This classic ballet originated in Russia at the turn of the 20th Century, and has long endured as a favorite of ballet companies all over the world. The story shows a beautiful young princess who, upon a witch's curse, is pricked by a poisoned needle and falls into a deep sleep, which spreads to the entire kingdom. One hundred years later, a prince discovers her sleeping in a castle, awakening her and the rest of the kingdom with a kiss. This score was composed by Tchaikovsky, and the fairy tale remains to be one of the most widely performed ballets in the world.