The Sleeping Beauty is undoubtedly one of the most famous classical ballets. Choreographed to the magnificent score of Tchaikovsky, it is a staple of the classical repertoire. Marcia Haydée, a former prima ballerina, muse, and dance legend, adapts this major work and presents her own version of Charles Perrault's iconic fairy tale.
The evil fairy Carabosse, who was inadvertently not invited to Princess Aurora's baptism, curses the princess and predicts her death on her 16th birthday. Fortunately, Fairy Lilac succeeds in easing the princess’ plight by having her fall instead into a deep sleep of 100 years. Only true love’s kiss will awaken her.
The contrast between good and evil is at the heart of this version. Convinced that no one is entirely evil, Marcia Haydée is particularly interested in the deeper facets of Carabosse's character, creating a complex and nuanced psychological portrait of evil. With great attention to detail, opulent costumes, and grandiose sets bring this magical fairy tale to life, unveiling its enchanting choreographic poetry.
About the show
Total duration: 2h50, including intermission
This ensemble comprises 43 highly skilled musicians and soloists. Our orchestra has been playing a major role in the success of Les Grands Ballets for over 30 years.
"Wow! It's a fabulous show. […] Of all the ballets I had the chance to see in my life, The Sleeping Beauty is certainly the most splendid : the beautiful stage set, hundreds of costumes, the revised story, the wigs, the dancers who are absolutely fantastic, and the choreographies by Marcia Haydée."
Franco Nuovo in "Pénélope" radio show, Ici Radio-Canada
PROLOGUE
The long-awaited day is finally here. The palace halls ring with a flurry of excitement as the King and the Queen beam with pride over their daughter, Princess Aurora. Today is her Christening, and the six Good Fairies have arrived to bestow their gifts upon the young girl, their Goddaughter.
With a jolt, a crack of thunder and lightning announce the arrival of the evil fairy Carabosse and end the festive mood. She is livid at not having been invited to partake in the important day. The Good Fairies try to calm her but are unable to prevent her from casting a horrible spell on the Princess. On her 16th birthday, it is declared, Princess Aurora will prick her finger on a spindle and die. The King and Queen fall into despair. The Lilac Fairy, who had not yet presented her gift to the Princess, succeeds in softening Carabosse’s curse with a spell of her own. Princess Aurora is protected from death, but will fall into a 100-year slumber that can only be broken by true love’s kiss.
INTERLUDE
Time passes, and Princess Aurora blossoms into a young woman under the watchful protection of the Lilac Fairy. Yet, Carabosse always lingers near, anticipating the fateful day when her curse will unfold.
ACT I. THE SLEEP
In the palace garden, King Florestan and the Queen are hosting a lavish party for Princess Aurora’s 16th birthday. Among the guests are four princes who have come to vie for the Princess’ affection. An elderly woman, hiding in plain sight, makes her way to the Princess’ side and gifts her a bouquet of roses. Little does Princess Aurora know, the elderly woman is actually Carabosse, and a spindle is hidden in the bouquet. While admiring the flowers, Aurora pricks her finger and falls under spell. She is laid in her bed, destined to sleep for 100 cursed years. When the whole court falls victim to the enchanted sleep, the Lilac Fairy creates a thick forest to conceal and protect the kingdom until the curse can be broken. Enraged at having been thwarted, Carabosse slips away to plot her revenge.
ACT II. THE KISS
A century later, a young prince named Désiré takes part in a hunting party where he is being courted. Prince Désiré longs for solitude and escapes the party, and the many women there trying to charm him, by going for a walk in the forest. Carabosse has spotted him, but so have the Lilac Fairy and the forest nymphs. The Lilac Fairy acts first, conjuring a vision of sleeping Princess Aurora. As if in a dream, Prince Désiré begins to dance with Aurora and falls completely in love. Hopeful, the Lilac Fairy leads him to the sleeping kingdom to find and awaken her.
Carabosse stakes out the Prince from the thorny rose thicket and pounces on him with a spell. The Lilac Fairy comes to his rescue, returning the spell against Carabosse. When Prince Désiré finally makes it to Aurora’s bedside, he falls to his knees and kisses her, breaking her curse.
ACT III. THE WEDDING
The whole kingdom has awoken from their cursed sleep and rejoices in preparing the wedding between Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré. The guestlist includes beloved fairytale characters who make special appearances for this joyous event. The Lilac Fairy blesses the couple’s union and continues to watch over them, but Carabosse never remains far, awaiting her moment of reprisal.
Latest update on February 10. Cast is subject to change up until the start of the performance.
M = Matinee
S = Soiree
The King
Andrew Gidday (all performances)
The Queen
Anne Dryburgh (all performances)
Cantalabutte
Jérémy Galdeano (all performances)
Carabosse Fairy
Roddy Doble (19S, 23M)
Célestin Boutin (21S, 22S)
Hamilton Nieh (20S, 22M)
Lilac Fairy
Maude Sabourin (19S, 22S)
Anya Nesvitaylo (20M, 21S, 23M)
Vanesa G.-R. Montoya (20S, 22M)
The Crystal Fountain Fairy (Candide)
Kiara Flavin (19S, 21S, 22S)
Rose Trahan (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Enchanted Garden Fairy (Coulante)
Carrigan MacDonald (19S, 21S, 22S)
Sarah Branch (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Fairy of the Woodland Glade (Miettes qui tombent)
Aurora De Mori (19S, 21S, 22S)
Maude Fleury (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Fairy of Songbirds (Canari qui chante)
Kiara DeNae Felder (19S, 21S, 22S)
Tatiana Lerebours (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Fairy of Golden Vine (Violente)
Alexandra Eccles (19S, 22S)
Calista Shepheard (20S, 22M)
Anaïs Roy (21S, 23M)
The Cavaliers
Bernard Dubois II, Antoine Benjamin Bertran, Thomas Leprohon, Felixovich Morante, Étienne Delorme, Graeme Fuhrman (19S, 21S, 22S)
Angel Vizcaíno, Benjamin Poirier, Daniel Leger, Théodore Poubeau, Flemming Puthenpurayil, James Lyttle (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Young Cavaliers
Gabriel Beaupré, Milan Rochon, Leonel Alexander Rodríguez Pérez, Benjamin Scurti, Elias Shanski, Beren Wesley (19S, 21S, 22S)
Emmerich Chenonceaux-Morin, Thomas Lortie, Milan Rochon, Leonel Alexander Rodríguez Pérez, Elias Shanski, Beren Wesley (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Men of the Court
Bernardo Betancor, Oscar Lambert, Benjamin Poirier, Léo Lussier, Sebastian Bravo, Arnaud Mongeon, Élias Roldan (19S, 21S, 22S)
Bernardo Betancor, Oscar Lambert, Nolan Fahey, Léo Lussier, Sebastian Bravo, Arnaud Mongeon, Élias Roldan (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Women of the Court
Maude Fleury, Tatiana Lerebours, Anaïs Roy, Tuesday Rain Leduc, Rose Trahan, Éliane Jacques, Maeva Marcolini (19S, 21S, 22S)
Ana Sofia Natera Marquez, Ariane Pejot-Charrost, Laure Billeau, Anaelle Carette, Laura Vande Zande, Élodie Scholtz Labrecque, Katrina Lungu (20S, 22M, 23M)
Carabosse Fairy’s Monsters
François Gagné, Théodore Poubeau (19S, 21S, 22S)
Daniel Milosserdov, Sebastian Bravo (20S, 22M, 23M)
Young Aurora
Vivien Baer (19S, 20S, 21S, 22M, 22S, 23M)
Marine Claveau (19S, 20S, 21S, 22M, 22S, 23M)
Gemma Giday (20S, 22M, 23M)
Romane Guillon (19S, 21S, 22S)
The Nanny
Sarah-Maude Laliberté (19S, 21S, 22S)
Catherine Toupin (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Little Monsters
Valentine Le Foll, Kyan Mari, Auguste Thellen-Tremblay, Marie-Hélène Yang (all performances)
Princess Aurora
Rachele Buriassi (19S, 23M)
Mai Kono (21S)
Yui Sugawara (20S, 22S)
Anna Ishii (22M)
The Russian Prince
James Lyttle (19S, 21S, 23M)
Benjamin Poirier (20S, 22M, 22S)
The French Prince
Raphaël Bouchard (19S, 21S, 23M)
Thomas Leprohon (20S, 22M, 22S)
The Polish Prince
Graeme Fuhrman (19S, 21S, 23M)
Antoine Benjamin Bertran (20S, 22M, 22S)
The Spanish Prince
Felixovich Morante (19S)
Daniel Leger (20M, 20S, 22M)
Flemming Puthenpurayil (21S, 22S, 23M)
The Friends
Catherine Toupin or Rose Trahan, Kiara Flavin or Sofía González, Alexandra Eccles or Carrigan MacDonald, Kiara DeNae Felder or Anaïs Roy (all performances)
The Waltz of the Flowers
Maude Fleury, Tuesday Rain Leduc, Maeva Marcolini, Anaïs Roy, Tatiana Lerebours, Carrigan MacDonald, Calista Shepheard, Éliane Jacques (19S, 21S, 22S)
Ana Sofia Natera Marquez, Katrina Lungu, Ariane Pejot-Charrost, Anaelle Carette, Laura Vande Zande, Laure Billeau, Sarah-Maude Laliberté, Élodie Scholtes-Labrecque (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Children of the Waltz
Gabriel Beaupré, Alice Clement, Clara Esteves, Marianne Fau, Chloé Heininen, Thomas Lortie, Milan Rochon, Elias Shanski (19S, 21S, 22S)
Gabriel Beaupré, Jasmine Bort, Clara Esteves, Lauriane Gallagher, Thomas Lortie, Maïa Mahutte, Milan Rochon, Elias Shanski (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Servants
Valentine Le Foll, Kyan Mari, Auguste Thellen-Tremblay, Marie-Hélène Yang (all performances)
Prince Désiré
Esnel Ramos (19S, 22M, 23M)
Roddy Doble (21S)
Marcel Gutiérrez (20S, 22S)
The Countess
Tetyana Martyanova (19S, 22S)
Vanesa G.-R. Montoya (23M)
Catherine Toupin (20S, 21S, 22M)
The Hunting Party: Women
Maude Fleury, Tatiana Lerebours, Tuesday Rain Leduc, Anaïs Roy, Éliane Jacques (19S, 21S, 22S)
Rose Trahan, Calista Shepheard, Maeva Marcolini, Laura Vande Zande, Élodie Scholtes-Labrecque (20S, 22M, 23M)
The Hunting Party: Men
Angel Vizcaíno, Théodore Poubeau, Antoine Benjamin Bertran, Étienne Delorme, Felixovich Morante, Graeme Fuhrman, James Lyttle (19S, 21S, 22S)
Bernard Dubois II, Daniel Leger, Benjamin Poirier, Bernardo Betancor, Felixovich Morante, Oscar Lambert, Thomas Leprohon (20S, 22M, 23M)
Carabosse Fairy’s Monsters
Nolan Fahey, Étienne Delorme, Oscar Lambert, Bernardo Betancor, Benjamin Poirier, Arnaud Mongeon, Élias Roldan, Sebastian Bravo, François Gagné (all performances)
The Nymphs
Laure Billeau, Anaelle Carette, Katrina Lungu, Carrigan MacDonald, Kiara Flavin, Sofía González, Sarah Branch, Laura Vande Zande, Maude Fleury, Rose Trahan, Tuesday Rain Leduc, Anaïs Roy, Calista Shepheard, Tatiana Lerebours, Éliane Jacques, Tetyana Martyanova (19S, 21S, 22S)
Laure Billeau, Anaelle Carette, Katrina Lungu, Carrigan MacDonald, Kiara Flavin, Sofía González, Sarah Branch, Laura Vande Zande, Maude Fleury Ana Sofia Natera Marquez, Tuesday Rain Leduc, Anaïs Roy, Sarah-Maude Laliberté, Ariane Pejot-Charrost, Maeva Marcolini, Élodie Scholtes-Labrecque (20S, 22M, 23M)
Carabosse Fairy’s Monsters
Nolan Fahey, Étienne Delorme, Oscar Lambert, Bernardo Betancor, Benjamin Poirier, Arnaud Mongeon, Élias Roldan, Sebastian Bravo, François Gagné (all performances)
Ali Baba
François Gagné (19S, 23M)
Angel Vizcaíno (20S, 22M)
André Santos (21S, 22S)
The Diamond
Aurora De Mori (19E, 22M)
Sofía González (20S, 22S)
Alexandra Eccles (21S, 23M)
The Precious Stones
Rose Trahan or Tetyana Martyanova, Anaïs Roy or Calista Shepheard, Kiara Flavin or Maude Fleury
Puss in Boots
Antoine Benjamin Bertran (19S, 21S)
Oscar Lambert (22M, 22S)
Daniel Leger (20S, 23M)
The White Cat
Carrigan MacDonald (19S, 21S)
Rose Trahan (22M, 22S)
Kiara Flavin (20S, 23M)
The Bluebird
Angel Vizcaíno (19S, 21S, 23M)
Théodore Poubeau (22M)
Bernard Dubois II (20S, 22S)
Princess Florine
Kiara DeNae Felder (19S, 21S, 23M)
Sarah Branch (22M)
Alexandra Eccles (20S, 22S)
Little Red Riding Hood
Tatiana Lerebours (19S, 22S)
Maude Fleury (21S, 23M)
Anaïs Roy (20S, 22M)
The Wolf
Étienne Delorme (19S, 21E, 22S, 22M)
James Lyttle (20S, 22M)
Snow White
Éliane Jacques (all performances)
The Dwarfs
Vivien Baer, Léo Desbois, Gemma Giday, Romane Guillon, Nathan Migault, Elias Shanski, Si Quan (Nicolas) Zhang (all performances)
Beauty
Katrina Lungu (all performances)
The Beast
Bernardo Betancor (all performances)
Columbine
Anaelle Carette (all performances)
Harlequin
Daniel Milosserdov (all performances)
Gretel
Tuesday Rain Leduc (19S)
Laure Billeau (20S, 21S, 22M, 22S, 23M)
Hansel
Nolan Fahey (all performances)
Rapunzel
Élodie Scholtes-Labrecque (all performances)
Rapunzel's Prince
Élias Roldan (all performances)
Bluebeard’s Wife
Ana Sofia Natera Marquez (19S, 21S, 22S)
Ariane Pejot-Charrost (20S, 22M, 23M)
Bluebeard
Arnaud Mongeon (all performances)
Jasmine (Scheherazade)
Laura Vande Zande (all performances)
Aladdin
Oscar Lambert (19S, 20S, 21S, 23M)
François Gagné (22M, 22S)
Cinderella
Maeva Marcolini (all performances)
Cinderella’s Prince
Sebastian Bravo (all performances)
The Frog Princess
Sarah-Maude Laliberté (all performances)
The Frog Princess' Husband
Léo Lussier (all performances)
Violins I
Veronica Thomas, solo
Céline Arcand, associate
Pascale Frenette
Jean Ai Seow
Daniel Godin
Élise Lortie
Frédéric Lefebvre
Valérie Belzile
Daphnée Sincennes-Richard
Heather Schnarr
Violins II
Solange Bouchard, solo
Josiane Breault, assistant
Anne Saint-Cyr
Émilie Rabaraona
Line Deneault
Mana Shiraishi
Édith Pedbeault
Félix Savignac
Altos
Véronique Potvin, solo
Bojana Milinov, assistant
Élisa Boudreau
Mihaela Tistu
Martine Gagné
Justin Almazan
Cellos
Julie Trudeau, solo
Carla Antoun, assistant
Monika Risi
Laurence Leclerc
Jacob Auclair-Fortier
Vincent Bergeron
Double basses
Marc Denis, solo
Denis Chabot, assistant
Richard Capolla
Anaïs Vigeant
Flutes
Jocelyne Roy, solo
Josée Poirier
Jean-Philippe Tanguay, piccolo
Oboes
Kirsten Zander, solo
Andréanne Chartier-Labrecque
David Jomphe
Clarinets
Zaven Zakarian, solo
François Martel
Bassoons
Lise Millet, solo
Carmelle Préfontaine
Horns
Jocelyn Veilleux, solo
Maude Lussier
Lyne Santamaria
Guillaume Roy
Trumpets
Benjamin Raymond, solo
William Laurin
Cornet
Tazmyn Eddy, solo
Aura West
Trombones
Sébastien Coté, solo
Renaud Gratton
Hugo Bégin, basse
Tuba
Scott Cheyne, solo
Timbal
François St-Jean, solo
Percussion
Catherine Meunier, solo
Anne-Julie Caron
Sébastien Lamontagne
Harp
Annabelle Renzo, solo
Piano
Rosalie Asselin, solo
Orchestra Manager
Richard Capolla
ABOUT THE SHOW
Duration
2h50, including the intermission
Prologue: 36 min.
Act I: 32 min.
Intermission: 20 min.
Act II: 34 min.
Act III: 48 min.
This production was created in 1987 by Marcia Haydée for the Stuttgart Ballet. The sets and costumes of this production presented by Les Grands Ballets were created in 2011 for the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.
LES GRANDS BALLETS
