Cover Jemima Reyes for ‘Coppelia’ (Photo: Ballet Philippines)
Jemima Reyes for ‘Coppelia’ (Photo: Ballet Philippines)
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One of the Philippines’ leading professional classical and contemporary dance institutions is set to perform yet another masterpiece as it launches its 54th season in August
Ballet Philippines returns with another season starting in August as it releases its full-length performance of Coppelia. The show, which was based on a short story by ETA Hoffman, is a comic ballet originally staged in 1870 at the Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra in Paris by choreographer Arthur Saint-Léon.
Coppelia tells the tale of young lovers on a quest to end the evil ways of a mad scientist and his mysterious daughter. Love conquers all in this enduring narrative that reminds us to look beyond surface beauty and embrace our perfect imperfections.
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“This is a classical technique that Ballet Philippines can offer after we presented to you a very modern Diyosa a few months back,” says Ballet Philippines’ president Kathleen Liechtenstein.
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For the dance troupe’s artistic director Mikhail “Misha” Martynyuk, Coppelia is a piece that brings festivity and brightness. He shares that it holds a special place in his heart as the performance began his career in ballet.
“It [Coppelia] is my very first performance as a dancer. I performed the lead role. I am very well-versed with the music, the libretto, and the technique. After my premiere, I got 24 invitations to dance Coppelia in Spain. With that, I think I brought all my learnings from my teachers, and I want to share it with my dancers [in the Philippines].”
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Martynuk’s interpretation of Coppelia draws inspiration from the 1884 St Petersburg production staged by iconic choreographer Marius Petipa. However, he choreographed the ballet to showcase the strength and power of the company’s dancers. “Ballet will always be developed,” he said. “I adapted my version from the original and added several Filipino elements. It is developed with more technique, more style, and [more] characters.”
He hopes that this light-hearted classical ballet piece will inspire audiences to celebrate life for what it is–beautiful, mad, joyful, lonely, and all-around filled with lessons.
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This production of Coppelia will kick off Ballet Philippines’ 54th season with the theme of “The Power of Dance”.
Ballet Philippines’ Coppelia will run from August 4 to 6 at The Theatre at Solaire. For tickets, log on to ballet.ph or ticketworld.com.ph.
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Images: Ballet Philippines
Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
