Composer

:

Peter Heise

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1873

Average_duration

:

48:49

Peter Heise's "Sleeping Beauty" is a ballet composed in 1879. It premiered on November 15, 1879, at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark. The ballet is divided into three acts and is based on the classic fairy tale of the same name. The first act begins with the christening of Princess Aurora, the daughter of King Florestan and Queen Margrethe. The fairies of the kingdom are invited to the christening, but the evil fairy Carabosse is not. In retaliation, Carabosse curses Aurora, saying that she will prick her finger on a spindle and die on her sixteenth birthday. The good fairy Lilac then intervenes and changes the curse so that Aurora will instead fall into a deep sleep for one hundred years, only to be awakened by true love's kiss. The second act takes place on Aurora's sixteenth birthday. She is presented with a spindle and pricks her finger, falling into a deep sleep. The entire kingdom falls asleep with her, and a forest of thorns grows around the castle to protect it. One hundred years pass, and a prince from a neighboring kingdom discovers the castle and Aurora. He falls in love with her and awakens her with a kiss. The third act is a grand celebration of Aurora's awakening and her marriage to the prince. The wedding is attended by all the fairies, and Carabosse is banished from the kingdom. The ballet ends with a grand pas de deux between Aurora and the prince. Heise's "Sleeping Beauty" is characterized by its lush and romantic score, which features sweeping melodies and intricate orchestration. The ballet also features intricate choreography, particularly in the grand pas de deux, which showcases the technical abilities of the dancers. The story is a classic fairy tale, and Heise's music captures the magic and romance of the story. Overall, "Sleeping Beauty" is a timeless ballet that continues to captivate audiences to this day.

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