HNK - THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Paul Chalmer THE SLEEPING BEAUTY 200 min

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

Creatives

Choreographer and Director

Paul Chalmer

Conductors

Mikhail Agrest, Vjekoslav Babić

Set and Costume Designer

Anna Kontek

Lighting Designer

Valerio Tiberi

Assistant Choreographer

Duilio Ingraffia

Assistant Costume Designers

Ana Roko, Ana Trišler

Assistant Set Designer

Nika Vojvoda

Ballet Masters

Mihaela Devald Roksandić, Pavla Pećušak, Tomislav Petranović, George Stanciu, Iva Višak, Andrej Barbanov

Jewellery and Headpieces

Titta Ahonen, Manuela Brcko, Tihana Cizelj

Sculpture of Carabosse and Her Dragon

Dražen Matijašević

Ensemble of the performance

Princess Aurora

Natalia Kosovac, Iva Vitić Gameiro, Rieka Suzuki Sumitomo, Hinako Shinzaki (Anamarija Marković, Diana Montes Mota)

Prince Florimund

Guilherme Gameiro Alves, Takuya Sumitomo, Pavel Savin, Simon Yoshida (Yuho Yoshioka, Takahiro Tamagawa)

The Lilac Fairy

Miruna Miciu, Natalia Kosovac, Iva Vitić Gameiro, Mutsumi Matsuhisa (Makeely Georgia Foster)

Carabosse

Lucija Radić Pálinkó, Natalia Kosovac, Atina Tanović, Miruna Miciu, Lada Rora

With the participation of the School of Classical Ballet in Zagreb

PROLOGUE

King Florestan

Azamat Nabiullin, Dan Rus

The Queen

Ivančica Alajbeg, Daria Brdovnik

Catalabutte

Ovidiu Muscalu, Dan Rus, Vid Vugrinec

Catalabutte’s Pages

Ema Škalamera, Nina Mikić, Elena Čulina, Anastasiia Paziura

Lilac Fairy’s Cavalier

Samuele Berbenni, Thomas Boddington, Adam Harris, Kornel Pálinkó

Fairies

The Fairy of Beauty

Saya Ikegami, Helena Troha, Rizumu Tanaka, Lucija Radić Pálinkó, Makeely Georgia Foster

The Fairy of Vitality

Diana Montes Mota, Candela Nieto Cortés, Asuka Maruo, Anamarija Marković

The Fairy of Generosity

Hinako Shinzaki, Rieka Suzuki Sumitomo, Miruna Miciu, Anamarija Marković, Mutsumi Matsuhisa, Irina Olaru

The Fairy of Joy

Asuka Maruo, Dora Kovač, Estrella Cebrino Torres, Rizumu Tanaka

The Fairy of Temperament

Anamarija Marković, Rizumu Tanaka, Diana Montes Mota, Candela Nieto Cortés, Lucija Radić Pálinkó

Fairies’ Cavaliers

Seth Bromley Clark, Francesco Mezzoli, Ossian Montematrillo, Justin Popa, Arnau Velazquez Rodriguez / Pierre Gaston, Taiguara Goulart, Samuele Berbenni, Thomas Boddington, Gaizka Andres Carcel Barrett, Giovanni Messeri

Lilac Fairy’s Attendants

Elizabeth Maria Anderson, Makeely Georgia Foster, Machi Goto, Lada Rora, Mara Salvaggio, Agnese Stancanelli, Leda Šeparović, Paulina Žanetić / Irina Olaru, Dora Blaić, Estrella Cebrino Torres, Thi Cuevas Nguyen, Carla Ferrer, Nina Manwani, Marta Sironić, Helena Troha, Sara Zanzon, Maria Rytarowska

Fairies' Pages

Eva Emili Čičak, Una Brajdić, Gabriel Stanciu, Maksimilian Pongrac, Nora Čorko, Nika Tušek, Sara Špoljar, Karla Sever, Franka Pia Tutavac, Dora Klapač

Carabosse’s Cavaliers

Mario Diligente

Mario Charlo Sobrino, Giovanni Messeri, Andrea Podda / Kornel Pálinkó, Mario Diligente, Takahiro Tamagawa, Justin Popa, Pietro Vittoria, Adam Harris

Court Ladies and Gentlemen

Dunja Zoričić, Vera Kreitmeyer, Laura Leko, Maria Rytarowska / Daria Brdovnik, Dunja Novković Dimanovski, Afrodita Siljanoska

Vid Vugrinec, Vito Križnjak, Siniša Bosnar, Filip Filipović / Gaizka Andres Carcel Barrett

Nurses

Petra Vargović Stanciu, Afrodita Siljanoska

Guards

First act

Aurora’s Friends

Anamarija Marković, Saya Ikegami, Hinako Shinzaki, Dora Kovač, Diana Montes Mota, Candela Nieto Cortés, Rizumu Tanaka, Luna Jušić / Marta Sironić, Helena Troha, Dora Blaić, Estrella Cebrino Torres, Irina Olaru, Sara Zanzon

Four Princes

Adam Harris, Taiguara Goulart, Samuele Berbenni, Thomas Boddington, Pavel Savin, Simon Yoshida, Kornel Pálinkó, Justin Popa, Arnau Velazquez Rodriguez

Waltz

Elizabeth Maria Anderson, Estrella Cebrino Torres, Thi Cuevas Nguyen, Carla Ferrer, Makeely Georgia Foster, Machi Goto, Nina Manwani, Irina Olaru, Marta Sironić, Leda Šeparović, Sara Zanzon, Katarina Bužić / Lucija Radić Pálinkó, Atina Tanović, Dora Blaić, Dora Kovač, Maria Rytarowska, Lada Rora, Mara Salvaggio, Agnese Stancanelli, Rizumu Tanaka, Helena Troha, Paulina Žanetić, Luna Jušić, Vera Kreitmeyer, Laura Leko, Afrodita Siljanoska

Gaizka Andres Carcel Barrett, Seth Bromley Clark, Pierre Gaston, Ossian Montematrillo, Justin Popa, Arnau Velazquez Rodriguez / Taiguara Goulart, Samuele Berbenni, Thomas Boddington, Giovanni Messeri, Francesco Mezzoli, Andrea Podda, Mario Charlo Sobrino, Pietro Vittoria (Vid Vugrinec)

Second act

Gallison, the Prince’s Tutor

Dan Rus, Azamat Nabiullin, Vid Vugrinec

The Countess

Daria Brdovnik, Ivančica Alajbeg

Duchesses

Dunja Zoričić, Vera Kreitmeyer, Laura Leko, Maria Rytarowska / Afrodita Siljanoska, Paulina Žanetić, Mara Salvaggio

Dukes

Vito Križnjak, Vid Vugrinec, Pierre Gaston, Seth Bromley Clark

Dryads

Elizabeth Maria Anderson, Thi Cuevas Nguyen, Carla Ferrer, Makeely Georgia Foster, Machi Goto, Nina Manwani, Lada Rora, Mara Salvaggio, Marta Sironić, Agnese Stancanelli, Leda Šeparović, Sara Zanzon, Katarina Bužić, Luna Jušić, Estrella Cebrino Torres, Vera Kreitmeyer / Paulina Žanetić, Irina Olaru, Atina Tanović, Dora Blaić, Lucija Radić Pálinkó, Rizumu Tanaka, Helena Troha, Dora Kovač, Maria Rytarowska, Laura Leko, Afrodita Siljanoska

Folk Dance

Mutsumi Matsuhisa, Lucija Radić Pálinkó, Atina Tanović, Dora Blaić, Elizabeth Maria Anderson

Kornel Pálinkó, Adam Harris, Taiguara Goulart, Arnau Velazquez Rodriguez, Justin Popa

Paulina Žanetić, Lada Rora, Elizabeth Maria Anderson, Mara Salvaggio, Sara Zanzon, Katarina Bužić / Dora Blaić, Agnese Stancanelli, Leda Šeparović, Carla Ferrer, Maria Rytarowska, Vera Kreitmeyer, Luna Jušić, Estrella Cebrino Torres

Taiguara Goulart, Justin Popa, Thomas Boddington, Arnau Velazquez Rodriguez, Ossian Montematrillo, Gaizka Andres Carcel Barrett / Pierre Gaston, Seth Bromley Clark, Francesco Mezzoli, Giovanni Messeri, Pietro Vittoria

Court Servants

Maids

Petra Vargović Stanciu, Afrodita Siljanoska

Servants

Third Act

The Blue Bird

Asuka Maruo, Rieka Suzuki Sumitomo, Hinako Shinzaki, Candela Nieto Cortés, Saya Ikegami, Dora Kovač, Diana Montes Mota (Helena Troha)

Yuho Yoshioka, Takuya Sumitomo, Simon Yoshida, Mario Charlo Sobrino, Adam Harris, Mario Diligente, Takahiro Tamagawa, Andrea Podda (Pietro Vittoria)

Precious Stones

Diamonds

Hinako Shinzaki, Candela Nieto Cortés, Rizumu Tanaka, Anamarija Marković, Mutsumi Matsuhisa, Saya Ikegami (Helena Troha)

Simon Yoshida, Yuho Yoshioka, Mario Charlo Sobrino, Takahiro Tamagawa, Mario Diligente (Ossian Montematrillo, Pietro Vittoria)

Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby

Anamarija Marković, Saya Ikegami, Diana Montes Mota / Asuka Maruo, Dora Kovač, Rizumu Tanaka, Mutsumi Matsuhisa, Hinako Shinzaki, Estrella Cebrino Torres, Candela Nieto Cortés, Irina Olaru, Helena Troha

Puss in Boots

Mario Diligente, Justin Popa, Seth Bromley Clark, Kornel Pálinkó, Mario Charlo Sobrino, Giovanni Messeri, Arnau Velazquez Rodriguez

The White Cat

Dora Kovač, Sara Zanzon, Leda Šeparović, Lucija Radić Pálinkó, Diana Montes Mota (Dora Blaić, Nina Manwani)

Court Couples – Polonaise and Mazurka

Elizabeth Maria Anderson, Machi Goto, Maria Rytarowska, Estrella Cebrino Torres, Thi Cuevas Nguyen, Carla Ferrer, Nina Manwani, Irina Olaru / Agnese Stancanelli, Makeely Georgia Foster, Leda Šeparović, Lada Rora, Paulina Žanetić, Dora Blaić, Mara Salvaggio, Marta Sironić, Helena Troha, Sara Zanzon, Katarina Bužić, Luna Jušić, Vera Kreitmeyer, Laura Leko, Afrodita Siljanoska

Gaizka Andres Carcel Barrett, Seth Bromley Clark, Pierre Gaston, Ossian Montematrillo, Samuele Berbenni, Arnau Velazquez Rodriguez, Francesco Mezzoli, Thomas Boddington / Justin Popa, Taiguara Goulart, Giovanni Messeri, Andrea Podda, Mario Charlo Sobrino, Pietro Vittoria, Vid Vugrinec

Orchestra of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

Head of Music

Ljudmila Šumarova

Répétiteur

Teo Visintin

Stage Manager

Ana Vnučec

Premiere

10.04.2026

World opening night

10.04.1890

One of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s three great ’white ballets‘ and a masterpiece that brought the imperial classical academic style to its most refined in the late 19th century, The Sleeping Beauty, will make its comeback to the ballet repertoire of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.

After being appointed Director of the Imperial Theatres in St. Petersburg, Ivan Alexandrovich Vsevolozhsky, a former diplomat and art collector, invited Tchaikovsky in 1888 to compose a ballet for the Mariinsky Theatre. Vsevolozhsky crafted the libretto alongside the eminent choreographer and reformer of classical ballet, Marius Petipa. Inspired by Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, they set the narrative during the reign of Louis XIV, drawing on the era’s music, costumes, stylistic features and mannerisms and, above all, on its classical principles of harmony, symmetry, and pure dance form.

Although his Moscow production of Swan Lake was unsuccessful, Tchaikovsky embraced the opportunity to work with Petipa. Marius Petipa’s customary approach involved commissioning musical compositions for dances tailored to the libretto, and Tchaikovsky adhered to this method without question to ultimately create a ballet symphony whose complexity reminded the astonished audiences of an opera. Since its premiere in St. Petersburg in 1890, The Sleeping Beauty has established itself as a cherished and timeless piece in the classical ballet canon, interpreted through countless choreographic lenses across the globe.

The Ballet of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb first staged The Sleeping Beauty in 1950, choreographed by Oskar Harmoš after Marius Petipa. Subsequent productions of the ballet fairy tale followed in 1966, 1972, 1990 and 2006, based on Petipa’s original choreography and reimagined by Françoise Adret, Frano Jelinčić, Waczlaw Orlikowsky, and Derek Deane.

In the season 2025/2026, the Zagreb audience had the opportunity to enjoy The Sleeping Beauty reinterpreted by Paul Chalmer, Canadian dancer and choreographer, whose version was first performed at the Rome Opera Ballet in 2002 and was lauded for blending freshness with fidelity to tradition. Blending classical elegance with a modern sensibility, Chalmer remains faithful to the original fairy tale atmosphere and classical ballet’s aesthetic code while embracing Tchaikovsky’s music’s tempo, dynamism, and rhythm.

This new version of The Sleeping Beauty delivered viewers a magical journey through a classic ballet dream.

Duration

Prologue – 35 minutes

Act I – 35 minutes

Interval – 20 minutes

Act II – 45 minutes 

Interval – 20 minutes

Act III – 45 minutes

Ballet