Sleeping Beauty

An instant success following its 1890 premiere, Tchaikovsky's famed ballet Sleeping Beauty is inspired by the Perrault fairy tale in which the wicked fairy Carabosse casts a spell upon Princess Aurora, who is awakened after 100 years by the kiss of Prince Desiré. Based on the original choreography of Marius Petipa, this 1965 production features Alla Sizova in a stunning performance as Aurora; well-matched partner Yuri Solovyov as Prince Desiré, and Natalia Dudinskaya as Carabosse, with a young Natalia Makarova in the secondary role of Princess Florina. While most modern productions clock in at over two hours, this filmed version of a performance by the Kirov Ballet is abbreviated by over a third, and the digital remastering cannot compensate for the washed-out color, tinny Dolby Digital sound, and unsophisticated camerawork reflecting the technological limitations of the time. Recommended for larger dance collections and serious balletomanes, but optional elsewhere. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)