Arena 'Coppelia' reviews 'Coppelia' reviews Pankova in reviews Bolle in reviews recent Arena reviews

First performed in March 2000 at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, the production of "Coppelia" created by Maria Grazia Garofoli for the Arena Ballet is set in the 18th century in Venice during carnival. The scenery represents a "campiello", a little Venetian square with a bridge in a corner and the sea in the background. In the center, among the other houses, there is an elegant building with a balcony protected by a balustrade, where Coppelius lives.

The country references are of course missing from the choreography which recalls Petipa. The mazurka and the czardas are performed by couples dressed in gold and red velvet. The soloists appear with the typical carnival symbols: the domino, the three cornered hat and a mask. While Franz and his friends wear a light blue waistcoat, Coppelius is dressed in a golden coat on a ruffled shirt. He's depicted as a nobleman, used to luxury and distinction. No wonder that, while Franz and his friends are busy in capturing Coppelia's attention, Swanilda and her friends are fascinated by Coppelius.

In the second act the scenery represents the glittering interior of Coppelius' house. Everything is sparkling: the fancy masks hanging on the walls, the candles burning on a table, the silk of a gown left on a chair. Coppelius comes back home and finds Swanilda and her friends there. While the other girls flirt with him, she feigns a fodness for the gown and asks Coppelius for a second one with different colors. While he retrieves the gown all the girls but Swanilda run away and the plot goes on as usual.

In the third act the scenery represents another campiello with a Palladian church in the center. During the wedding, while Swanilda and Franz are inside the church, there are the variations of the Dawn, her face half hidden by an orange fan, and of the Prayer, coming out of the church, with a couple of small gauze wings on her back. Before them, there is the arrival of a sedan-chair. It carries a lady, representing Venice who, supported by one of Franz's friends, dances another adagio.

From the 19th to the 25th of August this "Coppelia" has been performed at the Teatro Romano, unluckily on a recorded score, and I've been there on the 25th. The corps de ballet and the soloists danced at their best. Only a slight discordance occurred during the march in the 3rd act. Giovanni Patti was a distinguished and assured Coppelius. While in March 2000 the leading roles had been created for Nadja Saidakova and Vladimir Malakhov, for these summer performances Maria Grazia Garofoli offered Elena Pankova and Roberto Bolle the chance of a debut as Swanilda and Franz.

The rich and elegant production suited both. Pankova dazzled with her light jumps, her smooth relevés and a three tours pirouette. And in act two she was superb as the mechanical doll, her big blue eyes perfectly matching the "yeux d'email" of the libretto by Nuitter. Bolle was a thoughtless Franz, enjoying the company of his friends and the love of his sweetheart. He displayed an increasing skill as a virtuoso dancer in spite of his height in the balances, in the double tours en l'air finished arabesque and in the triple fouettés inserted between the tours à la seconde. At the end a member of the corps de ballet said that no dancer has the control Bolle owns. Ballet is the fight against physics, in jumps against gravity and in turns against centrifugal strength. With Bolle you don't perceive such a fight.