At the beginning of the ballet, Swanhilda is depicted as a life-giving force as she eagerly opens her curtains and cares for her plants. In contrast, Franz comes across as slightly dim but adorable. Ratmansky gives him more dancing than usual in traditional versions, and Andrijashenko skillfully conveys both irrepressible exuberance and a “poor-me-I-am-just-a-man” sulkiness.
Ratmansky’s storytelling is clearer and more logical than most “Coppelia” versions, integrating Swanhilda, Franz, and their friends into the village dances and dramatic action. Swanhilda is fully aware of Franz’s flaws and shows her love for him while also making it clear that he is in her bad books. The ensemble dances of the villagers, such as the mazurka and czardas, are earthy and convincing as folk dances, depicting vigorous stamping jumps and lively movements.
Dr. Coppelius is portrayed as bad-tempered and obsessively focused on his mechanical creations, with an atmospheric mad-scientist lair in Act 2. The dolls inside his house move with jerky and convincing limitation, and Coppelia, portrayed by Ludovica di Pasquale, includes a brilliant, staccato mime sequence invented by Ratmansky.
Ratmansky integrates mime and gesture into the dance, allowing the steps themselves to tell the story. The movement becomes a pure embodiment of the music, such as Coppelius laughing with glee as Coppelia comes to life.