Coppelia – Royal Ballet

Broadcast from Royal Opera House Cinema

Charming and funny, Coppélia tells a story of love, mischief and mechanical dolls. A classic of The Royal Ballet’s repertory, the ballet was choreographed by the founder of The Royal Ballet, Dame Ninette de Valois. Her choreography is technically complex and requires impeccable comic timing from the dancers. Cinema audiences will be treated to a superb cast featuring Principal Marianela Nuñez as the feisty Swanilda, Principal Vadim Muntagirov as her beloved Franz and Principal Character Artist Gary Avis as the magician Dr. Coppélius.

Dr. Coppélius appears to have a beautiful daughter – Coppélia. Franz becomes infatuated with her from seeing her sitting on the doctor’s balcony. Franz’s fiancée Swanilda is very upset. She and her friends break into the house and discover that Coppélia is one of several life-sized mechanical dolls made by the doctor. Dr. Coppélius kidnaps Franz; he plans to make him into a human sacrifice and thus enable Coppélia to come to life. However, Swanilda manages to rescue Franz by making the mechanical dolls dance; she thus distracts Coppélius so that she and Franz can run away. Fortunately, Dr. Coppélius is not as villainous as he seems, and in the final act, he makes peace with Swanilda and Franz, who are now free to celebrate their wedding.

Choreography Ninette de Valois after Lev Ivanov and Enrico Cecchetti
Music Léo Delibes
Scenario Charles Nuitter and Arthur Saint-Léon after E.T.A. Hoffmann
Designer Osbert Lancaster
Lighting designer John B. Read
Conductor Barry Wordsworth

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Duration: 165’