The Prologue
It is night time, deep in the black forest glades. This is the place where the Black Fairy, Carabosse presides.
Act One
The whole kingdom arrives to celebrate the birth of Princess Aurora. The King and Queen have invited the fairies to be Godmothers at the christening of their infant daughter Aurora. As the fairies are bestowing their gifts upon the child, anxious news is brought to the palace: the black fairy, Carabosse is outside. Carabosse, whom Catalabutte has omitted from the guest list in error, is furious at the insult. So angered is she that she announces that she too has a gift for baby Aurora, a curse that one day she will prick her finger on a needle and die. The guests and fairies are horrified by the cruel proclamation and even the pleas of the King and Queen are ignored. The Lilac Fairy, who has still to present her gift to the child, confounds Carabosse by promising that Aurora will not die and with the help of her fairies chases the evil Carabosse from the Palace. King Florestan decrees that from this day forward, needles are to be banned from his kingdom.
Carabosse, who is angered by the events of the evening, returns to her castle and uses her magical powers to summon assistance in her fight against the Lilac Fairy and all those at the Palace.
Aurora is now twenty years old and the court has assembled in the Palace to celebrate her birthday. Aurora is joined by the King and Queen and the Lilac Fairy. The birthday party is a great success but Catalabutte is uneasy, he senses something is wrong when he sees a strange old lady enter the Palace uninvited. The old lady offers the princess a present, a needle in disguise. The princess pricks her finger. Aurora immediately feels cold and giddy, then, unable to move, collapses. At this moment the mysterious guest reveals herself to be Carabosse, exultant that her curse has come true. The Lilac Fairy appears to fulfil her promise, Princess Aurora will not die – but sleep – until a day a Prince comes to awaken her with a kiss. She promises that with the help of Catalabutte she will find the Prince. She then casts a spell of sleep over the Kingdom.
Act Two
Prince Desire is hunting in the forest with his friends when they meet Catalabutte. Catalabutte wins the confidence of the Prince and tells him the story of the Sleeping Beauty. The Lilac Fairy appears and enchants the Prince with the Magical Forest before showing him the vision of the Sleeping Princess. Prince Desire is charmed by Aurora and as he reaches out to her, the vision disappears.
As Prince Desire despairs the loss of his vision of the Sleeping Beauty, Carabosse and her followers mock him. Catalabutte arrives and summons the Lilac Fairy to lead them through the forest of evil to where the Sleeping Beauty lies.
As the Lilac Fairy leads the Prince and Catalabutte into the Castle, they are confronted by Carabosse and Shadow. Carabosse summons her evil helpers in an attempt to defeat the Lilac Fairy and her friends. In the ensuing struggle the Lilac Fairy and Prince Desire defeat Carabosse. The Prince has finally found his Sleeping Beauty and with one kiss breaks the Curse of Carabosse.
Prince Desire and the Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora) are in love and the Prince asks the King and Queen for permission to marry their daughter. They gladly consent.
The court celebrates the marriage of Princess Aurora and Prince Desire, Catalabutte joins his King and Queen as the Lilac Fairy bestows her blessing on the newly married couple.