Preview of "Coppélia" in Stamford and Hartford

Connecticut Ballet to Present the Enchanting Classic

COPPÉLIA

May 6 & 7 at Palace Theatre/Stamford May 20 & 21 at The Bushnell/Hartford

Hartford, CT - Connecticut Ballet celebrates the close of its 42nd season with a sparkling production of the beloved classic Coppélia. Directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Brett Raphael, this enchanting story of a young woman's adventures in a magical toy workshop will come to life with all-new costumes and sets. A family-friendly ballet suitable for all ages, Coppélia will be performed at the The Palace Theatre in Stamford, CT on May 6 and 7 and at The Belding Theater at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT on May 20 and 21. Tickets are on sale now for both engagements.

About Coppélia

The colorful and comedic storybook fantasy Coppélia, featuring a score by Léo Delibes and a libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter, made its debut in 1870 on the stage of the legendary Paris Opéra where it became the most successful ballet in the company's history. Coppelia follows a young girl, Swanhilda, and her escapades inside the toy workshop of the mysterious Dr. Coppélius. With colorful national dances from Poland and Hungary, this family-friendly ballet culminates with the famous 'Waltz of the Hours and the wedding of Swanhilda and her sweetheart, Franz.

This revival of Connecticut Ballet's 2010 production of Coppélia will feature Carla Hernandez and Nicole Fedorov alternating the role of Swanhilda and Jafet Reinoso and Kaitaro Kodama alternating the role of Franz. The cast will feature artists drawn from Connecticut Ballet's company as well as students drawn Connecticut Ballet Center, the company's affiliated dance school. Children from local dance companies in Stamford and Hartford will round out the sparkling cast of this fun production.

Brett Raphael states, "Three years ago, Carla Hernandez arrived from Miami to begin working on Swanhilda in advance of what was our then-scheduled May 2020 production of Coppélia. It was cancelled and so were her preparations for the role. Since then, Carla has now appeared with Connecticut Ballet in six company productions and two Digital Dance Series presentations during the pandemic. She and Nicole Fedorov, who has been with us since 2016, will be debuting as principal dancers in their first full-length Connecticut Ballet production. I can't wait for Hartford and Stamford audiences to get to experience the results of their hard work."

Tickets for the Saturday, May 6 at 7:30pm and Sunday, May 7 at 2pm performances at The Palace Theatre (61 Atlantic Street, Stamford) are $50 to $75 (plus ticketing fees) and can be purchased by visiting PalaceStamford.org or by calling (203) 325-4466. Tickets for the Saturday, May 20 at 7:30pm and Sunday, May 21 at 2pm performances at The Bushnell (166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford) are $58 to $76 (plus ticketing fees) and can be purchased by visiting Bushnell.org or by calling (860) 987-5900.

Both performances are fully accessible for people with limited mobility. Discounted group rates of 20% off are available for parties of 10. For more information, call Connecticut Ballet at (860) 293-1039, (203) 964-1211 or visit connecticutballet.org.

Currently celebrating its 42nd season, Connecticut Ballet is a nationally-recognized, professional company headquartered in Hartford and Stamford under the leadership of Founder and Artistic Director Brett Raphael. With a repertoire of over one hundred ballets (including eight full-length productions) performed in annual seasons at The Bushnell and The Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut Ballet’s statewide Center for Dance Education offers a comprehensive educational program which includes school assemblies, outreach classes at residential treatment facilities, schools and community centers, professional development workshops for classroom teachers, and a Trainee Program for pre-professional ballet dancers.Visit connecticutballet.org.

Brett Raphael, Artistic Director and Founder of Connecticut Ballet, has choreographed more than 20 original works and ten full-length productions since founding Connecticut Ballet in 1981. At age ten, Mr. Raphael was chosen by George Balanchine to receive a Ford Foundation scholarship to the School of American Ballet. He subsequently performed with the touring ensemble, Stars of American Ballet and choreographed independently for Boston Ballet, Netherlands Dans Theater and Joffrey II Dancers. In addition to directing Connecticut Ballet Center, Mr. Raphael has served on the faculties of Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Harkness House in New York City, and Purchase College Division of Continuing Education. He has served as dance panelist for the New Jersey State Council and Pennsylvania Council for the Arts and is past President of Connecticut Dance Alliance.