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The Opera House is the second-largest theater
in the Center, with 2,300 seats. It was designed for ballet,
opera, and musical theater. Over the years, the Opera House
has welcomed dozens of the world's great dance and opera companies
and has hosted some of the most important artistic events of
the last quarter century. With its distinctive red and gold
silk curtain, a gift from Japan, and the exquisite Lobmeyr crystal
chandelier, a gift from Austria, the Opera House makes an elegant
setting for the annual Kennedy Center Honors, the nations highest
award for lifetime achievement in the arts.
Mariinsky Ballet formerly Kirov Ballet Valery Gergiev, Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre Yuri Fateev, Deputy Director of the Ballet Company of the Mariinsky Theatre
"An Imperial Russian feast to slowly savor." --San Francisco Chronicle
"It is the combination of athleticism with lyricism and artistry that makes the company unique." --Time Magazine
The Sleeping Beauty Choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev (1952) Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The venerable Mariinsky Ballet returns to the Opera House for their eighth visit in a ten-year partnership with the Kennedy Center. One of the most influential companies in classical dance for the past 200 years, Mariinsky Ballet continues to set the standard in stage production. After struggling for survival under the Soviet regime, Mariinsky Ballet--formerly known by its Soviet name Kirov--has firmly established its place on the world stage and gone on to display its unmistakable style in appearances around the globe.
Over seven performances at the Kennedy Center, the St. Petersburg–based company will present Konstantin Sergeyev's bravado-fueled 1952 version of The Sleeping Beauty, as part of the Center's Focus on Russia. Sergeyev's choreography follows from the Petipa original but packs more dance into every act, largely leaving behind pantomime and telling the story through big and beautiful movements. From an evil curse of 100 years' sleep to a romantic awakening with the help of good fairies, it's a story for all ages. And like any good fairy tale, The Sleeping Beauty is enchanting whether seeing it for the first time or the fiftieth. Part of the Kennedy Center's Focus on Russia. Timing: Prologue - 27 min; Intermission - 15 min.; Act I - 29 min.; Intermission - 15 min; Act II - 25 min.; Intermission - 15 min.; Act III - 35 min.
PRINCIPAL CASTING Tue., Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Aurora: Diana Vishneva Prince Desire: Vladimir Shklyarov Lilac Fairy: Ekaterina Kondaurova
Wed., Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Aurora: Alina Somova Prince Desire: Evgeny Ivanchenko Lilac Fairy: Anastasia Kolegova
Thu., Feb. 11 & Sat., Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Aurora: Viktoria Tereshkina Prince Desire: Vladimir Shklyarov Lilac Fairy: Ekaterina Kondaurova
Fri., Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Aurora: Anastasia Matvienko Prince Desire: Evgeny Ivanchenko Lilac Fairy: Oksana Skoryk
Sat., Feb. 13 at 1:30 p.m. Aurora: Anastasia Kolegova Prince Desire: Anton Korsakov Lilac Fairy: Alexandra Iosifidi
Sun., Feb. 14 at 1:30 p.m. Aurora: Anastasia Matvienko Prince Desire: Maksim Zyuzin Lilac Fairy: Oksana Skoryk
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