Since its company premiere in 2015, Greg Horsman’s adaptation of The Sleeping Beauty has proven to be a gift that keeps on giving for Queensland Ballet.

Neneka Yoshitda and Vito Bernasconi in Queensland Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty, performed at HOTA – Home of the Arts, February 2022. Image © HOTA.

The box office records it created then, spearheaded by international guest stars, were surpassed in its return to QPAC’s Lyric Theatre last year on the work’s 10th anniversary, and now the Gold Coast has also fallen hard for its charms – The Sleeping Beauty’s three performances sold out, providing an auspicious start to the company’s new partnership with HOTA, Home of the Arts.

Forged by an impromptu season of Giselle on HOTA’s Outdoor Stage in late 2020 after QB’s 60th anniversary programming was shelved due to COVID’s theatre shutdown, the association will continue with a second and contrasting 2022 season under the stars in November with Moonlight Ballet, a contemporary double bill.

With its indoor and outdoor stages, the...