New York City Ballet Matinee: Coppélia

Considered one of the greatest comedic ballets of the 19th Century, Coppélia premiered in Saratoga in 1974 and was co-commissioned by SPAC. Choreographed by George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova after Marius Petipa, it has remained one of the best-loved classical works in the ballet repertory. Called one of the “happiest ballets in existence,” it tells the story of an eccentric inventor and the lifelike doll he creates. The work is visually stunning, with storybook sets and a cast of dancing children. The music of Coppélia links two great historical periods of ballet — the French Romantic style and the Russian Classical style.