Russian National Ballet Theatre's SLEEPING BEAUTY Set for the MAC, 1/9

The internationally acclaimed Russian National Ballet Theatre presents two performances of the classic, romantic fairy tale ballet "Sleeping Beauty" at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage, Saturday, Jan.17 at 3 and 8 p.m. A cast of four dozen dancers will portray the story of Princess Aurora in a lavish production featuring enchanting sets and spectacular costumes. A pre-matinee Tea Party will take place at 1:30 p.m. and will feature tea-sandwiches, scones, sweets and more. The Tea Party is a separately ticketed event. In addition, a free MAC Chat will be offered one hour prior to the 7 p.m. evening show.

Based on Charles Perrault's well known fairy tale, "Sleeping Beauty" follows Princess Aurora through a multilayered tale of romance, poetry, fate, good versus evil and, of course, love. The 1890 original St. Petersburg staging of "Sleeping Beauty," with choreography by the legendary Marius Petipa performed to Tchaikovsky's glorious score, was a spectacular illustration of the Russian Imperial style at its zenith. Today this full length ballet, performed in three acts, remains the cornerstone of the Russian National Ballet' Theatre's repertoire.

The Russian National Ballet Theatre was founded in Moscow during the transitional period of Perestroika in the late 1980s. Many of the great dancers and choreographers of the Soviet Union's ballet institutions began to exercise their new-found creative freedom by starting companies dedicated not only to the timeless tradition of classical Russian Ballet, but to invigorate it as the Russians began to accept new developments in global dance. Today, the Russian National Ballet Theatre is its own institution, with more than 50 dancers, many of whom have been with the company since its inception. Legendary Bolshoi principal dancer Elena Radchenko serves as artistic director.

The Russian National Ballet Theatre presents "Sleeping Beauty" at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) located on the campus of College of DuPage (425 Fawell Blvd.) Friday, Jan. 17 with performances at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $55 for adults and $45 for youth. The MAC will host a Tea Party at 1:30 p.m. prior to the 3 p.m. This is a separately ticketed event: tickets are $25 per person. There will also be a free MAC Chat prior to the evening performance. Parking is also free. For tickets and more information visit AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000.

To post a comment, you must register and login.