Search - Delibes - Coppelia / Giezendanner, Ganio, Lacotte, Paris Ballet on DVD

A little youthful enthusiasm goes a long way..........

Warmgoy | 05/24/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I really, really wish I could be as positive as some of the other writers here, but, well, I can't. This is a lovey physical production, settings, costumes, and general presentation are all really enchanting - the first act looks like a beautiful water color illustration in a very classy children's book. And speaking of children, that is what we have here, the students of the ballet school of Paris Opera. The idea of such a youthful cast for this naive story might seem perfect on the surface, and indeed upon first viewing, these fresh faced youngsters seem ideal for this story of fantasy and fantastic invention. It's all very charming - for about ten minutes. But then the need for a bit more technical prowess and developed dramatic skills begin to glare. These are talented youngsters, make no mistake about that. But Coppelia is not a work that "plays itself", its comedy and gentle charm are tricky, and while Delibes score is delightful, it is not one of the great ballet scores that stands well on its own without skilled illumination from its performers. It isn't that anyone here is bad, it is just unformed, technically and dramatically. The mime is very two dimensional and limited - the work isn't terribly complex, its true, but the complete lack of subtle skill quickly becomes wearing. It's very cute, but cute doesn't quite cut it for a full length entertainment. One wonders if there was an awareness of that, as the third act is cut, much of the score with it.

This might make a fine introduction to ballet for interested children - it is colorful and young people love to see other young people perform - but adult ballet lovers will likely find its charms limited."

A Very Interesting Coppelia And A Great Documentary!

J. M WILINSKY | teaneck, NJ United States | 03/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Coppelia is one of my favorite classical ballets and this is a very fine and interesting two act version. It is specially choreographed for the students of the Paris Opera Ballet School. They are not too young(teenagers) and dance quite well. As you may know, Ganio went on to become one of the POB's great stars. I was especially intrigued by the fact that the choreography is not only interesting, but also age appropriate. It is designed to prevent injury to the young dancers. The best thing about this dvd is actually the wonderful, full-length documentary about the ballet school. It shows very technical details of the dance classes and focuses on the very fine teachers there, including some illustrious visiting teachers, such as Elizabeth Platel(she later became the director of the school after her mandatory retirement at the age of forty from performing with the POB). If you love ballet documentaries, don't pass this one up--this is one of my favorites!"

Student production met expectations

C. J. Fullmer | 07/29/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased this DVD knowing it was a student production and that it would not likely stand up to the Australian version I own. The dancers are very technical and clean and they smile a lot. Sometimes too much. I was disappointed in the dancer's lack of commitment to the acting and miming in this ballet. The comedic aspects of this story are what make it so delightful and fun to watch and the students in this production just didn't quite have that required aspect down.

The first and second acts are the only ones presented in this DVD, the third act being completely cut. I do not recommend this performance of Coppelia for anyone who has previous experience with this story. But it is technically clean and the young dancers will obviously go on to have wonderful careers in the dance world. They just aren't quite there yet. The costumes and scenery are lovely and for a student production it is done well.

There is also a brief documentary included on this DVD about the Paris Opera Ballet School. I found parts of that very interesting, but for anyone who has seen "Children of Theatre Street" it is similar in many ways."