Jake Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Rather enjoyed the concept, design and performances of the film on this evening, BUT…. how DARE anything that has the word Coppélia in its title use such generic film-score type music rather than Delibes’ often sublime score? Feeling seriously shortchanged! With a different title it would have been fun. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Yes I thought the music was very bland and to be honest getting rather typical of modern ballet scores. It was sort of enjoyable as a one off and the dancers were all terrific as usual but the choreography was a bit too repetitive and too many opportunities missed for a really nice pas de deux between Swan and Franz particularly when they meet one evening in the village …..but nothing happened….so frustrating!! I found the settings all a bit twee and didn’t quite gel with the more modern dress for me. I got the feeling this would actually be better on the theatre stage than as a made for TV piece as am assuming there would actually be more real dancers taking part ….though it was sort of entertaining in its own right it held one’s attention (just) in the end to see how it would all end rather than anything to do with any light and shade in the actual music or dancing!! Definitely not a replacement for the original Coppelia but okay for a viewing once in a while!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 1 hour ago, LinMM said: Yes I thought the music was very bland and to be honest getting rather typical of modern ballet scores. And not only modern ballet scores: modern scores for a lot of things these days appear to be what you might call rather wishy-washy, "wallpaper" music that doesn't make a lot of impression, let alone be what they used to call dansant. Perhaps it's therefore not particularly surprising that a lot of choreographers don't therefore seem able / inspired to put together much in the way of steps to create what you might call a "proper" pas de deux or whatever it is. I feel a thread coming on when I can put my thoughts down a bit more clearly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 I thought Coppélia worked quite well as a family friendly ballet. I agree the music didn’t grab me, but then we all know the Delibes score so well. It could improve with familiarity. As did Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and even Stravinsky. Though I do agree I would have preferred the use of the original music. I’m currently watching the sci-fi version by Victor Ullate Ballet on EuroArtsChannel on YouTube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed the Coppelia. I agree that the music got a bit bland and repetitive after a while, but as an introduction to ballet for those who have never seen it before, I think it might be interesting. At the very least, the leaps and twirls of the men in jeans might make people think that actually, male ballet dancers are not in the least bit effeminate. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 I really enjoyed this, it was a unique concept, hard to describe, lots of colour, exciting dancing for the men, modern music that I liked, in fact Coppelia seemed the wrong title at times, and I smiled every time I saw Irek and Darcey! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 Seeing Irek and Darcey in this made me wish for them to return to the stage in character roles. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 7 minutes ago, FionaE said: Seeing Irek and Darcey in this made me wish for them to return to the stage in character roles. I thought Irek stole the show. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 Loved seeing Irek and Darcey dancing again. Was pleasantly surprised by the film but agree - the Delibes score should have been used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 8 hours ago, FionaE said: Seeing Irek and Darcey in this made me wish for them to return to the stage in character roles. When Darcey Bussell did the Facade extract at the Fonteyn Gala I wondered if she would go on to do any other cameos or character roles with the RB but it doesn't look like it. (I was thrilled she made that one appearance though, as I'd never seen her live & thought I never would.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I saw some of this adaptation, starring Michaela DePrince, Daniel Camargo, Vito Mazzeo and Darcey Bussell. I was intrigued to see how they'd do it, but I just couldn't get on with it at all, and switched off after about 20 mins. Thought there might be some discussion of it here, as I was slightly wondering why I didn't like it. I kind of liked the idea of twisting the story, and the dancers seemed competent, but I felt absolutely nothing for it. Also, why not use the original music? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryrosesatonapin Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I enjoyed it for what it was - a bit of fluff, really. It certainly wouldn't replace the original Coppelia ballet but the dancers were charming (including Darcy Bussell and Irak Mukhamedhov who were delightfully funny). The actual choreography didn't seem to be very demanding. I loved the overall designs and De Prince's outfit and persona. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I was bored by in it the main - I thought it was mostly a waste of good dancers, although it was lovely to see Darcey and Irek on screen together. I’m not sure it was strong enough to attract new ballet audiences. De Prince was charming but it would have been nice to see a bit more actual dancing from her. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I managed about 10 minutes before I got bored - it wasn't me at all. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I forced myself to watch it all the way through, but didn't like it much. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I was waiting for the big pas de deux which never came!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 I quite enjoyed watching it. A nice little morality tale on the dangers of internet manipulation/advertising/vanity. Both DD and I thought it felt like Dr. Who in places, in particular conversion of Cybermen. Yes there could have been more dancing, but the dancers were excellent. The end amused me - reverse Sleeping Beauty awakening with Swan (not Swanhilda) kissing Franz to wake him from his coma. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I'd seen a bit of this when it was first released about 1 or 2 years ago so was curious to see it in full. It was quite fun and suspenseful, as being a film cum reboot, I didn’t know how it would end - would Dr Coppelius’ building blow up? Would he leave town? I just knew there probably wouldn’t be a mazurka in the first half, or solos for Prayer and Dawn etc at the end. It was also fun spotting the various members of Dutch National Ballet besides Michaela de Prince (now at Boston Ballet) and (newly joined) Daniel Camargo-Igone de Jongh, Sasha Mukhamedov (now at SFB), Edo Wijnen, etc. The movie should really be called Dr Coppelius as the story now revolves heavily around him and his mysterious, dark plans, while the Coppelia doll/robot is even more secondary a character than in the ballet! Also, Vito Mazzeo who portrays him is such a masterful dancer and actor, pulling off some of the cartoon baddie moments with both irony as well as conviction, and having been a versatile danseur noble, still pulls off classical sequences with great polish. He does steal the show quite a lot! Michaela de Prince, well known to many from the First Position documentary and her book about her war torn childhood and adoption in a new country, is charming, charismatic and has the dancing and acting chops to pull off the role of the heroine, and Camargo, as her innocent but likeable Franz, dances like a dream. I was actually very impressed with her six friends- in the movie there are boys as well as girls- who get to be spunky, have their own very different personalities and character, and wrestle with some creepy robots. Bussell, Irek Mukhamedov and de Jongh are good fun as other adults that populate the town, and Rachel Beaujean, assistant director of DNB and former principal, also has a cameo. I actually didn’t mind the score at all, as this clearly wasn’t going to be a film of the Coppelia ballet and very little of the Delibes score would have fitted the suspense/thriller/sci fi vibe going on. I thought it was overall good fun and better than I expected it to be, the choreography wasn’t too bad, and the performers were terrific. It would be a fun film to watch on summer holidays, winter holidays (like now) or on a long flight. I think it could appeal to both youngsters and older viewers who like something different from “same old same old” type entertainment. It is definitely not a classical ballet. I’d still recommend they change the title to Dr Coppelius though! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 Daniel Camargo is principal at ABT since summer 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 33 minutes ago, FionaE said: Daniel Camargo is principal at ABT since summer 2022 He guested in Don Q with the RB during its last run. I, for one, was not impressed back then but agree that he looked good in the Coppelia film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 41 minutes ago, capybara said: He guested in Don Q with the RB during its last run. I, for one, was not impressed back then but agree that he looked good in the Coppelia film. I thought Daniel showed really good emotive capability(and I wasn’t expecting it) in the Juliano Nunes ballet LACUNA in the Julier Tower in Switzerland that I saw in August 2022. Considering the ‘in your face’ close-up nature of that venue and him appearing alongside emotionally charged dancers like Alina Cojocaru and Shale Wagman, it was particularly noticeable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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