Word: coppã
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Though retaining traditional elements, Boston Ballet’s production follows George Balanchine’s neoclassical choreography of “Copp??lia.” The ballet was originally cast in 1974 for Patricia McBride (Swanilda) and Helgi Tomasson (Frantz), two of Balanchine’s greatest stars in the New York City Ballet. This spring, Judith Fugate staged “Copp??lia” for two of Boston’s own stars: Misa Kuranaga and Nelson Madrigal...
...most amusing act of “Copp??lia” was the second, as both Swanilda and Frantz delved into mischief. Swanilda and her friends crept through the dark scenery of Dr. Copp??lius’s home, winding up his elaborate mechanical dolls to dance around the workshop. Kuranaga revealed her girlish good when she disguised herself as Dr. Copp??lius’s beloved doll, fooling the old toy-maker into thinking his masterwork had come to life. Dr. Copp??lius, played by the comical Boyko Dossev, hobbled around the stage in delight...
...third act of “Copp??lia” is entirely Balanchine’s own work, as the focus shifts from the storyline to the dancing itself. In the Festival of the Bells, the townspeople celebrated their new village bell tower in front of a breathtaking set; the wings were adorned with bouquets while garlands and bells hung from above. In a series of dances to commemorate moments when the town bells would be rung—dawn, prayer, work, war, and peace—Boston Ballet’s principals and soloists performed with grace. Soloist...
...also welcomed the newly wedded Swanilda and Frantz in their closing pas de deux, a duet for a man and a woman. Kuranaga again demonstrated her versatility as an artist: the elegance and poise of a new bride took the place of the mischievous spirit she exuded in Dr. Copp??lius’s workshop. Madrigal distinguished himself as a skilled partner, presenting Kuranaga with ease...
With the swell of the orchestra, all of the dancers in the Festival of the Bells returned behind the married couple in the finale, dancing together toward the ballet’s jubilant conclusion. “Copp??lia” is a testament to the high caliber of Kuranaga, Madrigal, and the rest of Boston Ballet’s technical and artistic skill...