Central Florida’s only professional ballet company is waking up a fairy tale. Orlando Ballet opens its 2026-27 season with The Sleeping Beauty, gracing the stage of Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts from Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 18.
Artistic Director Jorden Morris brings Christopher Stowell’s beloved choreography to life, with live music performed by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Gabriel Gordon. The story follows Princess Aurora, cursed as a baby by the vengeful Carabosse, through an enchanted world of fairies, forests and royal courts — until Prince Florimund’s true love’s kiss breaks the spell.
Expect pure theatrical magic: elaborate costumes, fantastical wings, whimsical characters and detailed makeup, plus company dancers sharing the stage with young performers from the Orlando Ballet School. The production, presented by Krista and Jonathan Ledden, unfolds in Steinmetz Hall — named one of the 11 most beautiful theaters in the world by Architectural Digest.
Performances run October 15-18 at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. And the season keeps shining: The Nutcracker returns December 4-27 with new post-Christmas shows, followed by Alice in Wonderland in February 2027.
Photo: Zavesco Photography / Orlando Ballet
