"Sleeping Beauty" is a delightful fairy tale by Charles Perrault with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The virtuosic and dynamic ballet staged by the company "Saint-Michel" is known far beyond the borders of Russia. The libretto of this ballet is based on Charles Perrault's fairy tale about Princess Aurora. The evil fairy Carabos cast a curse on her, after which the entire castle fell into a deep sleep. Only a kiss of love can awaken the princess from her eternal slumber, and her liberator is Prince Desire. The heroes are aided on their difficult journey by the Cat in Boots and the White Kitten, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Gray Wolf. In the finale, all the characters find themselves in Versailles, the birthplace of ballet, where they celebrate the wedding of Aurora and Desire. The ballet, inspired by the choreography of Marius Petipa, was staged by Mikhail Venshikov. The performance is close to the original production of the Mariinsky Theatre, yet at the same time more dynamic. Characters that were originally mime have received their own virtuosic dance parts. "Saint-Michel" tours European countries, Japan, and South America. Its repertoire is designed for audiences of all ages and includes both ballet classics and original productions with captivating plots. May 27 - Hermitage Theatre at: Palace Embankment, house 34; June 11 (ballet and guided tour of the Palace) - House of Scientists named after Gorky at: Palace Embankment, house 26. Photo: arts-michel.com