Ballet Philippines (BP) presents Coppélia, which runs from Dec. 11 to 14 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. The show features sisters Carissa and Candice Adea.
The elder Carissa says, “This is a way, indeed, to show what Filipinos can do when given the chance. After performing Agnes Locsin’s La Revolucion Filipina (in August this year), many people said, ‘They can do neo-classical and ethnomodern dances, but can they do classical (ballet)?’ The answer is a (resounding) yes.”
With Alan Hineline’s Coppelia, “We are sort of leveling up with the rest of the world,” Candice explains. “Dance companies have been performing this piece all over the world; this shows we are as good as, if not better in certain respects, the rest of them.”
Premiering in Paris, France in 1870, Coppélia is a three-act sentimental comic ballet originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon, with a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter, and music by Léo Delibes. Originally subtitled “The girl with enameled eyes,” Coppélia was based on Der Sandmann (The Sandman), E.T.A. Hoffman’s macabre story published in 1815 about the mysterious toymaker Doctor Coppélius, who wants to bring to life his sinister doll creations, particularly his most prized possession, the life-size dancing doll, Coppélia.
The ballet, more light-hearted than the gothic inspiration, follows the story of Swanilda, daughter of the burgomaster, who is about to marry Franz the following day, but is infatuated with Coppélia, which he didn’t know was just a doll. When Swanilda finds Doctor Coppélius’ key, she breaks into his mysterious house, where she only discovers the spooky automatons the doctor created, but also finds out that Coppélia is just a mechanical doll. Swanilda’s break-in is interrupted by the return of Doctor Coppélius. And trapped in his alcove, she dresses up as Coppélia, pretending to come to life to subsequently teach Franz the follies of his ways, and Doctor Coppélius the errors of his.
The production of Alan Hineline, who, with Max Luna III, serves as BP co-artistic director, intends to “return BP to its classical roots.”
“BP hasn’t done (classical pieces) for a while now. We wanted to bring back fully classical ballet in the Philippines, and Coppélia is good as a start,” Hineline said. “Filipinos love a story, and with Coppélia, the classical piece dubbed as the last ballet of the Romantic era, considered as the precursor of modern ballet, this is what we intend to draw them in.”
Together, the Adea sisters have been performing as company members of BP for nine years — five for Carissa and four for Candice. Throughout those nine years, Carissa, says, “The focus had always been (on non-classical) ballet pieces. So Alan Hineline’s Coppelia is, in most ways, a first for us.”
Candice says, “I’ve had lead dance roles before, but (in the more immediate past, BP’s productions were limited to short productions and excerpts), so that this is the first time I’ll take the lead of a full length ballet piece. This is very challenging, especially since Alan Hineline’s Coppelia is not just classical per se. There’s also acting involved, so it’s definitely more challenging.”
For Hineline and Luna, the goal in planning the BP repertory was not just to entertain the Filipino people, but also to educate the BP dancers.
The other leads are Katherine Trofeo, Jayson Pescasio and JM Cordero as Franz. Set design is by Mio Infante, costumes by Eric Pineda and lighting design by Katsch Catoy.
Candice believes that in performing Coppelia, they bring “Filipino-ness in the characters — and this is actually good.”
When she performed a scene in Coppelia at the ninth New York International Ballet Competition in the US, she made it to the semifinals because of a more heartfelt performance. “I was told that (Filipino performers) are more natural, thereby more genuine when they wear their emotions on their sleeves. So, what you see, you feel. We hope to do the same in Alan Hineline’s Coppelia.”
For ticket information, call Ticket World at 891-9999, CCP Box Office at 832-3704, or Ballet Philippines at 551-0221/551 1003/832 6011. For details, visit balletphilippines.org.