Music:Léo Delibes
Choreography: Elizabeth DiStasio-Waddell
Ballet Synopsis
Dr. Coppélius, the toymaker, sets his beautiful doll, Coppélia, on the balcony. She looks as though she is reading.
Swanilda's fiancé, Franz, comes looking for Swanilda. He has flowers for her, but he cannot find her. His attention is quickly drawn to Coppélia. Coppélia stands up and starts to blow kisses. Franz thinks they are for him. Swanilda arrives just in time to see Franz blowing a kiss to the doll. She is furious; they are to be married tomorrow! Villagers arrive in preparation for the wedding and the Burgomeister explains the wedding details to Franz and Swanilda. Swanilda, still angry at Franz, is told by the Burgomeister, that to dispel her fears, she should "listen to the wheat"; if she hears the wheat, Franz is true to her. She shakes and shakes the wheat, but hears nothing. She can't believe it! How could he be unfaithful to her! She begins to dance with her friends, ignoring Franz. He tries to talk to Swanilda, but she will have no part of it.
Dr. Coppélius comes to the village square and is teased by passing youths. Swanilda comes out to help, but Dr. Coppélius has already chased them off, dropping the key to his shop. Swanilda takes the key to her friends and they decide to sneak into the shop while Dr. Coppélius is away. They must meet the beautiful Coppélia that Franz is so captivated by.
The toyshop is filled with more dolls and toys. The girls search for Coppélia, finally finding her behind a curtain. They try to converse with Coppélia, but she ignores them. They suddenly realize she is a doll! Swanilda wants to play a trick on Franz and trades places with the doll (wait until he finds out he has fallen for a mechanical doll!) Meanwhile, Franz finds Coppélia's book outside and sneaks into the toyshop by climbing up the balcony's ladder.
Dr. Coppélius returns to find the girls and Franz in the toyshop. He chases out the girls, but is unaware that Swanilda is posing as Coppélia and is still behind the curtain. Franz explains that he came to meet Coppélia and to return her book. Dr. Coppélius tries to get Franz to drink a sleeping potion so he can take his life force and turn Coppélia into a real girl. It works! Franz falls asleep and the doll comes to life! But Dr. Coppélius has no idea the doll is really Swanilda pretending to be Coppélia. Dr. Coppélius and the "doll" dance. She begins to knock over dolls and toys in the toyshop. Swanilda wakes up Franz, and reveals to Coppélius that she's only pretending to be a doll. Franz and Swanilda run out of the house.
Everyone has already gathered in the square for the wedding, but Franz and Swanilda are not ready! The have been too busy causing trouble in the toyshop. Dr. Coppélius runs from the house demanding that Swanilda pay him for damage to the toy shop. She offers her dowry, but her father insists on paying the toymaker for his trouble. Franz and Swanilda are married in a joyous celebration.