Coppelia

The 144-year-old ballet rom-com of a woman who wins back her fiance by pretending to be a doll.
Kylie Klein-Nixon
April 14, 2014

Overview

Dust off your spats and fluff up your fox stole; it's time for a night at the ballet as the Royal New Zealand Ballet brings comedy classic Coppelia to the capital.

With murky mystery, rollicking romance and dodgy doctors, Coppelia tells the tale of Swanhilde and her fiance, who is a sucker for a pretty face and a wooden personality. When Franz's roving eye lands on performing doll Coppelia, Swanhilde is understandably gutted. But loyal Swanhilde puts heartache aside when Franz's life is threatened, tricking Coppelia's maker, the morally dubious Dr Coppelius, into thinking she's the clockwork beauty.

Her ruse works, and Swanhilde rescues Franz (not to mention the deposit on their huge wedding bash). There are plies, pirouettes and grand romantic pas de deux aplenty in this 144-year-old French ballet. Topnotch classical moves care of the RNZB and Coppelia's charming, old-world story would be enough of a draw for any ballet fan, but for those needing more convincing, the role of Dr Coppelius will be danced by New Zealand ballet legend Sir John Trimmer, who will be reprising the role he first danced in 1964. Trimmer's return to the St James stage is a treat not to be missed.

Information

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