Coppélia
Queensland Ballet on Tour
#Love and mayhem collide in this light hearted ballet with Australian flair.
Join us in Toowoomba or Cairns as we dance across Queensland with the delightful Coppélia.
A beautiful, life-like doll and two quarrelling young lovers create comic chaos in this spirited ballet with a twist. Set in the sun-drenched South Australian town of Hahndorf in the late 19th century, this mischievous story has a regional atmosphere featuring colourful, endearing characters inspired by history.
Six years after the arrival of Dr Coppelius in their village, Swanilda and her friends are intrigued by Coppélia – the bright young woman that appears on his balcony. Jealous of her sweetheart Franz’s interest in the doctor’s mysterious ‘daughter’, Swanilda sneaks into his house to confront her rival. But all is not as it seems – and when the doctor discovers Franz is another intruder, delightful mayhem follows!
Choreographer Greg Horsman, after Arthur Saint-Léon and Marius Petipa, has created a touching and witty production – with a vivid Australian aesthetic. With joyful dance and the charming music of Léo Delibes, Coppélia is a light-hearted ballet that will charm audiences of all ages.
Created at the end of the Romantic era, it was loosely adapted from Arthur Saint-Léon’s three-act ballet first performed by the Paris Opera in 1870 and incorporates elements of both Romanticism and Classicism. The plot was inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann’s stories Der Sandmann (The Sandman) and Die Puppe (The Doll). Rich in humour and storytelling, Coppélia is a co-production between Queensland Ballet and West Australian Ballet.
Please note: This performance uses strobe lighting and theatrical haze and smoke effects. Production performed to recorded music featuring Queensland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nigel Gaynor.
A co-production of Queensland Ballet and West Australian Ballet, first performed in Brisbane, Australia, on 24 April 2014.
Coppélia is a classical ballet in three acts. Original libretto by Charles Nuitter, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s stories, Der Sandmann (The Sandman) and Die Puppe (The Doll).
#“All in all, this is a well-crafted revival of an enchanting ballet; charming and great fun, with first-rate choreography and splendid dancing by Queensland Ballet.”
#“While maintaining the ballet’s charm, his interpretation infuses the 19th century classic with a fresh relevance and a distinctly Australian flavour that still captivates.”
Price
This production is not available as part of a Queensland Ballet 2025 Season Package.
Tickets available via the respective venues.
Fees
Ticket fees may apply at checkout, as per venue Terms and Conditions.
Venue
Empire Theatre
Toowoomba
26 April 2025
Cairns Performing Arts Centre
1 - 2 May 2025
Duration
Approximately two hours and 20 minutes, including two 20-minute intervals.
April
Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
26 |
27 |
28 | 29 | 30 |
May
Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | |||
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
Select Session
Greg Horsman
Choreographer after Arthur Saint-Léon and Marius Petipa
Léo Delibes
Music
Nigel Gaynor
Music Arranger
Noelene Hill
Costume Designer
Hugh Colman
Set Designer
Jon Buswell
Lighting Designer
PixelFrame
Animation - Illustrated by S.M. Olive, Directed by Lucas Thyer, Edited by Ryan Smith
#watch video
Empire Theatre, Toowoomba
Find all of the information you'll need to plan your visit to Empire Theatre.
Cairns Performing Arts Theatre
Find all of the information you'll need to plan your visit to the Cairns Performing Arts Theatre.
Image gallery: Queensland Ballet performing Coppélia. Photography by David Kelly.