The NOVAT’s ballet artists have begun rehearsals for the ballet “Coppélia”. The premières will be held on 22 and 23 September 2018.
“Coppélia”, the ballet by the French composer Léo Delibes, has enjoyed great popularity for almost 150 years. The libretto, which was originally written by Arthur Saint-Léon and Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter, is based on “The Sandman”, a short story by E.T.A. Hoffmann. This is a tale about a young man who fell in love with a mechanical doll created by Dr Coppélius.
The ballet is being produced by the production team consisting of the choreographer Mikhail Messerer and the designers Vyacheslav Okunev and Gleb Filshtinsky, who presented the magical ballet “Cinderella” to the Novosibirsk audience in our Theatre’s 73rd season. This time the producers have created an elegant comedy about the quarrel and reconciliation of lovers. The main character, merry Swanhilda, finds an ingenious way to teach her unfaithful fiancé a lesson...
The new production, as well as “Cinderella”, which is immensely popular among the Novosibirsk audience, features both multimedia and traditional picturesque scenery. The video projection and expressive lighting effects add even more splendour to the spectacle. We know that not only experienced theatregoers but also a younger generation of spectators will find this ballet interesting. “Coppélia” features wonderful music by Léo Delibes, magnificent choreography, an entertaining love story, good humour and funny play, which will certainly appeal to the youngest spectators of the NOVAT.
The choreographer Mikhail Messerer says that he based his new work he relies on the classic versions of “Coppélia”, using the stories of the ballets by Arthur Saint-Léon, Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky.
Mikhail Messerer: “There are only a few comic ballets in the classical ballet repertoire, and “Coppélia” is the most important among them. Today, audiences around the world are eager to watch ballets with the intricate pointe technique and virtuoso male dancing—this is exactly what this cheerful, uplifting ballet abounds in. “Coppélia” is not only the gold standard of pure, classical choreography, but is also a performance that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Such ballets are relevant to the modern culture.”