty and reawaken your sense of wonder. This production has bewitched audiences for over a century with its breathtaking beauty and theatrical grandeur. Inspired by the beloved fairy tale, this masterpiece combines Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score with Marius Petipa’s exquisite choreography, adapted by Christopher Stowell, showcasing the height of classical ballet artistry.
The story unfolds in a kingdom of marvels, where Princess Aurora is cursed by the maleficent Carabosse and only the power of true love’s kiss can compel her back home. A cast of storybook characters like Prince Désiré, Little Red Riding Hood, and Puss in Boots add charm and whimsy. Lavish sets, opulent costumes, and remarkable dance artistry bring this timeless tale to life, transporting audiences to a magical realm where good triumphs over evil. From its iconic “Rose Adagio” to its thrilling finale, The Sleeping Beauty remains a dazzling showcase of everything that defines ballet at its finest.
Program Benefactors: The late Richard Bonnycastle, Mark and the late Ann Curry, the late Agnes and the late Gordon Hall, Gerald Schwartz, Rod and Jeannie Senft and Family
Community Matinee: We offer a condensed version of the ballet well suited to young audiences and school or community groups on Friday, March 13.
Dates & Times
Doors open an hour before curtain. We highly recommend arriving when doors open. Arriving early gives you the opportunity to relax, explore the venue, grab a snack or beverage, and soak in the atmosphere before curtain.
what people are saying
…theatrical, sparkling, with lavish costumes, opulent architecture, extraordinary music and some truly superb dancing.
TIMES COLONIST
Enhance Your Evening
Join us for an evening of Dinner & Ballet on Saturday, March 14 as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet hosts a pre-show catered dinner featuring distinguished guest speakers. Enjoy an elegant meal, connect with members of the ballet community, and be inspired by the remarkable stories that shape the RWB. This is a rare opportunity you won’t want to miss!
Creative Team
Christopher Stowell
Choreography
Marius Petipa
Original Choreography
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Music
Shannon Lovelace
Costume Design
Anne Armit
Costume Design
Michael Eagan
Scenic & Properties Design
Michael J. Whitfield
Lighting Design
Ming Luke
Conductor
About the Ballet
Prologue: THE CHRISTENING DAY OF PRINCESS AURORA
It is the day of the grand gala. Everyone of importance has been invited to celebrate the christening of the Kingdom’s new princess – Princess Aurora. Catalabutte, the Chief Steward is bustling about making sure all the arrangements are in order. Aurora’s six fairy godmothers arrive to bestow upon the infant princess their special graces. The Fairy of Tenderness, in white, personifies beauty and candor. The Fairy of Carefreeness brings grace and the gift of dancing. The gift of the Fairy of Generosity is fertility and a life free from hunger while the Fairy of Mischievousness provides eloquence, singing and laughter. The Fairy of Bravery brings energy and commanding temperament.
Before the Lilac Fairy (La Fée des Lilas) is able to give her gift, the evil fairy Carabosse enters, furious that she was not invited. In revenge, she bestows her “gift” – Aurora will prick her finger and die on her 16th birthday. The court is horrified, but the Lilac Fairy is able to soften the spell – when Aurora pricks her finger she will sleep for one hundred years and be awakened by the kiss of a handsome prince.
//
ACT ONE: PRINCESS AURORA’S SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY
The King and Queen have banned, on the punishment of death, any sharp object that could fulfill Carabosse’s curse. Three young women are discovered knitting in the courtyard, but are pardoned by the King, since it is the occasion of Princess Aurora’s sixteenth birthday.
Young villagers dance a spirited waltz in celebration. As the excitement mounts, Aurora enters the courtyard with delicate footsteps and youthful eagerness. She is presented to four princes, each seeks her hand in marriage. Aurora dances with each suitor, and they in turn present her with a gift of roses in the famous Rose Adagio.
Carabosse, disguised as an old woman, arrives at the birthday celebration and gives Aurora a bouquet of flowers, which Aurora willingly accepts. Hidden in the flowers is a spindle; Aurora pricks her finger on it and collapses. Carabosse triumphantly reveals her true identity. The Lilac Fairy appears in the garden and assures the court that Aurora is not dead but will sleep until awakened by the kiss of a handsome prince. Aurora is carried into the palace by the courtiers and the Lilac Fairy casts a spell over the entire court, causing everybody to fall asleep and a thick forest to grow around the palace.
//
ACT TWO: The Awakening
One hundred years later, Prince Désiré becomes melancholic while hunting in the forest and wishes to be alone. The Lilac Fairy visits him and learns that he is sad because his heart is void of love. She tells him of the enchanted palace and the beautiful sleeping princess and guides him through the thick forest to the palace.
Once inside, Prince Désiré discovers the sleeping Aurora and recognizing his true love, kisses her. Aurora awakens from her enchanted sleep. The evil spell is destroyed and Carabosse collapses, overpowered by goodness and virtue. The entire court comes to life and the King and Queen meet Prince Désiré and happily approve his betrothal to their daughter, Aurora.
//
Act Three: The Wedding of Aurora and Désiré
Catalabutte is once again busy arranging the court for the wedding. The scene opens with a glorious polonaise, followed by fairy tale characters dancing in homage to the newlywed couple. Aurora and Désiré then perform the Grand Pas de Deux after which the entire court dances an exuberant mazurka bringing the celebrations to a fitting climax.
The Sleeping Beauty was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky between 1888 and 1889, his second major work after Swan Lake. The original version choreographed by Marius Petipa premiered in St. Petersburg on January 15, 1890.
The RWB has been performing excerpts of The Sleeping Beauty since 1950. Our first full-length production of the ballet was staged by Artistic Director (at the time) John Meehan and premiered in Winnipeg on October 28, 1993. A new interpretation staged by Galina Yordanova based on Petipa’s original choreography premiered on March 13, 2002. This version has been performed in Winnipeg as part of six distinct seasons. March 12, 2026 will mark the premiere of our latest version of the ballet featuring choreography from Artistic Director Christopher Stowell.
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