Coppelia – The Toymaker’s Doll

Ballet Ariel is pleased to present its Spring production, an original rendition of The Toymaker’s Doll, Coppelia this April and May

The production is reimagined by Artistic and Executive Director Ilena Norton with dances by Resident Choreographer Gregory Gonzales. One of the greatest comic ballets of all time is retold through original choreography with a Ballet Ariel twist. Children will love the shenanigans of a dancing doll and mischievous girl while adults will be drawn in by the sophisticated undertones of the Pygmalionesque story of a toymaker falling in love with his creation.

Coppelia was inspired by a story written by E.T.A. Hoffmann, whose novella The Nutcracker and the Mouse King was the inspiration for The Nutcracker. The ballet premiered in Paris in 1870, with music by Leo Delibes and choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon.

“I was excited to create a Ballet Ariel spin on the classic, reimagining Coppelia to be a more lively and entertaining version with a dancing doll Coppelia to the beautiful score by Delibes,” says Ilena Norton, Artistic and Executive Director of the ballet company.