When The Australian Ballet comes to town, you don’t just walk to get a ticket; you run. Brisbane audiences are in for an absolute treat with the grand revival of David McAllister’s The Sleeping Beauty. Under the artistic direction of David Hallberg, this full-length, three-hour spectacle dazzles with opulence, marking the 10th anniversary of the production’s 2015 premiere.
The Sleeping Beauty ballet originally premiered in 1890 and is based on Charles Perrault’s 1697 French fairytale. Choreographer Marius Petipa worked alongside Tchaikovsky (who wrote the score in 40 days) to bring the magnificent production to life, set in the glittering era of King Louis XIV, the Sun King of France.
The Australian Ballet’s 2015 production of The Sleeping Beauty was David McAllister’s directorial and choreographical debut. As the company’s Artistic Director at the time, it was also the biggest and most expensive work ever commissioned.
McAllister worked alongside Nicolette Fraillon, then Music Director, for 18 months condensing Tchaikovsky’s longest ballet score to just over two hours. Together with sumptuous Baroque-inspired sets and costumes designed by Gabriela Tylesova, their lofty dreams paid off, resulting in a lavish, fairytale production that transports audiences to another world.
The story begins, as all good fairytales do, with a party and a baby. It’s Princess Aurora’s christening, and six fairy godmothers arrive bearing magical gifts: grace, beauty, joy, generosity, a musical voice and a vivacious temperament. Leading them is the radiant Lilac Fairy.
But the guest list has one glaring omission: Carabosse, the no-nonsense Fairy of Wisdom. She crashes the party in a swirl of fury and curses Aurora to die on her sixteenth birthday, pricking her finger on a spindle. The Lilac Fairy softens the blow: not death, but a deep, enchanted sleep.
As the years pass, the curse unfolds. Aurora dances, dreams, and yes – pricks her finger. A hundred years later, the Lilac Fairy reappears, showing a vision of the sleeping princess to Prince Désiré. He falls for her instantly and sets off to wake her with a kiss.
Ako Kondo shines as Princess Aurora, joined by Brett Chynoweth as a magnetic Prince Désiré. From her very first entrance in Act I, Kondo is utterly captivating. Her expressive detail and astonishing balance bring Aurora’s innocence and quiet majesty to life. She dances with the kind of refinement that makes time feel suspended.
Chynoweth brings depth and presence to Désiré. His transformation, from wistful, wandering prince to noble romantic, unfolds with clarity and charm. He moves with a calm conviction that commands attention. Together, the pair are magic. Their chemistry glows in the Act III pas de deux, where breathtaking control meets daring choreography. And those iconic fish dives are crisp and fearless.
The fairies, led by Mia Heathcote as the Lilac Fairy, are a visual and technical delight. Their sparkling personalities shine as brightly as their precise footwork, with each variation a miniature jewel in the ballet’s crown.
Gabriela Tylesova’s exquisite costume designs amplify their individuality. Each tutu is hand-sewn and crystal-beaded, some weighing up to five kilograms, and are designed to dazzle. Every solo showcases a different flavour of movement, allowing the dancers to lean into their fairy’s unique essence.
Heathcote is a warm and serene Lilac Fairy, radiating strength and poise. She anchors the ballet’s magic, gently guiding the story toward its happily-ever-after, just as a good fairy godmother should.
Isobelle Dashwood floats across the stage as the Fairy of Grace, her icy blue tutu catching the light as beautifully as her elegant lines. Fairy of Joy Aya Watanabe, in rose pink, bubbles with infectious optimism and bursts with charm.
Sara Andrlon brings warmth and openness as the Fairy of Generosity, glowing in her harvest-orange tutu adorned with wheat and corn. The Canari Fairy, also known as the Fairy of Musicality, is danced with sprightly flair by Hannah Sergi. She flits across the stage in feathery yellow, embroidered with playful treble clefs.
Larissa Kiyoto-Ward rounds out the group with poise as the Fairy of Temperament. In a richer rose pink, she delivers her variation with bold confidence and precision, a group standout.
As the vengeful Fairy of Wisdom, Carabosse, Katherine Sonnekus is every inch the perfect fairytale villain. Cloaked in black feathers and topped with a crazed expression, she storms the stage with an army of towering mice and a curse that nearly topples the kingdom.
Which would be a shame because this kingdom is nothing short of spectacular. Gabriela Tylesova’s set design, inspired by a Prague town boasting a 13th-century castle and a Baroque theatre, conjures a palace straight out of a dream. Gilded, grand, and visually spellbinding, it is outdone only, perhaps, by her costumes.
An Act I highlight is the iconic Waltz, which sees the Corps de Ballet sweep across the stage in a flurry of pale candy pink and sea-glass blue. It’s pure fairytale magic.
Once Aurora awakens and the spell breaks, the second intermission comes as a surprise, but with good reason. Nothing can quite prepare the audience for the grandeur waiting behind the curtain at the Act III masked ball wedding celebration. Three huge crystal chandeliers topped with dozens of real burning candles shine down on a magnificent palace party, filled with guests dressed in white and gold. What follows is pure ballet bliss.
It’s here that the Bluebird and Florine make their celebrated appearance. On Brisbane opening night, this was danced with unforgettable grace and excellence by Cameron Holmes and Yuumi Yamada.
The production culminates in Aurora and Désiré’s coronation, which sees the pair adorned in six metre long, gold organza cloaks and gold confetti falling from the sky. And they lived happily ever after.
The Sleeping Beauty is ballet at its most extravagant: glittering, grand, and gloriously decadent. But beneath the tiaras, tulle and towering candelabras lies a production crafted with precision and pure passion. The Australian Ballet’s revival of David McAllister’s masterpiece is a feast for the senses. But it is also a love letter to fairytales, theatre magic, and the enduring power of storytelling through dance. Grab one of the remaining tickets and be swept away.
The Sleeping Beauty runs to 23 August in Brisbane, then tours to Sydney in November. See below for full dates.
Tickets: https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/2025/the-australian-ballet-the-sleeping-beauty
Website: https://australianballet.com.au/performances/the-sleeping-beauty
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/ausballet/
Photo credits: David Kelly
The Sleeping Beauty Tour Dates:
Adelaide
22 – 29 July, Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
With Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Brisbane
16 – 23 August, Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)
With Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Sydney
21 November – 17 December, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
With Opera Australia Orchestra
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