Art Alert: The Sleeping Beauty ballet, from Italy to Egypt

Ahram Online , Saturday 3 Feb 2018

Balletto del Sud company will give three performances of Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty in Cairo

The Sleeping Beauty Ballet
The Sleeping Beauty by Balletto del Sud (Photo: courtesy of the Cairo Opera House)

For three consecutive evenings — 6, 7 and 8 February — the Italian ballet company Baletto del Sud will perform The Sleeping Beauty at the Cairo Opera House.

Based on the timeless story "La Belle au bois dormant" (The Sleeping Beauty) by Charles Perrault, the ballet is composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The original choreography of the ballet is by Marius Petipa.

The Balletto del Sud was founded in 1995 in Lecce, a historic city in the south of Italy, by one of the best known Italian choreographers, Fredy Franzutti, who also choreographs many of the company's works.

The company's repertoire includes over 30 ballets, including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sheherazade, The Firebird, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, and The Four Seasons. The company stages 80 evening ballets annually, many of which travel across Italy and internationally. 

Directed by Franzutti, the company also brings back to light many forgotten or rarely performed ballets.

Numerous performances of the Balletto del Sud saw the participation of international ballet guest stars, such as Carla Fracci, Lindsay Kemp, Alessandro Molin and Xiomara Reyes.

Since its premiere in 2000, The Sleeping Beauty is among the most successful works of Balletto del Sud. A lively set and beautifully drawn characters have captivated large audiences and garnered the praise of critics.

Frazutti, who was born in 1971 in Lecce, had a long career as a dancer before embarking on choreography. He has cooperated with numerous directors and also choreograhed works for Russia's famed Bolshoi ballet company.

Programme:
6, 7 and 8 February at 8pm
Cairo Opera House, Main Hall, Zamalek, Cairo

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