This book introduces to the reader the young, 11-year-old Lena Gabrielle, who wants to attend the debut performance of The Sleeping Beauty at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg in 1890. Informed by her father that this is impossible-the performance is sold out-Lena Gabrielle begins her secret journey through the streets of the fabulous historic city, in an effort to get to the Mariinsky to see the ballet. During the course of her travels statues come alive, and she meets an endearing old man (Tchaikovsky), who leads her to the door of the Mariinsky and shows her the stage where the ballet will be performed. When Lena Gabrielle touches the curtain, it parts; and she sees with her own eyes the entire Sleeping Beauty ballet unfold before her.

The conclusion of the story leaves us wondering if Lena Gabrielle has actually witnessed this historic event-or just imagined it with such clarity that we feel we have been there ourselves. The book features the forty-eight page classic story taken directly from the first English translation of the French tale - on which the ballet is based - with 50 full-colour illustrations created expressly for this book. Lavishly illustrated by Russian set designer Nikita Polyansky and endorsed and overseen by the curatorial staff of The Mariinsky Theatre to ensure accuracy of representation, this unique rendition is sure to live beyond the exciting first year of it's introduction as companion to an important international event. With the special tie-in to an international press event and the longevity of a classic tale at its core, here is the only book that is sure to endure as classic product for years to come that tells the original story of Sleeping Beauty.