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The Sleeping Beauty<\/p>\nPreview: John Daly-Peoples<\/p>\n
The Sleeping Beauty<\/p>\n
Royal New Zealand Ballet<\/p>\n
Sleeping Beauty<\/p>\n
In association with New Zealand Community Trust\u00a0(NZCT)<\/p>\n
29 Oct-Dec 20, 2026<\/p>\n
The Royal New Zealand Ballet final ballet of its 2026 series invites audienes to enter a world of fairytale magic as Greg Horsman\u2019s acclaimed production of\u00a0The Sleeping Beauty\u00a0returns for a nationwide tour from October to December 2026.<\/p>\n
Celebrating the arrival of summer and the festive season, this spectacular production\u00a0revives one of the Company\u2019s most cherished works. Since its triumphant premiere in 2011,\u00a0The Sleeping Beauty\u00a0has become a favourite with audiences across Aotearoa, with more than 42,000 people\u00a0experiencing its original nationwide tour.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is wonderful for the Royal New Zealand Ballet to return to\u00a0The Sleeping Beauty\u00a0to bring our 2026 season to a close,\u201d says Artistic Director Ty King-Wall. \u201cCreated for our company, Greg Horsman\u2019s production is an evocative and respectful staging of one of the great ballets of the 19th century. We look forward to a new generation of dancers taking on these coveted roles as this much-loved story awakens once more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Set to Pyotr Tchaikovsky\u2019s iconic score,\u00a0The Sleeping Beauty\u00a0tells the timeless story of Princess Aurora, whose destiny is altered by a wicked curse before true love awakens her from an enchanted sleep. Combining exquisite classical choreography with breathtaking theatrical design, this production offers an unforgettable ballet experience for audiences of every generation.<\/p>\n
Greg Horsman\u2019s elegant choreography honours the grandeur of the classical tradition while bringing warmth,\u00a0humour\u00a0and humanity to one of ballet\u2019s greatest masterpieces. Richly detailed sets and costumes by acclaimed designer\u00a0and former RNZB Artistic Director\u00a0Gary Harris transport audiences into a storybook kingdom filled with glittering courts, enchanted\u00a0forests\u00a0and unforgettable fairytale characters.<\/p>\n
Adding an unmistakably New Zealand touch, the production features magical elements created by Wellington\u2019s W\u0113t\u0101 Workshop, whose artistry brings an extra sense of wonder to Aurora\u2019s enchanted world. Together with Jon Buswell\u2019s atmospheric lighting design, the production creates a visually stunning theatrical experience that continues to captivate audiences more than a decade after its premiere.<\/p>\n
Following its success with the RNZB\u00a0in 2011, Horsman\u2019s production travelled across the Tasman after the choreographer joined Queensland Ballet in 2012. Since then, it has been staged there several times to widespread critical and audience acclaim, cementing its reputation as one of the most beautiful contemporary interpretations of this enduring classic.<\/p>\n
The 2026 tour will feature live orchestral accompaniment in Wellington,\u00a0Christchurch\u00a0and Auckland, with Hamish McKeich conducting. Performances in Wellington will be accompanied by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch performances by Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and Auckland performances by Auckland Philharmonia. Performances in all other touring centres will be accompanied by a recording of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re proud to support the Royal New Zealand Ballet as it brings this remarkable production to communities around the country,\u201d says NZCT\u2019s GM of Grants, Marketing and Communications, Ben Hodges. \u201cThe tour will give thousands of New Zealanders, including many living beyond the country\u2019s main centres, the chance to experience the magic of world-class live ballet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perfect for first-time\u00a0ballet-goers, devoted dance lovers and families looking to share a magical experience together,\u00a0The Sleeping Beauty\u00a0is the ideal pre-Christmas outing. Overflowing with romance, adventure, dazzling dancing and unforgettable music, this much-loved production promises an afternoon or evening of enchantment for audiences of all ages.<\/p>\n
PRODUCTION TEAM<\/p>\n
Choreography:\u00a0Greg Horsman\u2028\u00a0<\/p>\n
Music:\u00a0Pyotr Tchaikovsky\u2028\u00a0<\/p>\n
Set and Costume Design:\u00a0Gary Harris\u2028\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lighting Design:\u00a0Jon Buswell\u2028\u00a0<\/p>\n
Conductor:\u00a0Hamish\u00a0McKeich<\/p>\n
Live Orchestra\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wellington: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra\u00a0<\/p>\n
Christchurch: Christchurch Symphony Orchestra\u00a0<\/p>\n
Auckland: Auckland Philharmonia\u00a0<\/p>\n
* All other venues: Recorded performance by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra<\/p>\n
TOUR SCHEDULE<\/p>\n
Wellington:\u00a0St James Theatre\u202829 October-7 November 2026<\/p>\n
Christchurch:\u00a0Isaac Theatre Royal\u202811\u201314 November 2026<\/p>\n
Invercargill:\u00a0Civic Theatre\u202818 November 2026<\/p>\n
Dunedin:\u00a0Regent Theatre\u202821-22 November 2026<\/p>\n
Hamilton:\u00a0BNZ Theatre\u00a027-29 November<\/p>\n
Auckland:\u00a0Kiri\u00a0Te\u00a0Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre\u20283-12 December 2026<\/p>\n
Palmerston North:\u00a0Regent on Broadway\u202816 December 2026<\/p>\n
Napier:\u00a0Municipal Theatre\u202819-20 December 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Preview: John Daly-Peoples The Sleeping Beauty Royal New Zealand Ballet Sleeping Beauty In association with New Zealand Community…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":584671,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[111,43,139,69],"class_list":["post-584670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=584670"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584670\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/584671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}