The story is simple and full of charm. A young woman named Swanhilda notices her fiancé, Franz, hanging around under Doctor Coppélius’s windows, trying to woo the inventor’s supposed daughter. In a fit of jealousy, Swanhilda discovers that Coppélia is just a mechanical doll and decides to mock the inventor and teach her sweetheart a lesson. Associated with the Paris Opera, the creators of Coppélia employed this comedic intrigue to develop what turned out to be one of the most popular ballets of the 19th century. The events unfold in a Polish town in Austrian-occupied Galicia, which is reflected in the score, with a beautiful Delibes mazurka and other familiar musical motifs. Coppélia was staged multiple times, with some versions being performed on our stage. Most recently, the ballet was presented in Warsaw 50 years ago in a version by Russia’s Asaf Messerer. This production is choreographed by Manuel Legris, the former principal dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet, who went on to lead the Vienna State Ballet and La Scala Theatre Ballet. Warsaw audiences undoubtedly remember him from his staging of Le Corsaire. Now, Legris is developing his take on Coppélia especially for the Teatr Wielki. It promises to be a treat for lovers of classical ballet and our new family performance.

Jean-Luc Simonini

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6 - 23 Dec, 2026

Coppélia · Polish National Opera

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