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Sébastien Mathé / OnP

Sébastien Mathé / OnP

Ballet

The Sleeping Beauty

Rudolf Nureyev

Opéra Bastille

from 08 March to 12 July 2025

from €15 to €160

3h10 with 2 intervals

Synopsis

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When Rudolf Nureyev came to Paris in 1961 on tour with the Kirov, shortly before he applied for political asylum, he captived audiences at the Palais Garnier in the role of the Prince in The Sleeping Beauty. Thirty years later, he proposed a new choreography of what he considered to be “the ballet of ballets” for the Paris Opera Ballet.

While retaining the spectacular enchantment of the ballet and the sparkling charm of Tchaikovsky’s music, he brought a new balance to Marius Petipa’s original choreography by giving more prominence to the male roles, particularly that of the Prince.

Absent from the Paris Opera stage for ten years, there is no doubt that Aurora and Désiré, the Lilac Fairy and the Blue Bird, not forgetting the terrible Carabosse, will fascinate new generations.

Duration : 3h10 with 2 intervals

Show acts

Detail of acts

First part

Prologue
The christening

The christening of Princess Aurora is being celebrated. Six good fairies, the baby’s godmothers, present their gifts. Every happiness is promised to the princess when suddenly the wicked witch Carabosse appears. She reproaches the King for not having invited her to the feast; Catalabutte, the butler, has inadvertently left her off his list. In a fury, she makes a terrible prophecy: one day, when the young Aurora has grown up, she will prick her finger with a needle and die. However, the Lilac Fairy, who has not yet given her present, mitigates the spell. The princess will not die, she will only sleep for a hundred years, along with all the inhabitants of the palace. The King swears that anyone who uses pins or needles will be sentenced to death.

Act 1
The spell

For the princess’s sixteenth birthday, the King and the Queen are holding a great feast. Three knitters, sent by Carabosse, brave the King’s ban. Discovered in their criminal act, they make off leaving three maidservants to be accused in their stead. The King has the maidservants arrested, but the Queen intervenes in their favour. From the four corners of the world come four princes, pretenders to Aurora’s hand.

The young girl only glances at the treasures spread out by the strangers, but she receives with grace the simple homage of a flower (Rose Adagio). Carabosse, appearing in the form of an elderly woman of the court, gives Aurora a bouquet of flowers in which she has hidden a needle. Aurora is pricked and faints.

The four princes try to seize Carabosse, who sneaks away and leaves them to rush upon their own swords. The Lilac Fairy has taken Aurora to the place where she will sleep for a hundred years and plunges the entire palace into a deep slumber. It will be protected by a forest which she has just caused to appear.

Second part

Act 2
The vision

During a hunting party, Prince Désiré, who, despite the attractive Countess, games and entertainments, is melancholic and in search of solitude. The young man advances into the depths of the wood. The Lilac Fairy appears to him and shows him the image of Aurora. The prince immediately falls in love. He dances with this vision until it vanishes.

The Lilac Fairy then takes Prince Désiré in search of Aurora. Soon, they reach the sleeping castle. Carabosse awaits them at the entrance to prevent them from entering. The Lilac Fairy triumphs over the witch’s evil spell and she loses all her power. Guards, pages, courtiers and noblewomen shake off the dust of the ages. Aurora awakes on being kissed by the prince.

Third part

Act 3
Aurora’s wedding

The castle is lit up for the wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré. Straight from the tales of Perrault and Madame d’Aulnoy, here are the Blue Bird and Princess Florine, Puss in Boots and the White Cat. Aurora and Desiré are joined together for all eternity.

Artists

Ballet in three acts and a prologue

Libretto after Charles Perrault
Choreography after Marius Petipa

Creative team

Cast

With the Paris Opera Étoiles, Premières Danseuses, Premiers Danseurs, Corps de Ballet and Junior Ballet
The Paris Opera Orchestra

Media

[TRAILER] THE SLEEPING BEAUTY by Rudolf Noureev
[TRAILER] THE SLEEPING BEAUTY by Rudolf Nureyev

Access and services

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

Public transport

Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

Calculate my route
Car park

Q-Park Opéra Bastille 34, rue de Lyon 75012 Paris

Book your parking spot
super alt text

Imagined as benchmark, richly illustrated booklets, the programmes can be bought online, at the box offices, in our shops, and in the theatres hall on the evening of the performance.      

BUY THE PROGRAM
  • Cloakrooms

    Free cloakrooms are at your disposal. The comprehensive list of prohibited items is available here.

  • Bars

    Reservation of drinks and light refreshments for the intervals is possible online up to 24 hours prior to your visit, or at the bars before each performance.

  • Parking

    You can park your car at the Q-Park Opéra Bastille. It is located at 34 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris. 

    BOOK YOUR PARKING PLACE.

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €25 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €40 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

Public transport

Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

Calculate my route
Car park

Q-Park Opéra Bastille 34, rue de Lyon 75012 Paris

Book your parking spot
super alt text

Imagined as benchmark, richly illustrated booklets, the programmes can be bought online, at the box offices, in our shops, and in the theatres hall on the evening of the performance.      

BUY THE PROGRAM
  • Cloakrooms

    Free cloakrooms are at your disposal. The comprehensive list of prohibited items is available here.

  • Bars

    Reservation of drinks and light refreshments for the intervals is possible online up to 24 hours prior to your visit, or at the bars before each performance.

  • Parking

    You can park your car at the Q-Park Opéra Bastille. It is located at 34 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris. 

    BOOK YOUR PARKING PLACE.

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €25 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €40 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

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