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‘Coppélia’ is an immensely emotional comic ballet that was originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon. He along with Charles Nuitter took the responsibility of libretto and Leo Delibes composed the music for the ballet. The ballet was based on a macabre story that was composed by E.T.A. Hoffmann entitled “Der Sandmann," that came out in the year 1815.
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About Coppelia
The ballet was inaugurated at the Théâtre Impérial de l´Opéra on May 25, in the year 1870. Giuseppina Bozzachi had the responsibility of playing the principal role of Swanilda in the ballet. It did not prove to be a success as the ballet was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War and the siege of Paris.
But later it managed to become the most-performed ballet at the Opera Garnier. The duo of Charles Nuitter and Arthur Saint-Léon had previously been successful with a well-known ballet ‘La Source’, that came out in the year 1860. Delibes along with Ludwig Minkus composed the music for this ballet.
George Balanchine, who was the co-founder and ballet master of the New York City Ballet, was responsible for re-choreographing a later version of this ballet. He performed the task in the honor of his wife, Alexandra Danilova and managed to achieve a lot of success for composing this version.
The storyline of Coppelia is full of emotional sequences. It revolves around Doctor Coppelius, who managed to invent a life-size dancing doll. The doll is so life-like that Franz, who is a village swain, gets infatuated with her charms.
He is so amazed with her charms that he sets aside his true heart's desire, Swanilde, who in one of the later acts, takes revenge by dressing up as the doll and pretending that she has come back to life. To know more about the rest of the story, you need to witness the performance LIVE!
Fact: Giuseppina Bozzacchi, who was actually the original Coppélia, was a student aged sixteen. It was expected from her that she would have a great career but she suffered from cholera during the siege of Paris and died at the age of seventeen. To view the next performances go and grab the tickets now.
