English National Ballet (ENB)

In a glorious kingdom, the Queen gives birth to the beautiful Princess Aurora. Everyone in the kingdom is invited to the christening – everyone apart from the evil fairy Carabosse.

Carabosse is so angry not to be invited that she places a curse on the Princess that, on her 16th birthday, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die. The beautiful Lilac Fairy alters the curse so that Aurora will not die but will fall asleep for 100 years, only to be awoken by True Love's Kiss.

Sure enough, on Aurora's 16th birthday, Carabosse smuggles a spinning wheel into the party and the Princess pricks her finger and falls asleep. A forest of thorns grows up around the palace.

100 years later, a handsome Prince is searching for true love and the Lilac Fairy takes him to the Princess. He fights his way through the thorns and wakes her with a kiss.

The Prince and Princess celebrate their marriage with all their fairytale friends and live happily ever after.