Coppélia, The Girl with the enamel eyes

Dr. Coppélius is a doctor who has made a life-size dancing doll.

It is so lifelike that Franz, a village youth, becomes infatuated with it and sets aside his heart's true desire, Swanhilda.

She shows him his folly by dressing as the doll, pretending to make it come to life and ultimately saving him from an untimely end at the hands of the inventor.

Coppélia / La Fille aux Yeux d'Émail (The Girl with the Enamel Eyes) is a comic ballet from 1870 originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter.

Nuitter's libretto and mise-en-scène was based upon E. T. A. Hoffmann's short story Der Sandmann (The Sandman).

In Greek, κοπέλα means young woman.

Coppélia, The Girl with the enamel eyes

Dancer: Natalia Osipova

The evolution of The Girl with the Enamel Eyes's choreography is explored, revealing the creative process behind its iconic movements and the historical context that shaped its development.

The video delves into the fascinating interplay between the vision of the original choreographer and the influence of subsequent interpretations, showcasing the enduring power of "The Girl with the Enamel Eyes's" story and its captivating dance.

Coppélia premiered on 25 May 1870 at the Théâtre Impérial de l'Opéra, with the 16-year-old Giuseppina Bozzacchi in the principal role of Swanhilda and ballerina Eugénie Fiocre playing the part of Frantz en travesti.

The costumes were designed by Paul Lormier and Alfred Albert, the scenery by Charles-Antoine Cambon (Act I, scene 1; Act II, scene 1), and Édouard Desplechin and Jean-Baptiste Lavastre (Act I, scene 2).

The ballet's first flush of success was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War and the siege of Paris (which also led to the early death of Giuseppina Bozzacchi, on her 17th birthday), but eventually it became the most-performed ballet at the Opéra.

Modern-day productions are traditionally derived from the revivals staged by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg in the late 19th century.

Petipa's choreography was documented in the Stepanov method of choreographic notation at the turn of the 20th century.

These notations were later used to stage the St. Petersburg version for such companies as the Vic-Wells Ballet (precursor of today's Royal Ballet).

L'evoluzione della coreografia de "La ragazza dagli occhi di smalto" viene esplorata, rivelando il processo creativo alla base dei suoi movimenti iconici ed il contesto storico che ne ha plasmato lo sviluppo.

Il video approfondisce l'affascinante interazione tra la visione del coreografo originale e l'influenza delle interpretazioni successive, mettendo in luce la potenza duratura della storia de "La ragazza dagli occhi di smalto" e della sua danza accattivante.

Coppélia, o La fille aux yeux d'émail (Coppélia, o La ragazza dagli occhi di smalto) è un balletto pantomimico in due atti e tre scene, coreografia originale di Arthur Saint-Léon su musica composta da Léo Delibes.

Il libretto di Charles Nuitter e Arthur Saint-Léon è ispirato al primo racconto dei Notturni di Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, Der Sandmann (L'uomo della sabbia), pubblicato nel 1816.

È l'ultima creazione di Saint-Léon, morto tre mesi dopo la prima rappresentazione.