Coppél-i.A

The choreographer has created no fewer than three "grand format" narrative ballets, each an exploration of what it means to be human, through fantastical creatures.   

Coppél-i.A. takes us into the near future where two young lovers, Frantz and Swanilda, discover carnal passions in a society that demands ever more conformity. Just as Frantz and Swanhilda begin to discover their erotic feelings, an artificial being enters their lives and throws their certainties into doubt. Is the ideal partner the flesh and blood person we have always known, or the abstract figure who makes us question our humanity?

"The idea of creating a ballet around Coppélia came in 2016 but "la Fille aux yeux d'émail" ("The Girl with Enamel Eyes") had been in my mind long before that... I was actually quite ambivalent about it, as while I was truly fascinated by the story of a young man falling in love with a robot, I found the pronounced romanticism of the original ballet off-putting. Then I had the idea of revisiting the score to put a new twist on this classic with a more modern narration: the story of the two young lovers whose love would be cast into doubt by the appearance of an artificial intelligence. I have always had a deep respec for music and composers, and so it was with some apprehension that I prepared to commit this sacrilege. But the narrative angle of my ballet helped me to take the plunge.... Artificial intelligence has worked its way so far into our everyday life that many things no longer seem as sacred. They have become, if not dispensable, then at least replaceable, without the sky falling in.  And thus the music of Coppelia was "genetically" modified. - Jean Christophe Maillot

The wind of classical dance is blowing through Monaco once more, bringing with it a flurry of performances, each one an invitation to let go and dream!