California Ballet Company premiered Beauty & The Beast in March, 2007.  Choreographed by acclaimed guest choreographer Robert Sund, this sophisticated portrayal of the original fairy tale was performed at the San Diego Civic Theatre.

Emmy Award winning choreographer Robert Sund first created this production for State Street Ballet where it received high praise from audiences and dance critics.  With a nod to the original Jean Cocteau film, the ballet features a beautiful Tchaikovsky score, plus lavish sets, costumes and masks.  Mr. Sund  created an expanded version of this ballet for California Ballet, with sets provided by the Eugene Ballet Company.

The classic story of Beauty & The Beast is an audience favorite.  The Jean Cocteau version tells the story of a half-ruined merchant living in the country with his son Ludovic and his three daughters. Two of the daughters, Felicie and Adelaide, are selfish, pretentious and evil. They exploit the third daughter, Belle, as a servant. One day, the merchant gets lost in the forest and enters a strange castle. He picks up a rose for Belle and the castle's owner appears. He is a monster who is half-human, half-beast, and possesses magic powers. He sentences the merchant to death, unless he gives up one of his daughters. Belle sacrifices herself for her father and goes to the castle, discovering that the Beast is not as wild and inhuman as it seems.  Her love and compassion breaks the spell and the Beast becomes a handsome prince.