St.Petersburg State Ballet on Ice Featuring – Sleeping Beauty On Ice


St Lawrence Centre, Bluma Appel Theatre
Toronto

December 21, 2007
2:00 pm & 7:00 pm

St Lawrence Centre, Bluma Appel Theatre
Toronto

December 22, 2007
11:00 am, 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm

St Lawrence Centre, Bluma Appel Theatre
Toronto

December 23, 2007
1:00 pm & 5:00 pm

St Lawrence Centre, Bluma Appel Theatre
Toronto

                 

December 20 – 23, 2007
Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts

The scene opens on a majestic setting where the King and Queen are celebrating the birth of their daughter, Princess Aurora. Beautiful fairies arrive, bringing gifts and good wishes. An evil witch, miffed at not being invited to the party, vows revenge. On the Princess’ 16th birthday, the witch casts a spell causing the entire Kingdom to sleep for 100 years. Only the kiss of a good and virtuous prince can awaken Princess Aurora. Enter Prince Desire who breaks the spell and restores the Kingdom to its original grandeur. The court celebrates their love, famous fairy tale characters perform at their wedding, and the Lilac Fairy bestows her happily-ever-after blessing.

Sleeping Beauty On Ice has captivated and enchanted audiences since its premiere as ballet in St. Petersburg in 1890.

But these fairies are not en pointe, they are “on blade”. On Ice! Gliding across the stage of the Bluma Appel Theatre. For twenty-four hours and with 7500 pounds of ice, the Bluma Appel Theatre will undergo a chilling makeover and emerge a 30′ X 40′ ice rink.

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In Sleeping Beauty On Ice, the award-winning cast of 35 ice skaters –The Russian Stars – breeze through the ballet-inspired choreography. While ballet dancers are ultimately grounded by gravity, ice dancers literally soar through the air defying gravity with dazzling twists and turns.

Performing to the Kirov Orchestra’s recording of Tchaikovsky’s iconic score – “The subject is so poetic, so inspirational, I am captivated,” he wrote to his benefactress – Sleeping Beauty On Ice also pays homage to the original ballet with elaborate sets and costumes and romantic lighting, all resplendent in their pageantry.

Founded 40 years ago and steeped heavily in the traditions of Russian classic ballet, The St. Petersburg State Ballet On Ice is the pioneer producer of ice ballets. A champion pair figure skater, general director Mikhail Kaminov began as a leading soloist with the company in 1967. Kaminov has now been the head of the company for more than 10 years, during which it has toured across Russia, Europe, Greece, the United States, Korea, China and now Canada.

Principal choreographer Konstantin A. Rassadin is a former star of the Mariinsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet of St. Petersburg (formally the Kirov Theatre) where, for 23 years, he performed all the leading roles and partnered with such great ballerinas as Alla Osipenko and Natalia Markarova. Since 1980, he has staged classics and created original ice ballets for the St. Petersburg State Ballet On Ice.

Rekindle your romance with Sleeping Beauty. On ice, it scores a perfect 10!

 

Thanks to the generous contribution of Alex Shnaider, partial proceeds will support SickKids Foundation.

Tickets can be purchased:  In person at the St. Lawrence Centre Box office, by calling 416.366.7723, or online at www.stlc.com, or in-person at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 416.872.1111, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca/showone. For group discounts please contact Group Sales International at 416.597.0965 

Media Contact: FLIP PUBLICITY, Carrie Sager, 416.533.7710 X224,  carrie@flip-publcity.com , 720 Bathurst Street, #403 TOR M5S 2R4 www.flip-publicity.com