SLEEPING BEAUTY – ETOILE CLASSICAL UKRAINIAN BALLET

Who will awaken the beautiful Princess Aurora from her 100-year-long sleep?

We invite you to a magical world that will swirl with radiant waltzes performed by the Classical Ukrainian Ballet Etoile. Thanks to the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky and the magnificent choreography by Marius Petipa, Charles Perrault’s “fairy tale” has become a gem of classical ballet — a timeless poem about the struggle between good and evil.
“Sleeping Beauty” is a harmonious blend of beautiful music, virtuosic choreography, a fairytale plot, and visual splendor, making it one of the most popular and beloved ballets in the world.

The Story of the Ballet
The evil fairy Carabosse curses Princess Aurora and foretells that she will die from a needle prick on her sixteenth birthday. The kind Lilac Fairy softens the curse: Aurora will not die, but fall into a hundred-year sleep, and only a kiss from a prince can awaken her. Aurora falls asleep, and with her, the entire kingdom. A hundred years later, Prince Désiré, guided by the Lilac Fairy, finds Aurora and awakens her with a kiss. The curse is broken, and the lovers celebrate their wedding.
This ballet demands a high level of technical skill from the dancers. It includes complex steps, jumps, pirouettes, and lifts. Particularly famous are the Lilac Fairy’s dance, the waltz, the pas de deux of Aurora and Prince Désiré, and Aurora’s variation in the first act, which requires virtuoso technique and lightness from the soloists.
The classical choreography by Marius Petipa will be performed by the Classical Ukrainian Etoile Ballet — a company organized in Kyiv by soloists Irina and Anatoliy Khandazhevsky from the Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre in Ukraine. The performers include professional ballet dancers — winners of international ballet competitions, Honored Artists of Ukraine, soloists from Ukrainian and, since February 2022, European theaters. In its productions, the company uses authentic theater costumes and scenery, handmade. A professional stage lighting designer accompanies the ballet performance and creates an unforgettable atmosphere during the show. The music is rendered in a high-quality recording by the Kharkiv Opera Orchestra. This is a unique opportunity to witness true classical ballet at the highest level!

Ballet Soloists:
• Irina Khandazhevskaya, Prima Ballerina, Honored Artist of Ukraine, soloist at Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre, choreographer, diploma winner of the international ballet competition “Premio Roma.” Honored with the “People’s Recognition 2010” award in the artist category. Awarded the “P. Virsky Prize” for choreography in 2007. @irinakhandazhevskaya
• Anatoliy Khandazhevsky, soloist at Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ukraine), choreographer, 2nd prize winner in international competition in Tallinn. @anatoliikhandazhevskii
• Maria Shupilova, soloist at Kyiv Opera. @shupilova_maria
• Kristina Kadashevich, leading soloist at Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre, winner of international ballet competitions.
• Katerina Andrenko, soloist at Odessa National Opera, Hamburg Chamber Ballet, Opera Poznan. @andrenko_kate
• Dmitry Lazovik, soloist at Belarusian State Academic Musical Theatre, winner of international ballet competitions.
• Vsevolod Maievskyi, soloist at English National Ballet, Ukrainian-born former dancer at Mariinsky Ballet. @vsevolod_maievskyi
• Larisa Hrytsay, soloist at Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ukraine), soloist at Odessa National Opera. @lorikeets89
The tour is presented by the Norwegian organization Kultur for Folket to support Ukrainian classical ballet art and Ukrainian artists who are currently unable to perform in their home country.
The tour takes place in November and December in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Details at https://www.kulturforfolket.com

Duration:
2 hours and 10 minutes

Promoter:
Kultur for folket AS