Coppélia moves again

The ultra-romantic storyteller and composer E.T.A. Hoffmann -250 years since his birth this year- was fascinated by automatons. “The Sandman” on which Coppélia is based, is one of the fundamental titles in dance repertoire, with music by Léo Delibes. The production comes to the Maestranza with one of the most prestigious French classical ballet companies, allowing us to bring back to life the passionate yet impossible love that the village boy Franz feels for the doll invented by Dr. Coppelius.

A point of reference in French classical dance, the Ballet de l’Opera National du Capitole de Toulouse placed this story in the hands of Jean-Guillaume Bart, principal dancer of the Paris Ballet in the 2000’s. A choreographer since 1997, his first grand production was in 2007, and it initiated a brilliant career which has made him one of the most interesting creators of his generation.

Far from lambasting this classic, Bart’s vision is respectful while looking at the piece with fresh eyes. His subtle touch adapts the challenges of 1870 (the date when Coppélia premiered) to the technical capacities of 21st century dancers. In this way, the essence of the classic lives on but is shaped to the current day and its new audience.

Ballet in three acts with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon and music of Léo Delibes
Libretto by Charles Nuitter based on the short story The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann
Premiere on 25 May 1870 at the Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra of Paris