The classic romantic ballet Coppélia will be performed by the Ballet Theatre of San Luis Obispo this weekend at the San Luis Obispo Harman Hall Performing Arts Center.
The artistic director and choreographer Theresa Slobodnik, who has also taught ballet at Cal Poly, said the ballet is a classic performance that was originally written in the 1800s and takes place in an Eastern European village.
“It’s very up and not a tragedy … A celebration is in the ballet so it’s very festive,” Slobodnik said.
Coppélia tells the story of a life-size dancing doll made by Doctor Coppélius, a lonely man who has made the doll life-like to combat his solitude. He dreams of finding a way to bring her to life and make her his companion.
However, the doll is so life-like that a servant, Franz, becomes so mesmerized by it that he doesn’t realize she isn’t alive. Franz’s fiancé, Swanhilde, becomes so upset by his obsession that she sneaks into the doctor’s lab and upon finding that Coppélia is a doll, decides to dress up as her. Disguised, Swanhilde convinces Franz that the doll has come to life and soon the play unfolds.
The ballet is set to a score by the French composer, Léo Delibes.
Slobodnik said the three-act play will be filled with many props and sets that will give the audience a very theatrical experience.
“It is seeing dance with story where you are taken away into a different place,” Slobodnik said.
Cal Poly materials engineering professor and assistant director Blair London said the ballet is one of his favorites because it is such a warm, romantic and comedic story. London, who has performed in the roll of Doctor Coppélius, also said Coppélia is the perfect performance for those who may have never seen a ballet.
“If people think ballets are stuffy and boring they should come to this ballet where the story really comes through,” London said.
The cast which is made up of nearly 50 dancers have been practicing for the performance since January. Five of the performers are Cal Poly students who have been dancing for most of their lives.
English junior Alexandria Lightsey has been dancing since she was 7 years old. For Coppélia, she will be dancing the Mazurka, a type of Polish folk dance, and the Czardas, a traditional Hungarian folk dance, as well as performing the Dawn solo. She said she remains excited about the performance and looks forward to this weekend.
“This weekend’s performances will be stunning. The cast and our director have been working so hard all year and we can’t wait to perform our work for the community,” Lightsey said.
London said 430 tickets have already been sold and he hopes to see the event sell out.
“San Luis Obispo is a total last minute town so tickets sales go up the day before and the day of the performance,” London said.
The Sunday performance will coincide with the 140th anniversary of the first performance of Coppélia that debuted at the French theater, Théâtre de l’Académie Royale de Musique.
Performances will be given this Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets will be sold at a discounted price of $15 for Cal Poly and Cuesta students who present identification and plan to attend the Sunday performance.