Coppélia

A delightful tale of love, illusion, and mechanical dolls

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Coppélia Ballet

Origins and History

Coppélia premiered at the Paris Opera on May 25, 1870, during a pivotal time in French ballet history. The work was choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to music by Léo Delibes, with a libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter and Saint-Léon. The story was adapted from two tales by E.T.A. Hoffmann: "Der Sandmann" (The Sandman) and "Die Puppe" (The Doll), though significantly lightened in tone from Hoffmann's darker original works.

The ballet's creation came at the end of the Romantic era, marking a transition toward more technically demanding choreography while retaining the period's fascination with automata and the supernatural. The original production starred Giuseppina Bozzacchi as Swanilda, who was just sixteen years old at the time. Tragically, Bozzacchi died of fever during the Franco-Prussian War shortly after the premiere, at only seventeen.

Music

Delibes' score for Coppélia is considered revolutionary for its time and helped establish him as one of ballet's greatest composers. The music combines traditional ballet structures with innovative orchestration and rhythmic variety. Notable elements include the use of folk-inspired melodies, particularly in the mazurka and czardas, rich orchestration that brings depth to character development, complex rhythmic patterns that enhance the storytelling, and strong narrative elements in the musical structure.

The score influenced later composers, including Tchaikovsky, who praised Delibes' ballet music and drew inspiration from it for his own works.

The Story

Act I - The Village Square

The story opens in a quaint village in Galicia, where celebrations for a new church bell are approaching. The scene begins at dawn, with Swanilda, a spirited young woman, trying to catch the attention of Coppélia, a beautiful girl who sits motionless on Dr. Coppelius' balcony, always reading a book. Swanilda becomes increasingly frustrated when Coppélia fails to acknowledge her.

Swanilda's fiancé Franz soon appears, and she notices him blowing kisses toward Coppélia's balcony. This leads to a quarrel between the engaged couple, portrayed through an emotional dance sequence. Swanilda tests Franz's loyalty using an ear of wheat (according to local superstition, if it rattles when shaken, your lover is faithful). The wheat remains silent, deepening her suspicions.

The elderly Dr. Coppelius emerges from his house, enduring teasing from local children. In his haste to chase them away, he drops his keys. Swanilda and her friends notice this, and she quickly snatches them up, seeing an opportunity to investigate the mysterious Coppélia.

The act concludes with a lively mazurka and czardas, during which Franz continues to be distracted by the girl on the balcony, while Swanilda and her friends plan their investigation of Dr. Coppelius' workshop.

Act II - Dr. Coppelius' Workshop

This act takes place in the inventor's mysterious workshop, filled with life-sized mechanical dolls in various states of completion. Swanilda and her friends enter using the stolen key, initially frightened but soon delighted by their discovery. They activate several mechanical dolls, including a Scottish dancer, a Chinese mandarin, and a Turkish warrior, each performing characteristic dances.

The girls soon discover that Coppélia is nothing more than another mechanical doll, albeit Dr. Coppelius' masterpiece. Hearing the inventor returning, the friends scatter, but Swanilda hides by taking Coppélia's place on the chair where the doll usually sits.

Dr. Coppelius returns to find his workshop in disarray but is soon distracted by Franz, who enters through a window hoping to meet Coppélia. The inventor welcomes the young man with false hospitality, offering him wine laced with a sleeping draught. As Franz falls into a stupor, Dr. Coppelius prepares to use magic to transfer Franz's life force into his beloved doll Coppélia, hoping to bring her to life.

Swanilda, still pretending to be Coppélia, plays along as the doll seemingly comes to life. She performs an increasingly energetic series of dances, first mechanical but gradually more human-like. She creates chaos in the workshop, tormenting the delighted Dr. Coppelius by activating other dolls and wreaking havoc among his creations. Finally, she reveals her true identity, just as Franz awakens from his drugged sleep. The young couple escapes, leaving Dr. Coppelius alone among his damaged dolls and shattered dreams.

Act III - The Village Square

The final act takes place during the festival of the bell, transforming the mood from the mysterious and comical events of Act II to one of pure celebration. The act opens with the presentation of the new church bell, accompanied by the "Bell Theme" in Delibes' score.

The mayor announces that he will provide a dowry for all couples getting married that day. This leads to the "Divertissement of the Bell," a series of celebratory dances including:

The centerpiece is the wedding pas de deux between Swanilda and Franz, now fully reconciled. Their dance demonstrates both their technical prowess and their characters' emotional growth. Franz has learned to appreciate real love over fantasy, while Swanilda's forgiveness shows her maturity.

The ballet concludes with a grand finale involving the entire company, celebrating not just the wedding but the triumph of real human love and connection over artificial beauty and illusion.

Thematic Elements Throughout the Story

The narrative weaves several sophisticated themes into its seemingly simple story:

The story's endurance owes much to its perfect balance of these elements, combining meaningful themes with entertaining spectacle, all while providing opportunities for technical excellence in dance.

Impact and Legacy

Coppélia has had a lasting influence on ballet and broader culture:

Choreographic Innovation: The ballet established new standards for technical difficulty while maintaining accessibility and humor. Its combination of classical technique with character dance influenced later works.

Musical Advancement: Delibes' score demonstrated how ballet music could be sophisticated and dramatically integrated, influencing composers like Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky.

Cultural Significance: The work explores themes that remain relevant: the tension between technology and humanity, the nature of love versus infatuation, and the power of humor to resolve conflict. Its treatment of automata and artificial life has particular resonance in our current age of artificial intelligence and robotics.

Performance History: Coppélia has remained in continuous production since its premiere, with virtually every major ballet company maintaining a version in their repertoire. Notable productions include George Balanchine's 1974 version for New York City Ballet, which emphasized the work's comedic elements while increasing its technical demands.

Educational Value: The ballet serves as an excellent introduction to classical dance for young audiences due to its clear narrative, comedic elements, and varied dance styles. It's often used in dance education to teach character development and timing.

Artistic Influence: The theme of artificial beings coming to life has inspired numerous adaptations in various art forms, from films to modern dance works. The ballet's successful blend of comedy and technical excellence has influenced choreographers' approaches to narrative dance.

The endurance of Coppélia speaks to its perfect balance of artistic elements: engaging story, beautiful music, technical challenge, and emotional depth, all while maintaining its charm and accessibility. It remains one of the few comic ballets from the 19th century to maintain its position as a cornerstone of the classical repertoire.