Sleeping Beauty - Eternal Longing - Princess Aurora Comparison of Disney and ballet versions.

Disney's version of Sleeping Beauty.

Synopsis.

A long-awaited princess is born in a kingdom. Named Aurora, she is blessed by many.

While receiving magical gifts from the fairies, the evil fairy Maleficent appears.

Aurora was cursed to die on her 16th birthday by sticking her finger in a spinning wheel. Unfortunately, Maleficent's curse is so powerful that it cannot be completely broken.

So the fairy Merryweather says: "You don't die; you just go to sleep. And awaken with the kiss of a loved one".

King Stefan sets all the country's spinning wheels ablaze, but that is no counterbalance to Maleficent's mighty spell. So the three fairies give Aurora the pseudonym 'Briar Rose' and raise her in seclusion deep in the forest.

Time passes, and at the age of 16, Rose meets a man in the forest.

Commentary.

This Disney feature film was released in 1959. It is based on a fairy tale and is peppered throughout with original elements.

The music used in the film is an arrangement of ballet music.

Ballet version of Sleeping Beauty.

Synopsis.

A long-awaited princess is born in a kingdom. Named Aurora, she is blessed by many.

While she receives magical gifts from the fairies, the evil fairy Calabosse appears.

Calabosu curses Aurora that she will prick her finger and die on her 16th birthday. Calabosu's curse is so powerful that it cannot be completely broken. So the Lilla nymph casts a spell: 'Instead of dying, she will sleep for 100 years and wake up with the kiss of a loved one'.

Time passes, and on her 16th birthday, four princes court Aurora. In the meantime, Aurora receives a bouquet from someone.

Commentary.

First performed in 1890, this is a ballet by Tchaikovsky. It is a large-scale ballet in three acts and, along with Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, is considered one of the three great ballets of all time.

The first performance was choreographed by Marius Petipa but has since been revised by various choreographers. Aurora's Marriage, performed in the Ballets Russes, is a short work in three acts with excerpts from the original work.

Comparison of Princess Aurora in each work

Similarities.

1. Beauty.

Both grow up to become beautiful women as the fairies have given them. The Prince is captivated by her beauty in both Disney and ballet versions.

2. Magic.

The evil fairies cast a curse of 'prick your finger and die', while the allied fairies cast a spell of 'sleep, not death'.

3. wake up with a kiss.

A kiss from a loved one awakens both.

Differences.

1. Birthplace.

Disney version: she leaves the country immediately after birth and is raised as 'Briar Rose'. She, therefore, does not know her real name, let alone her birth name.

Ballet version: raised in a castle as a princess for 16 years.

2. Encounters with the Prince.

Disney version: She meets the Prince when she goes to the forest to pick strawberries.

Ballet version: 100 years after she falls asleep, she appears to the Prince as a phantom.

3. Period of sleep.

Disney version: the time between falling asleep and the Prince going to his rescue is not clearly described, but it is a day or a few days at most.

Ballet version: the Prince has been asleep for 100 years.

Conclusion.

In these respects, the Disney version is an entirely different and original element from the fairy tale.

The ballet version, on the other hand, is relatively close to the fairy tale.

Finally.

Princess Aurora is put to sleep by the curse of an evil fairy. Then, she is awakened from her slumber by the kiss of a loved one! How romantic!

The beauty of Princess Aurora has been an object of admiration for me since I was a child.