The History —
From its première in 1870 to modern times, Coppélia has charmed and entertained ballet lovers of all ages.
Coppélia is a comic ballet originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes.
The libretto by Charles Nuitter was based upon two stories by ETA Hoffmann:
Der Sandmann (The Sandman) and Die Puppe (The Doll).
Premièring on 25 May 1870 at the Théâtre Impérial l’Opéra, the ballet’s initial success was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War and the siege of Paris. However,
it eventually became the most-performed ballet at the Opéra.
Most modern-day productions of the ballet are derived from the revivals staged by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg in the late 19th century.