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.”

ArtsHub

#“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.”

Dance Australia
Read More
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
Select Session
Greg Horsman

Greg Horsman

Choreographer after Arthur Saint-Léon and Marius Petipa

Nigel Gaynor

Nigel Gaynor

Music Arranger

Noelene Hill

Noelene Hill

Costume Designer

Hugh Colman

Hugh Colman

Set Designer

Jon Buswell

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.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and perform. Long before we performed on this land, it played host to the dance expression of our First Peoples. We pay our respects to their Elders — past, present and emerging — and acknowledge the valuable contribution they have made and continue to make to the cultural landscape of this country.

Click Anywhere to continue