Prague turns to Haydee's Beauty – NT Ballet in the June issue of the English edition of Ballet 2000 magazine

Turin's Teatro Regio may be one of Italy's most important theatres but not in terms of dance - in fact it has not had its own ballet company for many years — however, every opera season includes at least one eye-catching ballet production presented by a leading international ensemble, on this occasion Prague's Czech National Ballet who appeared in December and January. The company director is currently Polish-bom Filip Barankiewicz, a former principal dancer with Stuttgart Ballet. It was unsurprising therefore that as director, he wanted to acquire Marcia Haydee's 1987 The Sleeping Beauty production which he danced in Stuttgart Ballet; it has proved an excellent choice for the company which aspires to be recognised as one of eastern Europe's finest.

Mostly faithful to Petipa's choreographic masterpiece, her Beauty's most notable departure is Fairy Carabosse as a male dancing role which was originally conceived for the virtuoso Richard Cragun. In Turin, Italian Danilo Lo Monaco performed the part with success alongside fellow countryman Federico levoli as the Prince who demonstrated excellent technique and style alongside Irina Burduja as Aurora. Other lead dancers, the soloists and corps de ballet revealed a company in very good form after over twenty years of relative invisibility since the success of its tour to Paris and Italy in 2001.