Festival Ballet to present ‘Coppelia’
Published June 8, 2008
Festival Ballet will present “Coppelia” at 4 p.m. June 21
at Brazoswood.
Can a mysterious, mechanical doll be a serious rival to a lovely young peasant
girl? You bet, until things get straightened out in “Coppelia,” the storybook
ballet performed by Festival Ballet.
The ballet follows the adventures of the precocious young Swanilda as she
attempts to find out the secret behind the mysterious Coppelia, a captivating
beauty who sits on her balcony all day, catching the longing gazes of Franz,
Swanilda's fiancé. Little does Swanilda know that Coppelia is a life-sized doll
created by the eccentric Dr. Coppelius. Like “The Nutcracker,” the story is
based on an E.T.A. Hoffmann fairy tale.
For people who don’t have prior experience with ballet but are interested in the
art form, “Coppelia” is a great place to start.
Festival Ballet artistic director Deborah Rayburn calls “Coppelia” “a sparkling
mix of comedy, romance and intrigue, a perfect ballet to cap the season.
“Not only does ‘Coppelia’ showcase classical ballet, but it also features
colorful Slavic-, Spanish- and Scottish-style national dances,” Rayburn says.
“‘Coppelia’ is just as fun for the audience as it is for the dancers to
perform.”
As always, Festival Ballet performances feature the best in professional guest
artists and local area dancers. The productions include talented young dancers
from Lake Jackson and the greater Houston area.
Tickets for “Coppelia” can be purchased by phone at (832) 830-5987, or online at
www.festivalballet.info.