From Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, to the smash-hit musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and perennial Christmas favourite The Nutcracker, children and adults alike have always been fascinated by the idea that toys can come to life. This season, Birmingham Royal Ballet presents one of the original stories to star a toy which magically comes to life, in Sir Peter Wright’s production of Coppélia with a date at Sunderland Empire, 5-7 April 2018.
Overflowing with comedy and magic, Coppélia stands alongside Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty as of one of the great ballets of the 19th century. Léo Delibes’s infectious, romantic music is performed live at every performance by the acclaimed Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
At the heart of the story is the eccentric toymaker Dr Coppélius, who causes quite a stir when he tries to bring his greatest creation, the doll Coppélia, to life. In one of the ballet’s most iconic scenes, Swanilda sneaks into Dr Coppélius’s workshop and tricks him into believing that the doll has come to life indeed.
The task of performing the most iconic moment in Coppélia – that moment of magic where the famous doll comes to life – falls to the ballerina dancing Swanilda. It takes incredible ingenuity and skill to combine the traditional elegance of classical ballet with the rigid, mechanical movements of a doll.
New for 2018 to Sunderland Empire audiences, An Introduction to Ballet (Wednesday 4 April 2018 7pm. Tickets: £10) and First Steps: A Child’s Coppélia (Thursday 5 April at 1pm. Tickets: £10).
An Introduction to Ballet is an hour-long, entertaining and in-depth introduction to the world of ballet, demystifying the language, the artistry and the practicalities of all the leaps and lifts. These inclusive, relaxed experiences aim to prove that ballet really is for everyone.
Each session includes a short performance featuring Company dancers, accompanied by a pianist and a speaker. The dancers will show you how they prepare for a show, from class to rehearsal, right through to a performance of a pas de deux (and if you don’t know what one of those is, this is the ideal opportunity to find out!). Ballet Master Dominic Antonucci will be on hand to guide you through the evening and tell you more about the intriguing art of ballet.
Coppélia is the perfect introduction to ballet for all ages, capturing the childhood fantasy of toys coming to life in an imaginative and beautiful way. Younger audience members (age 3+) can experience the magic with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s First Steps: A Child’s Coppélia – an hour-long adaptation of the ballet narrated by a storyteller, who guides the audience through a feast of dance, music, costumes and lots of fun.
This timeless classic full of fun, magic and a musical score that’s sure to entertain is at Sunderland Empire Thursday 5 – Saturday 7 April 2018, Coppélia is a truly doll-lightful ballet for the whole family to enjoy!