The ballet tells the tale of a baby princess, condemned at her christening by an evil fairy to prick her finger and die on her 16th birthday. But the princess is saved by the gift of the good Lilac Fairy, who declares she will only sleep until awakened by the kiss of a prince. The Balboa Theatre says, “Considered the crowning jewel in Marius Petipa’s [choreography] career and lauded by many as the finest achievement of the Classical Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty is a grandiose and refined blending of the traditional mime, expressive pas d’action, and spectacular divertissements.” We couldn’t have said it better.