Coppelia

May 22, 23, 2010
Saturday and Sunday | 3 pm

For the fifth year in a row, Alexandra Kochis and Christopher Budzynski, principals of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, will perform the lead roles in Dance Theatre of Pennsylvania’s spring production. This year, the Doylestown-based ballet company will stage the classic ballet comedy at Mitchell Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors, students and groups of more than 10. To order tickets, visit www.dtopa.org or call 215-348-7175. APPLY THE COUPON CODE "FUNSAVER" AT CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE 50% OFF THE TICKET PRICE!

The performance is a homecoming for Budzynski, a Bucks County native who performed as a young dancer with Dance Theatre, founded by Marilyn Budzynski, a former dancer with Pennsylvania Ballet. If you’ve seen our productions of Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, you’ll want to treat yourself to this classic ballet comedy that children adore. The legendary choreographer George Balanchine once wrote, “Just as Giselle is ballet’s great tragedy, so Coppelia is its great comedy.”

Kochis will dance the role of the inquisitive Swanilda, with Budzynski playing her clueless suitor, Frantz. With music by Leo Delibes, the ballet is set in a village that houses the mysterious workshop of Dr. Coppelius. He’s a toymaker who has crafted a beautiful life-size, mechanical doll named Coppelia. The lonely inventor treats the doll like a daughter.

Frantz does not realize that Coppelia is a doll and is mesmerized by her beauty. Swanilda grows jealous of her rival. At night, she breaks into the doctor’s workshop with her friends. Dr. Coppelius finds the intruders and throws them out. But Swanilda is up to trouble. She impersonates Coppelia and pretends to come to life, dancing a Scottish reel and Spanish fandango. At first thrilled to think his doll has transformed into a real girl, Dr. Coppelius plunges into sadness when he realizes Swanilda’s prank. But as with all good ballets, the story ends happily-ever-after with the wedding of Swanilda and Frantz and a village celebration.

Also appearing in our production of the ballet are Stephen Hadala of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in the role of Dr. Coppelius; Christine Jones, formerly of the Pennsylvania Ballet; and Jennifer Goodman, formerly of the Joffrey Ballet.