Premiere of Sergei Vikharev's reconstruction of the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet's late 19th/early 20th century production of "Coppélia" for the Bolshoi Ballet. 12 March, 2009. This is easily the world's definitive production of "Coppélia". ** Cast - --Swanilda - Maria Alexandrova --Franz - Ruslan Skvortsov --Dr. Coppelius - Gennadi Yanin --Czardas - Maria Isplatovskaya & Vitaly Biktimirov --For more cast details go here: http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/283/roles/#20090312190000 --For more plot details go here: http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/283/libretto/ **Résumé of scenes & dances: --Act I: 01 Prélude et Mazurka 02 Valse et jalousie 03 Scène 04 Mazurka 05 Scène 06 Pas de la paille: Ballade de l'Épi 07 Thème slave varié 08 Csárdás 09 Scène finale **History -- "Coppélia, ou La fille aux yeux d'email" ("Coppelia, or The Girl With Eyes of Enamel") was first staged by the Ballet Master Arthur Saint-Léon for the Théâtre Impérial de l'Opéra in Paris, & first presented on 20 May, 1870. It was the last ballet that Saint-Léon created before his death. The music of Léo Delibes was a triumph. He was the student of Adolphe Adam, & was a natural when it came to composing music for ballet, finding the perfect balance between orchestral finesse while still serving the needs of dance. Delibes's ballet music, particularly his music for "Coppélia", went on to inspire every composer of ballet music to come after him. It was the Ballet Master Joseph Hansen who first staged "Coppélia" in Russia for Moscow's Imperial Bolshoi Theatre, first presented on 5 February [O.S. 24 January], 1882. It is from the late 19th century edition of "Coppélia" staged by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg that nearly all modern versions derive. The first production mounted by Petipa was staged for the benefit performance of the celebrated Russian ballerina Varvara Nikitina, which premiered at the St. Petersburg Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre on 7 December [O.S. 25 November] 1884. It will never be known for certain if Petipa retained any of Saint-Léon's original choreography, or if he was even familiar with it to begin with. It is far more likely that Petipa staged the entire ballet in his own design, though he certainly followed the original stage direction with regard to the action scenes & mime. Due to Petipa's continuing infirmity circa 1892-1894 caused by his severe skin illness, the great Italian dancer & pedagogue Enrico Cecchetti was entrusted with assisting the second Ballet Master Lev Ivanov with taking dancers through rehearsals. Cecchetti & Ivanov were also required to supervise revivals of older works if by chance a ballerina's contract required it. Such was the case when the great Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani chose "Coppélia" for her benefit performance of the 1893-1894 season. The revival was first given on 8 February [O.S. January 26] 1894 & was a great success. According to contemporary accounts, Cecchetti supervised the 1894 production of "Coppélia" alone, though it is unknown if he made any significant alterations to the choreography. Cecchetti's association with this production has lead many historians to credit him with the choreography for "Coppélia" ever since either exclusively or partially. Considering the more or less 'classic' status of the ballet even in 1894, it is far more likely that Cecchetti simply took the dancers through rehearsals, though he may have revised Swanilda & Franz's solo dances. The choreography of the Imperial Ballet's production of "Coppélia" was documented in the Stepanov method of choreographic notation in 1904 during the rehearsals for performances starring the ballerina Vera Trefilova as Swanilda. The Imperial Ballet's régisseur Nikolai Sergeyev later brought these notations with him to the west after the 1917 revolution, & used them to mount such productions as "The Sleeping Beauty", "Swan Lake" & "Giselle" for various European companies, most notably for the original Ballet Russe & most importantly for the Vic-Wells Ballet in London (precursor of the Royal Ballet). Sergeyev mounted "Coppélia" for the company in 1933 from the Imperial-era notations, & it is from this production that nearly every version of "Coppélia" derives to one extent or another. These documents were used by Sergei Vikharev to stage the production seen here. Although the Bolshoi credits the choreography to both Cecchetti & Petipa for this production, I have no doubt that Petipa is responsible for most, if not all of it. Petipa was well known for making alterations, both big & small, to the Mariinsky's repertory of ballets as he took dancers through rehearsals. There is no reason to think that "Coppélia" was exempt from Petipa's tinkering between Cecchetti's revival of 1894 & the creation of the notation ten years later. --ENJOY!!

• published: 24 Sep 2011
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