The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty on the silver screen

This week, The Royal Ballet’s signature production of The Sleeping Beauty hits the big screen. First presented at Covent Garden in 1946 with Margot Fonteyn as Princess Aurora, Robert Helpmann as Prince Florimund and the late Beryl Grey as the Lilac Fairy, the revival will be broadcast to 1312 cinemas this spring, reaching audiences in 43 countries around the world.

Marius Petipa’s three-act ballet – set to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score – was fully restored to the Company’s repertory by Monica Mason and Christopher Newton in 2006, incorporating original designs by Oliver Messel. With additional choreography by Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell and Christopher Wheeldon, the production is not only the perfect family treat, but also a real gem of the classical ballet repertory, full of virtuoso sequences that present unique challenges for even the most skilled dancers.

The cinema broadcast on Wednesday 24 May 2023 will feature Principal dancers Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball. Encore screenings will run from Sunday 28 May 2023.

Our cinema programme has brought opera and ballet to audiences across the globe since 2008. For the 2022/23 Season, an astonishing 13 productions from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera will be broadcast to more than 1,300 cinemas from the UK all the way to New Zealand. Each broadcast offers audiences the best seat in the house, and includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and insights into the rehearsal process. The programme forms an integral part of our plan to secure our future, expand audiences and continue to help facilitate the vital recovery of cinema domestically and internationally.