Suzhou Ballet Theatre (SBT) restaged its ballet Coppelia from Dec 14 to 16. Coppelia is an adaption from a comic ballet of the same name which, premiered in Paris in 1870, has remained one of the best-loved classical works in the ballet repertory. The SBT version of Coppelia was produced in 2011 and last performed in 2014.

 

Coppelia is full of humor and ballet mime. It is about a girl named Coppelia who sits on her balcony all day reading and never speaking to anyone. A boy named Franz falls deeply in love with her and wants to marry her, even though he is already engaged to another woman. His fiance, Swanhilda, sees Franz throwing kisses at Coppelia. Swanhilda soon learns that Coppelia is actually a doll that belongs to Doctor Coppelius, the mad scientist. She decides to impersonate the doll, in order to win Franz’s love. Chaos ensues, but all is soon forgiven. Swanhilda and Franz make up and get married.

 

The SBT version boasts audacious incorporation of modern elements in stage design, costumes and music to cater for the taste of today’s audiences.