31
2012… as performed by Indiana University Ballet Theater
http://music.indiana.edu/events/program.php?eid=10319
Prologue – Aurora’s Christening Ceremony
King Florestan the XXIVth declares a grand christening ceremony to be held in honor of the birth of his daughter, Princess Aurora named after the dawn. An entourage of six fairies are invited to the Christening to be godmothers to the child. They are the Candide Fairy, the Coulante Fairy, the Miettes Fairy, the Canari Fairy, the Violente Fairy and—most importantly—the Lilac Fairy, who is the last to arrive. As the fairies are happily granting gifts of honesty, grace, prosperity, song and generosity, they are suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the wicked fairy Carabosse, who is furious at the King’s failure to invite her to the ceremony. The King and Queen begin to remonstrate, and the Master of Ceremonies, Catallabutte, intervenes to take responsibility, whereupon Carabosse rips off his eyebrows and wig, laughing. With spite and rage, Carabosse declares her curse on Princess Aurora: she will prick her finger on her sixteenth birthday and die. But all is not lost: the Lilac Fairy, fortunately, has not yet granted her gift to the Princess. She acknowledges that Carabosse’s power is immense and she cannot completely reverse the curse. However, she declares, though the Princess shall indeed prick her finger, she will not die, but instead sleep for 100 years until she is awakened by the kiss of a prince.
Fairies greeting the King and Queen
Cavalier Fairy (my son)
Lilac Fairy’s attendants
Carabosse ripping off Catalabutte’s eyvebrows (ouch!)
Angry Carabosse as the other fairies look on
The Lilac Fairy and Carabosse
Good will prevail!
Carabosse leaves in a huff.
The fairies couldn’t be happier!
