Sleeping Beauty - A Fairytale Ballet presented by Ventura County Ballet Company May 23, 2010

Ventura County’s only premier company, the Ventura County Ballet Company, will present “Sleeping Beauty - A Fairytale Ballet” May 22-23 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.

Featuring an international ensemble of more than 100, including a cast from around the world, the classic fairytale is brought to life through a metamorphosis of talent representing the best in classic techniques to convey the Russian tale through thoughtful execution and choreography.

“The original ballet, first performed in 1890 and scored by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, was based on Charles Perrault’s La Belle au Bois Dormant,” says choreographer and associate artistic director at Ventura County Ballet Company Marina Fliagina. “Originally, the ballet was four hours in length, since during the Nineteenth Century life was more leisure…people could afford to linger and relax to enjoy such a long, lavish production.”

Fliagina, who danced professionally in her home country of Russia for more than 30 years, says her version of the ballet is comparable to The Nutcracker at one and one-half hours and is filled with prime jewels from the original production. All of the traditional movements that make this particular ballet a classic have been retained, including such famous movements as the Rose Adagio and pas du deux with Aurora and Prince Desire’ and the pas du deux with Princess Florina and the Blue Bird.

“Even though we brought in new influences such as multi-dimensional sets and lavish new costumes, this ballet is a classic and some of its variations cannot be touched,” Fliagina says. “These make it a classic and almost sacred to perform. These movements keep the original ballet alive throughout history.”

Fliagina’s choreographic adaptation of the ballet won a 2005 Telly Award for Best Videography in a Live Performance in Production. This is the same production that will be presented May 22-23 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.

The spectacular cast includes Victoria Luchkina from Kazakhstan as Princess Aurora, Jose Gonzalez from Columbia as Prince Desire’, and Enton Hoxha from Albania in multiple roles. American John Christopher Piel will fill various key roles as will Bruce King, a classic ballet dancer who has performed on stages throughout France and Europe. Students from Ventura County Ballet Company and Ballet Academy Ventura make up the remaining cast.

Local celebrities Bo Jaxon of B951 radio, arts patron and founder Sandra Laby and others also will take to the stage in supporting roles.

Complete with a larger than life fairytale ending, Princess Aurora and Prince Desire' celebrate their wedding nuptials with fellow fairytale characters including Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Puss N’ Boots and the White Cat, Tom Thumb and the Giant.