Coppelia
Christopher Tabar and Tamara Del Giorno in the first act of Coppelia by the San Jose Cleveland Ballet (1998).
Photo Bob Shomler
Coppelia, subtitled "The girl with enameled eyes", is the result of a common effort. The original choreography was by Arthur Saint-Léon (1821 - 1870), co-author of the libretto with Charles Nuitter, a volonteer archivist at the Paris Opéra and experienced dramatist.
The story is taken from a short story, "Der Sandmann", by E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776 - 1822), German Romantic writer and composer. The conflict between idealism and realism, art and life, is innate in the story: Franz is tempted to choose the perfect woman, the doll Coppelia, instead of the natural woman, Swanilda.
The picturesque and inspired music was created by Léo Delibes (1836 - 1891), student of Adolphe Adam, composer of Giselle. He carries on where Adam left off, extending his teacher's experiments with themes that express and identify emotions and personalities; each character has one or more themes that characterize him.
Czardas, a Hungarian dance, and mazurka, a Polish dance, that had become popular as ballroom dances in the mid-nineteenth century, are introduced for the first time in a ballet. For the rest of the century sections of typical folk dances became a characteristic of classical ballets.
Set in the square of a small town several centuries ago, at the beginning Coppelia is sitting on a balcony reading a book as Swanilda enters. Swanilda looks up at the girl and tries to capture her attention, but she does not answer. Franz, Swanilda's fiance, enters and blows a kiss to the beautiful Coppelia. She ignores him and keeps on looking at her book.
Karen Gabay and Ratmond Rodriguiz star in the 1998 production of the San Jose Cleveland Ballet.
Photo Bob Shomler
Swanilda, however, has noticed her lover's attentions toward another girl, and Franz has a hard time convincing her that he is faithful and loves only her. Still jealous, Swanilda doesn't believe him and runs away when a group of young people interrupts their quarrel.
The Burgomaster enters to announce that the next day there will be a celebration in which the Noble of the Castle will offer a dowry to all the couples that wish to marry. Franz asks Swanilda to marry him.
Disconsolate, Swanilda puts an ear of corn to her ear: according to an old tradition, the ear of corn, if it makes a sound, will tell her that her lover is true. Unfortunately the corn remains silent. The other couples are happy about the Burgomaster's news and they dance until dark, when they must go home.
Doctor Coppelius steps outside, locks his door, and is immediately swept away by a band of noisy revelers. In the confusion he drops the key to his shop. Swanilda and her friends appear, finding the key. They are curious about the strange doctor and his shop. They pick up the key and go in. Someone bumps into a life size Chinese doll and it dances until its wind-up motor runs out. Amazed, the intruders wind up all the dolls and they dance as the girls watch them, enchanted.
Meanwhile Franz appears outside with a ladder to climb up to Coppelia's balcony.
Doctor Coppelius comes back, sees the door open, and storms in. The guilty girls run out, except Swanilda. She runs to the alcove where Coppelia is kept. Meanwhile, Doctor Coppelius finds the unfaithful Franz who is coming in through the window.
Franz reveals his love for the beautiful Coppelia. Doctor Coppelius pretends to listen to him with interest, as he offers Franz some potions to drink. When Franz faints, Doctor Coppelius brings what he believes to be Coppelia out of the alcove. But it's Swanilda, who has heard Franz's declaration, and has changed places with the doll. Doctor Coppelius uses magical gestures to transfer the life force from Franz to the doll. Swanilda stands up awkwardly and begins to dance; Doctor Coppelius believes that his doll has come to life.
Swanilda dances without stopping creating chaos in the shop, knocking over all of Doctor Coppelius's work. Franz comes to, and escapes with Swanilda, followed by Doctor Coppelius, leaving the shop in ruins. Doctor Coppelius returns empty handed and finds the doll Coppelia lying on a chair, undressed, and realizes that he has been tricked.
Raymond Rodriguz and Karen Gabay in the third act
Photo Bob Shomler
The next day, in the square, Swanilda and Franz are reconciled and they go to the Burgomaster to receive their dowry and be married. The furious Doctor Coppelius arrives accusing the lovers of having destroyed his life's work. Swanilda, realizing the just cause of his accusation, offers him her dowry, but the Burgomaster gives him a bag of gold and sends him away. The townspeople participate in the festivities for Franz and Swanilda's wedding.
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Initially the production was unlucky. The libretto and the music were ready in 1868. The leading male role, Franz, was created for a female dancer dressed as a man; when the choreography was almost finished, the protagonist became ill. It took two years to find a substitute and complete the choreography. At the premiere, in 1870, Napoleon III and the empress Eugenia were present. Four months later the choreographer died of a heart attack; six months later the protagonist also died, at seventeen, of small pox.
Coppelia was an immediate success. It has been part of the repertory of the Paris Opéra since 1871.
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