Léo Delibes

This young student will do whatever it takes to become the world's best ballet dancer: the Danseur noble!

Starring the exquisite coloratura soprano Emma Matthews as the innocent girl priestess Lakmé, and superb tenor Aldo Di Toro as the love-struck Gerald, the story tackles religion and cross-cultural love against a backdrop of British rule in India in the mid-19th century. French conductor Emmanuel Joel-Hornak brings out the full depth of the lush, dramatic score, with familiar high points being the beautiful renditions of the well-known Flower duet and Bell Song. Dominica Matthews adds her rich voice as Mallika and Stephen Bennett is darkly dominating as Brahmin priest Nilakantha, Lakmés father, while Roxane Hislop is a consumate Mistress Bentson. Set and costume designs by Mark Thompson fill the stage with rich colour, atmosphere and exoticism, complemented by Nigel Levings warm lighting. This restudied production, originally conceived by Adam Cook, is skilfully directed by Roger Hodgman.

Claire, a young woman visits an old friend to relieve her heartache.

At the Opéra National de Bordeaux, the curtain rises on a dazzling new production of Le Corsaire by the marvelous José Carlos Martínez, brought to life by the opera’s ballet company and the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine. The ballet follows the epic tale of daring pirate Conrad, who falls in love with the beautiful Medora and sets out to rescue her from captivity. Brimming with romance, adventure, and fantasy, the performance features Martínez's dynamic choreography inspired by Marius Petipa’s classic work. Drawing on Lord Byron’s eponymous poem, the libretto by Jules-Henry Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Joseph Mazilier is beautifully matched by the expressive and stirring musical score of Adam, Delibes, Drigo, and Pugni.

Peggy Van Praagh directs Coppélia, a ballet by Arthur Saint-Léon inspired by Hoffmann’s haunting short story The Sandman. The story narrates the adventures of Swanilda (played by the sublime Ako Kondo) and Franz (the majestic Chengwu Guo), two lovers put to the test by the magician Dr. Coppelius, a manufacturer of automaton dolls. In Van Praagh’s production, Franz falls under the spell of Coppélia, the daughter of the ill-intentioned Coppelius. Swanilda manages to save her fiancé from a sinister fate, and the two lovers marry and seal their union with a tender pas de deux. The magnificent décor of the Sydney Opera House, the sumptuous costumes by Kristian Fredrikson, and the highly theatrical nature of the ballet and the music by Léo Delibes make it easy to be swept away into this magical world!

MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient Ratmansky, "the most significant classical choreographer of the current era" (The Guardian), is the former artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet and, having left Russia in protest following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, current artist in residence of the New York City Ballet. His production of Coppélia, a longtime repertoire favorite with sumptuous music by Léo Delibes and based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Sandman, features the celebrated corps de ballet of La Scala in never-before-seen sets and costumes by Jérôme Kaplan.

Darcey Bussell and Roberto Bolle star in Frederick Ashton's Sylvia, restored to the splendour of its elegant and opulent three-act form for the 75th anniversary celebrations of The Royal Ballet. With origins in Greek mythology, Sylvia was loved by Aminta, abducted by Orion and eventually rescued by Eros. Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 1st and 5th December 2005.

Troubled and alone, a boxer moves in with his long-lost mother and autistic pianist brother — but must fit in with a family he hasn't known for years.

This interpretation of Coppélia is set in a cybernetic laboratory specialised in artificial intelligence, where Doctor Coppélius is attempting to create a female android that moves and acts like a human. Against a backdrop of futuristic sets the Víctor Ullate Ballet clothes this classic in a new, bouncy and colourful fairytale wardrobe. Recorded live at the Opera Royal du Chateau de Versailles, 2013.

Fauns, dryads and shepherds: such is the bucolic world inhabited by Sylvia, the nymph of Diana, goddess of the hunt. Compelled to remain chaste, will she have to renounce her love for Aminta, just as Diana had to sacrifice her passion for Endymion? Originally conceived by Louis Mérante, Sylvia was the first ballet to be performed at the newly-opened Palais Garnier in 1876, but it is the version by Manuel Legris that is making its repertoire debut.

This delightful ballet tells the story of Dr Coppelius, an eccentric toymaker, who attempts to bring life to his beautiful doll Coppélia. He is foiled by the mischevious Swanilda, who masquerades as Coppélia and saves her love, Franz, from the Doctor's magic. Performed by the Kirov Ballet.

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Swanhilda notices her fiancee Franz is infatuated with the beautiful Coppélia who sits reading on her balcony each day. Nearly breaking up the two sweethearts, Coppélia is not what she seems and Swanhilda decides to teach Franz a lesson… The Bolshoi’s unique version of Coppélia exhibits a fascinating reconstruction of the original 19th century choreography of this ebullient comedy involving a feisty heroine, a boyish fiancee with a wandering eye, and an old dollmaker. The company’s stunning corps de ballet shines in the divertissements and famous “dance of the hours,” and its principals abound in youthful energy and irresistible humor in this effervescent production.

To mark the centennial of professional ballet in Lithuania, Léo Delibes’s masterpiece *Coppélia* is making a grand return to the stage of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Vilnius in a production directed by Martynas Rimeikis.

Presented by the Atlanta Ballet in 2018. Long ago, a handsome young Prince lived in a magnificent castle. Though he enjoyed a life of riches, he was rude and unkind to his subjects. One fateful day, an old beggar woman approached him. Because his heart was cold, the selfish Prince turned the poor woman away. To the Prince’s surprise, the woman then transformed into a beautiful enchantress. She put a curse on the Prince for his ugly behavior, turning him into an equally ugly beast. The Enchantress’ curse could only be broken by one thing – a true love’s kiss.

In this joyful version, a beautiful mechanical doll interferes with the happiness of two lovers. Original choreography by Marius Petita. New version by Sergei Vikharev. Music by Leo Delibes. Live performance 29 May 2011.

Actor Milan lost his job and is trying unsuccessfully to find new employment. He is struggling to support his large family, while his wife Karolína, the wife of a business tycoon, longs in vain for at least one child. Their paths cross when she is looking for a donor of high-quality sperm and Milan is still unemployed...

This delightful ballet tells the story of Dr Coppelius, an eccentric toymaker, who attempts to bring life to his beautiful doll Coppélia. He is foiled by the mischevious Swanilda, who masquerades as Coppélia and saves her love, Franz, from the Doctor's magic. Recorded live at the Sydney Opera House, this acclaimed production by Dame Peggy van Praagh, the founding Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet, is a triumph.

Opera Australia's 1976 production of Lakmé, an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes, with a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. Set in India during the British Raj, the story focuses on Lakmé, the daughter of a Hindu priest. Lakmé's life is troubled by her infatuation with a British officer.