The Vienna Festival Ballet brings a traditional classic to the Theatre Royal Windsor in its performance of Sleeping Beauty, danced to a recording of Tchaikovsky’s lyrical and time-honoured score. True to its heritage, this production provides everything you would expect from a classic ballet of this standard, with a lot of sparkle added.
The dancers perform with skill, showcasing choreography and technique for the audience and receiving applause for each character’s turn.
Ballet such as this, in its most conventional form, is a parade of classic movements and easily recognisable steps, and the company prides itself on staying true to this interpretation of the dance form. It regularly performs a repertoire of much-loved classical pieces, touring for long stretches and reaching many audiences with its work.
The young cast have clearly worked hard to present this piece, being able to hear their feet on the stage floor serves as a reminder of just how much training goes in to delivering any form of dance to a professional standard.
Particular mention should be made of Samantha Bosshardt in the role of Carabosse, who expresses the character of the wicked fairy godmother brilliantly, bringing real character through her facial expression and her performance and adding a touch of much-needed drama to the story. Emily-Joy Smith is the epitome of sweetness and light as the Lilac Fairy, never once losing her charming smile and demeanour.
Costumes are, again, very classical, as one might expect, but detailed with sparkling diamante which twinkled in the simple stage lighting, as the multiple layers of tutu fabrics effervesced around the stage.
If you love traditional ballet and enjoy seeing classic productions, untouched by contemporary innovation, then this company and its many performances will delight.