This October, Melbourne will play host to one of the world’s greatest ballet companies when The Stuttgart Ballet returns to Australia for the first time in more than four decades.
Presented by The Australian Ballet, the internationally acclaimed German company will perform an exclusive Melbourne season of Marcia Haydée’s widely celebrated production of The Sleeping Beauty at the Regent Theatre.
A timeless fairytale brought to life through The Stuttgart Ballet’s renowned artistic excellence, through breathtaking dancing, lavish costumes and opulent stage designs of acclaimed designer Jürgen Rose, whose striking visual world has become inseparable from Haydée’s interpretation. The production offers a magical theatre experience for audiences of all ages.
Adding to the spectacle is Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score, with performances conducted by The Australian Ballet’s Music Director Jonathan Lo, following previous guest conducting engagements with The Stuttgart Ballet. The season will also welcome The Stuttgart Ballet’s Music Director Wolfgang Heinz, bringing together artistic talent from both Australia and Germany.
The Stuttgart Ballet is recognised as one Of the world’s leading ballet companies and occupies a unique place in The Australian Ballet’s history. Under the leadership of legendary choreographer John Cranko, transformed narrative ballet with acclaimed productions including Romeo and Juliet, Onegin, and The Taming Of The Shrew, becoming beloved when introduced to The Australian Ballet’s repertoire, and continuing to influence ballet companies around the world.
In one of the largest ballet tours to visit Melbourne in recent years, more than 130 dancers and touring staff will travel over 16,000 kilometres from Germany to Australia. The production will arrive with over 300 costumes, 200 pairs of pointe shoes and an extensive collection of sets and production elements, transforming the Regent Theatre into a fairytale kingdom.
“The Sleeping Beauty everything audiences cherish about classical ballet, beautiful storytelling, extraordinary dancing and a sense of wonder that transcends generations. With its magnificent designs, glorious Tchaikovsky score and exquisite dancing, it’s the kind of production that reminds us why this ballet has captivated audiences for more than a century,” said The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Hallberg.
“We are delighted to welcome The Stuttgart Ballet to Melbourne and share this remarkable production with Australian audiences. For everyone who was captivated by John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet earlier this year, The Sleeping Beauty is another wonderful opportunity to the artistry and heritage of this extraordinary company. It’s a rare privilege to present The Stuttgart Ballet in Australia and I know Melbourne audiences will embrace this extraordinary production,” added Hallberg.
Premiering in Stuttgart in 1987, Marcia Haydée’s The Sleeping Beauty has captivated international audiences for almost four decades. Inspired by Marius Petipa’s 1890 classic, the production brings the beloved fairytale to life through vivid storytelling, magnificent court scenes and ensemble dancing, creating a magical theatrical experience for lifelong ballet lovers and families discovering the artform together.
Its exclusive Melbourne season gives Australian audiences the rare opportunity to experience a production that has become a defining work of one of Europe’s most celebrated ballet companies, without travelling overseas.
At the heart of Haydée’s interpretation is the dramatic battle between the wicked Carabosse and the benevolent Lilac Fairy, creating a compelling struggle between darkness and light that has become one of the production’s defining features.
“We are delighted to be to Australia and sharing Marcia Haydée’s The Sleeping Beauty with Melbourne audiences,” said The Stuttgart Ballet’s Artistic Director Tamas Detrich. “The production has been cherished by generations of Stuttgart audiences and remains one of the defining works in our repertoire.
“As we prepare to bring the production to the Regent Theatre, our dancers, artistic team and technical staff are excited to share a work that embodies the beauty, elegance and tradition at the heart of classical ballet. We look forward to introducing Melbourne audiences to this special production,” added Detrich added.
The Sleeping Beauty
Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne
Season: 9 – 18 October 2026
Information and Bookings: www.australianballet.com.au
Images: Elisa Badenes and Artists of The Stuttgart Ballet in The Sleeping Beauty (Haydée) – photo by Bernhard Weis | Henrik Erikson and Elisa Badenes in The Sleeping Beauty (Haydée) – photo by Bernhard Weis | Ciro Ernesto Mansilla and Miriam Kacerova in The Sleeping Beauty (Haydée) photo by Bernhard Weis