Director's Notes on The Sleeping Beauty

Some people never grow old. You probably think I'm talking about that stunningly beautiful 116-year-old princess you are about to see, but I'm not. I'm talking about two individuals who arrived in our studios a few weeks ago like a welcome spring breeze. Ronald Hynd, choreographer of our Sleeping Beauty and his lovely wife Annette Page are forever young, despite several decades of birthdays. Watching the choreographer bring shape and life to his work is to see our profession at its best. Annette's experiences in the roles of Princess Florine, who is enchanted by a bluebird, and Princess Aurora, make her a perfect coach for our dancers. With wicked wits and hysterical stories from long and illustrious careers, their return to PNB has been a welcome one.

As frequent visitors to this company will know, I love new work. I love to commission work when we can find the resources to pay for it. And at the same time, I am continually struck by the pleasure we all have in revisiting the great traditional works on which classical ballet was founded. How fresh they can look and how enthralling they can be for wide-eyed, first-time viewers and longtime ballet aficionados. We feel the challenge of Aurora's prolonged balances and promenades on one pointed foot and the brilliant spectacle of the Bluebird's batterie. We are rendered blissfully childlike in rooting for Prince Florimund and Little Red Riding Hood. We are equally passionate in our disdain for the Wolf and the villainous Carabosse. There's nothing like a heartpumping story of the triumph of good over evil.

The challenges I have thrown at our dancers over the past five seasons are a tall order. The Sleeping Beauty is perhaps the greatest technical challenge of any ballet in our repertory. Work on The Sleeping Beauty began in November as the first Nutcracker snow began to fall. Precision of technique, stamina, portrayal of character, and demonstration of musicality and stage presence are only the beginning. You will want to catch as many casts as you can. Each is remarkable in its own way.

Savor our orchestra's mastery of Tchaikovsky's grand composition. Sixty talented musicians fill the hall with drama and delight. Take a trip down to the edge of the orchestra pit at intermission and learn more about this key component of our company. You can also enjoy PNB's orchestra during a live broadcast on King FM on Friday, February 5 at 7:30 pm.

I'm guessing that after today's performance of The Sleeping Beauty, you are going to want to come back and see us again. We have another classic coming up this spring that you might want to catch. PNB will perform George Balanchine's delightful Coppélia for the first time with all-new sets and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. We've been working on this one for more than a year and I've been talking about it for five. With three new scenic designs and 125 new costumes, it's quite an undertaking. It's also the reason I fell in love with ballet. You may already be in love with ballet, but this one's a winner you won't want to miss. It's going to be a great spring at PNB and we look forward to seeing you back at the ballet.

Peter Boal
Artistic Director

Pushing Toward the Starting Line: Jessika Anspach on The Sleeping Beauty

Well it's official... I suck at blogging. But it's not my fault! Honestly it's not!

This week, last week, next week - they all are, have been and are going to be an absolute blur of cabrioles, ballonnes, ice-baths and Tchaikovsky. Did I forget to mention ballet pantomime? Yes. Sleeping Beauty has arrived.

And I hurt.

You would think that since I am a professional ballerina, having trained since I was five years old to do this it would be a cinch - you know, piece of cake, right? Not to mention the fact that I just came off a grueling Nutcracker season... I mean what else are 43 shows of "holiday magic" good for than to get my butt in shape? Well it would appear that Nutcracker just didn't cut it.

The Sleeping Beauty is an entirely different kind of monster.

This ballet brings a whole new meaning to the word "production." Complete with wigs and heels in all four - yes, I did say four - acts, the costumes alone are works of art. And I haven't even mentioned the sets and scenery. It's quite a sight to behold! And I must admit this lavish extravagance was never more necessary as this enduring classic endures for two and a quarter hours - three if you include intermissions...

So 135 minutes - and I'm onstage and in character for probably 120 of those. To be fair, I'm not dancing full-out that entire time, but generally speaking I don't stop for very long before I start again. Off-stage isn't much different either. Intermission's consumed by changing costumes, hair, hair pieces, shoes... you get the picture.

In other words it's a marathon.

The question is will I make it to the starting line?

Classical ballet is really hard on the body, and The Sleeping Beauty is really as classical as it gets. The movements and steps are technical, precise and utterly unforgiving. It utilizes every muscle in your body - muscles you didn't even know existed, until the next morning they make their cranky, tight and pulsing presence known.

This week my best friend has been the ice bath. The ice bath and I, we have a love-hate relationship.

Imagine submerging your leg in a bucket of slushy ice-water, heavy on the ice. Painful? Well let's just say it's not all sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. But after a couple minutes when your leg goes completely numb, it's actually quite nice, in a sick masochistic sort of way... This week I have done this every day, multiple times a day in order to make it to that starting line. Not only have my feet been suffering the wrath of Sleeping Beauty - they look like they went through a belt sander - but my left calf muscle has as well. Like a stubborn cranky child it decided it had had enough. I believe the technical diagnosis is "strained." At any rate, I've managed to coax it out of it's tantrum through rest, prayer and of course, ice baths. Praise the Lord for that!

Wow... I sound pretty insane to put myself through all of this. And I probably am. But even with all the pain, oh man is there ever gain!

And just in case you'd like to come and see me not only make it to the starting line, but victoriously run this marathon, you can buy tickets here.