Leo Delibes, immortal composer of ballet
He was born on 21 February 1836 in Saint-Germain. He studied piano, organ, harmonium and composition at the Paris Conservatoire from the age of 12. In 1870, he presented the comic ballet "Coppelia" to the public. It is by the French composer Leo Delibes.
Leo Delibes established his compositional skills early on, writing a series of remarkable polkas and mazurkas. He studied composition under Adolphe Adam, creator of the ballet Giselle, who encouraged him to write ballet and opera music.
His first important work was the ballet "The Spring", followed by "Coppélia", which brought him his consecration. The premiere of the ballet-copépépera, considered one of the classic models of the choreographic genre, took place at the Théâtre Imperial of the Paris Opera on 25 May 1870.
More than a century after its premiere, the Coppélia ballet continues to attract public interest and has been performed in many theatres around the world. In the libretto, based on Hoffmann's fairy tale "The Sandman", the central hero, Coppélius, a mysterious old man, leads an isolated life building mechanical dolls. He lives in the hope that one day he will be able to make them come to life.
Young Swanilda enters the craftsman's workshop and takes the place of the most beautiful doll. Pretending to react to the magic formulas Coppélius tries, she makes him believe that his dream has come true. The whole score, full of French wit, is written with verve and grace for this subject full of fantasy and humour. Through the suggestive power of the music, Léo Delibes creates the psychological portrait of the characters.
