One of Southwest Florida’s premier ballet companies is back with a charming, comedic masterpiece about an eccentric toymaker and the beautiful life size doll he creates. On May 3, Gulfshore Ballet will perform “Coppélia,” in which that doll comes to life, enchanting an entire European town during its Festival of Bells. Artistic Director Iliana Lopez explains why Gulfshore Ballet decided to produce this ballet for the first time.
“It’s a ballet that I used to love dancing,” said Lopez. “It is a ballet that is good for the whole family to come and see it because it does have a lot of technical demands and choreography, but there’s no princesses, there’s no kings, there’s no queens. It’s what happens in a small town in the 18th century in Europe and, of course, it has a love story behind it. It’s a love story of Swanilda and Frantz.”
When Frantz becomes infatuated with the doll, Swanilda dresses in the doll’s clothing and everyone, including Frantz, thinks the doll has come to life. One of the ballet’s most poignant moments occurs when the toymaker realizes the truth.
“For me, when I used to dance it, it was very sad when I brought that doll out because the whole time he’s thinking, yeah, he did a great magic spell on the doll and she finally came to life and, no, he realizes at the end of the day that she’s just a doll,” Lopez said.
The story does have a happy ending, but that’s just one reason the audiences love this ballet.
“They will really enjoy this ballet because it does have a lot of charm and humor and it’s a love story at the end of the day,” Lopez said.
“Coppélia” is at the Tribby Arts Center in Shell Point on Saturday, May 3.
The 7 p.m. performance is open to the public, but seating is limited. So make your reservations now.
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“Coppélia” is a sojourn into the misadventures of the spirited Swanilda, her foolish sweetheart Frantz, and mad inventor Dr. Coppélius. With lively characters, a case of mistaken identity, and a bright orchestral score, Coppelia is a “story ballet done to perfection.”
“This is the first time we present ‘Coppelia’ to our audiences,” said Artistic Director Iliana Lopez. “It has beautiful choreography and beautiful music. Franklin and I did all the choreography, of course after Marius Petipa.”
It also has an element of intrigue.
“Dr. Coppélius is a very intriguing, mysterious type of man,” Lopez noted. “No one knows he’s a toymaker. He creates this life-size doll and names her Coppélia. In act one, he sits Coppélia in his balcony and she is so lifelike that everybody in the town, especially Frantz, thinks she’s a real person. Swanilda becomes very jealous of this beautiful girl sitting up in the balcony because she thinks the doll is throwing kisses to Frantz.”
Zoila Pena is Swanilda. Frantz will be danced by Kaique Barbosa.
Pena and Barbosa will be complemented by Lopez’s large entourage of ballet students, with Franklin Gamero playing Dr. Coppélius.
In addition to a “very cute story,” lush musical score and high-caliber dancing, Gulfshore Ballet’s production of “Coppélia” is distinguished by amazing sets and costumes.
“There’s a lot of sets,” said Lopez. “There’s a lot of props. There are two big houses on stage. Act two is inside Dr. Coppélius’ house, so it’s filled with mechanical dolls and, of course, its dancers taking the life of these dolls.”
Gulfshore Ballet utilizes projections in this production as well.
“So the backdrop, instead of being an actual backdrop, is going to be a projection of a town,” Lopez noted. “But the intricate part is that the act one and three, the doll is sitting up in a balcony, so we had to build the actual house, and then Swanilda comes in and out of her own house in many sections of the ballet, so we had to build that house as well.”
Zoila Pena joined Gulfshore Ballet as a principal in October of 2024. Lopez “discovered” her on Instagram, where she posted stills, poses and reels of her dancing.
Over the course of her career, Lopez has developed a remarkable eye for talent. She danced in Berlin and Dusseldorf and became a principal at Miami City Ballet for more than 17 years before becoming a ballet instructor. In the latter capacity, she is also exposed to talented dancers when she’s invited to judge ballet competitions.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, this girl is so talented, I need to help her come to the United States,” recalled Lopez.
At the time, Pena was residing and performing in Venezuela.
“I know things in my country are not doing well at all, and my husband and I wanted to help her, so we are our sponsors,” Lopez explained. “We brought her here under parole.”
Venezuela has no embassy, which makes it extremely difficult to obtain a visa to the United States. But Lopez and Gamera persisted.
“It took us a year and a half for us to bring her here, but we are happy that she’s here and she’s doing so well.”
In just six months, Pena has appeared in the lead in “Carmen,” “The Nutcracker” and, most recently, “Sleeping Beauty” in the Wang Opera Center during Opera Naples Festival Under the Stars.
In January, she took first place as a soloist in the Miami International Ballet Competition. She also earned first place and the gold medal in the pas de deux division, which is dancing with a partner.
“We’re very proud,” said Lopez of Pena’s accomplishments. “This is a competition that is tough. The judging panel consisted of principal dancers from American Ballet Theatre, from Ballet West, from Hong Kong, Singapore and other places, including Europe. So we hope everybody comes to see her beautiful talent.”
Along with the gold medal she received at the Miami International competition, Pena received a contract as a principal dancer from Richmond Ballet.
“She’s going to be joining that company but coming back to perform with Gulfshore Ballet whenever we need her,” Lopez noted.
Lopez also referenced the achievements of two of Gulfshore Ballet’s students, Madelena Urban and Kayla Rathur.
“Two weeks ago, they won second place at the Universal Ballet Competition, and they’ll be dancing soloist roles in ‘Coppélia.' Madelena and Kayla. We’re very proud of them too.”
For more on Gulfshore Ballet, hear/read on WGCU: "Combining professional company with school, Gulfshore Ballet promises 'Sleeping Beauty' will be something special."
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.