The Sleeping Beauty

At her christening, Princess Aurora is cursed by the evil fairy Carabosse to die on her 16th birthday. The gentle Lilac Fairy softens the spell so Aurora will instead fall into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by a true love’s kiss. On her birthday, Aurora pricks her finger on a spindle and sleeps for 100 years until Prince Florimund, guided by the Lilac Fairy, breaks the spell with a kiss and restores the kingdom to its former glory.

• The Sleeping Beauty premiered in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and is one of three full-length collaborations between Petipa and Tchaikovsky, alongside Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.
   
• The ballet is full of symbolism and pits good against evil, light against dark, with Aurora’s name representing the rising sun.
   
• Nureyev expanded the role of Prince Florimund and he danced it himself. His name is still stitched inside the costume worn today.
   
• In the Prologue, six fairies bestow gifts of character on baby Aurora: purity, vitality, generosity, eloquence, energy and wisdom. 
   
• Act III incorporates fairy-tale wedding guests such as the Bluebird and Princess Florine, reflecting the 19th-century fascination with French culture.
  
  
• The National Ballet of Canada is the only company in North America to perform Nureyev’s celebrated production.

The National Ballet of Canada introduces a 6:30 pm performance time for two performances in the 75th anniversary season. Perfect for those who want to head straight from the office to the theatre or those who love an early night! For The Sleeping Beauty, a 6:30pm performance is offered on Tuesday, June 22.

To support those new to the art form, especially families, we have programmed a special truncated matinee of The Sleeping Beauty featuring just one act. This shorter, beautiful introduction to one of ballet’s great classics is offered at a reduced ticket price. Whether it’s your first Sleeping Beauty or your first ballet, this is a wonderful way to begin. This performance will be on Saturday, June 26 at 2:00pm. Tickets on sale September 22, 2026.

Rudolf Nureyev trained in Leningrad before joining the Kirov Ballet, gradually distinguishing himself as one of the great male dancers of his generation. After defecting from the Soviet Union, he formed an historic partnership with Margot Fonteyn. He was Artistic Director of Paris Opera Ballet from 1983 to 1989 and Principal Choreographer until 1992 and was a Guest Principal Artist with The National Ballet of Canada from 1969 to 1984.

The Sleeping Beauty is the second of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s full-length ballet scores, completed in 1889. Scored for a large orchestra, it draws inspiration from Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, La belle au bois dormant. Tchaikovsky called it a “poetical” subject “suited to music” and was immensely proud of the finished score.

Produced, Originally Staged and With Additional Choreography:
Rudolph Nureyev after Marius Petipa

Music:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Set and Costume Design:
Nicholas Georgiadis

Lighting Design:
David Hersey

World Premiere: Teatro alla Scala Opera House, Milan, Italy, September 22, 1966

The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: National Arts Centre, Ottawa, September 1, 1972

The Sleeping Beauty is made possible by generous contributions from Margaret Fleck & Jim Fleck, C.C., The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Gretchen Ross and Nancy Pencer & Michael Benjamin. Additional support is provided by Fondation DRG (2027). 

Tickets can be purchased online at national.ballet.ca or over the phone by calling 416 (1 866) 345 9595. If you have questions about specific seating locations or need accessible seating, our Audience and Donor Services team are happy to help.

Main Season Seating Map

Tickets start at $57. Detailed pricing for each price zone is available at time of purchase.

When picking up tickets at the Box Office, you will be asked to provide photo ID and the credit card of purchase to receive your tickets. Please ensure you arrive in plenty of time to collect your tickets prior to the start of the performance.

• If you have provided us with your email address, you will receive a performance reminder two days before your performance date. This will include important information about the performance, as well as traffic alerts if there are road or TTC closures.
• You will also receive Hope’s Insights, an email from Artistic Director Hope Muir providing an in-depth look at the ballet or programme you are attending.
• If you haven’t already, sign up now for Ballet News to be the first to receive all the latest news and videos, including special offers, casting and dancer news!

Please note, the box office at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is open during The National Ballet of Canada’s performance season two hours prior to the performance start time. Doors to the Four Seasons Centre are open one hour prior to the performance. Our phone lines remain open for all your ticketing needs and tickets can be purchased online anytime at your convenience.

Call Centre
Monday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Friday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Gift Certificates are available in any denomination. Call (1 866) 416 345 9595.

A limited number of Rush tickets are available for up to 50% at 11:00 am on the day of the performance for select performances, subject to availability. Rush tickets are limited to two per person and can be purchased online with the promo code RUSH, or over the phone at 416 (1 866) 345 9595. Excludes The Nutcracker and the Gala.

Please Note: Rush tickets can also be purchased in person at the Box Office at the Four Seasons Centre, subject to availability. The Box Office is open two hours before the performance.

Standing Room tickets are $12 and go on sale at 11:00 am on the day of the performance. For 11:00 am performances on December 24 and 31, tickets will go on sale at 9:00 am. Standing Room tickets can now be purchased online with the promo code STAND, or over the phone at 416 (1 866) 345 9595. Subject to availability and limited to 2 per person. Tickets must be collected in person at the Box Office counter, open 2 hours before the performance. Excludes the Gala.

Please Note: Standing Room tickets can also be purchased in person at the Box Office at the Four Seasons Centre, subject to availability. The Box Office is open 2 hours before the performance.

Tips for Standing Room ticket holders:

• Please wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to stand for the duration of the performance
• In consideration of other audience members, please stand as close to the railing as possible and avoid excessive movement during the performance
• Not recommended for children
• Portable sitting devices and sitting on the railings is not permitted
• Each of the locations have a hook and a leaning rail, we recommend patrons be a minimum of 5’ height to view the performance clearly
• Please note, the Four Seasons Centre is not responsible for lost or stolen items

Toronto Arts Workers can access $45 Rush Tickets at 11:00 am the day of the performance, subject to availability, with promo code ARTSWORKERRUSH (excluding The Nutcracker and Gala). Tickets must be picked up in person at the Box Office, open 2 hours before the performance. Arts Workers must present valid Arts Worker ID when collecting tickets.

Please Note: Toronto Arts Workers tickets can also be purchased in person at the Box Office at the Four Seasons Centre, subject to availability. The Box Office is open 2 hours before the performance.

All performances take place at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, located at 145 Queen Street West, Toronto, on the southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street West.

The main theatre entrance can be found on the southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street West. There are direct entrances to the venue from Osgoode Subway Station and the underground parking garage.

Parking

Underground parking is available at the Four Seasons Centre for approximately 200 vehicles. The entrance is located on York Street, south of Queen Street West.

Additional parking is located just steps away at the GREEN P lot under Nathan Phillips Square. For more information on this and other lots in the vicinity, visit GreenP.com.

The designated drop-off area is located on the east side of University Avenue between Queen and Richmond Streets.

By Public Transit

TTC
Four Seasons Centre is directly accessible from Osgoode Subway station on Yonge-University Line 1. The 501 Queen streetcar stops outside the building at the corner of University Avenue. Visit ttc.ca for more information.

GO Transit
From Union Station, it's a 10-minute walk to the theatre, heading north along York Street to Queen Street West and west to University Avenue. Alternatively, you can take the subway from Union to Osgoode Station. Visit GoTransit.com for more information.

Yes. The National Ballet of Canada is committed to honouring its performance schedule and all performances proceed as scheduled, despite weather conditions and traffic delays.

If travelling to the theatre in inclement weather, please allow plenty of extra time and check the TTC or GO Transit for delays and updates.

The National Ballet regrets that tickets not used due to inclement weather, traffic delays or TTC closures cannot be refunded or exchanged.

For an up-to-date list of transit delays, please visit please ttc.ca or gotransit.ca.

All sales are final with no refunds. However, let us know up to 24 hours prior to a performance and we can exchange your tickets at a cost of $10 per ticket (exchanges are FREE for Subscribers).

Contact Audience and Donor Services at 416 (1 866) 345 9595 and provide your order number, which can be found on the right side of your printed or digital ticket, or on your order confirmation. Tickets may be exchanged up to 24 hours before your original performance date.

Subscribers are welcome to exchange tickets throughout the season free of charge.

Single ticket buyers can exchange their tickets, subject to a $10 per ticket exchange fee. Requests must be received 24 hours prior to the performance. Requests to upgrade to a different price zone will be charged at the time of the exchange.

Become a Subscriber

If you’re unable to attend your performance or exchange to an alternate date, you can donate back your tickets and get a tax receipt in the full amount. We are happy to issue a tax receipt for any value over $20. Contact Audience and Donor Services at 416 (1 866) 345 9595.

Yes but for the sake of our dancers and other audience members, latecomers will be seated only during a suitable break in the performance, so please be sure to give yourself enough time to get to the theatre.

Ticket prices are all inclusive and include a $2.00 Creative Capital Fund fee, 13% HST, $4.50 for Capital Improvement Fund and a $0.25 digital fee.

We welcome children who are old enough to enjoy The National Ballet of Canada's performances, however some of our productions may not be enjoyable for young children.

A child is considered aged two to 13, however we recommend that ballet performances are not suitable for most children under five. Babes in arms, or children under two years of age will not be admitted to performances.

We encourage questions with regard to the suitability of a performance prior to purchasing a ticket for a child and our Audience and Donor Services staff would be happy to advise you. Please call us at 416 (1 866) 345 9595 or email info@national.ballet.ca.

All patrons, including children, must have a ticket to enter the theatre; children must be seated beside the accompanying adult.

A child must be able to sit quietly and not disrupt the performance and other patrons.

Out of respect to our artists and other audience members, re-entry to the auditorium during the performance is not permitted. Please remain in your seat until the intermission or the end of the performance. If you must leave the auditorium during the performance, you can watch the performance on the TV screen in the Richard Bradshaw Auditorium and return to your seat after the intermission.

No! The National Ballet of Canada is the only official seller of National Ballet tickets and we do not authorize the selling of our tickets through third party vendors.

For all National Ballet performances, the only official website for tickets is national.ballet.ca. Customers will never be directed to another website to purchase tickets.

If you purchase at any other vendor, your tickets may be counterfeit. The National Ballet is not responsible for tickets purchased through any other means than our website or box office.

For the safety of our artists and the enjoyment of your fellow audience members, the capture of photographs and video during the performance is not permitted. However, you are welcome to take photographs of the curtain call.