Coppélia’s Franz and Swanilda are roles traditionally given to ballet stars on the rise. Lana Jones and Daniel Gaudiello are not playing the trouble-making pair together on stage but, as newlyweds, they’ll be sharing notes after hours. Franz is Daniel’s first full-length performance in a classic three-act ballet. And, for Lana, Swanilda is a role most ballerinas only dream of dancing. Jessica Thomson caught up with Lana and Daniel while they were preparing for two of ballet’s most iconic roles.
Q&A with Daniel Gaudiello
Do you feel this is something of a breakthrough role for you – your first full-length lead in one of the classics?
That’s right, it will be. It’ll be a great challenge. And I don’t know if it’ll be too much for me but I should be fine because it’s not as huge as some of the other ballets, I hope! You know, there are some ballets where you’re ‘on’ all the time, but I think this ballet might be a good step – a platform to get to the big stuff.
What are you looking forward to most about playing Franz?
Everything about it: putting myself into a three-act ballet for starters, and carrying the show. I’m looking forward to getting into the character and taking the audience on Franz’ journey. I’m going to enjoy the dancing, because it feels really nice on the body. And I’m going to enjoy the character in the second act; I go to town on the character. I really look forward to the acting. I guess that’s why I dance – to be a new character every day is fun.
Even though you’re not dancing with Lana, what’s it like to share the experience of both being cast in these roles for the first time (well, in a professional sense anyway!)?
It’s great to be in the same boat and, yeah, we can share experiences. It’s nice to dance together, but when we dance apart it’s almost easier because you’re leaving work at work, and when you come home it’s not like, ‘My partner was crap … Oh! You’re my partner!’
So we’re in a really good place. And we’re just happy to be doing these roles because they’re our dreams; what we wished we were doing all our lives, and now we’re at that point it’s exciting.
I think I’m going to have to try and keep it feeling easy. If I can go out there, do my best and have a bit of fun with the people on stage and make sure the audience is laughing and having fun, well, then I’ve done my job.
Q&A with Lana Jones
Are you excited about performing this role?
It’s definitely a role you want to do. You want to be able to say, ‘I’ve done Swanilda in Coppélia’, definitely.
What are you looking forward to most about playing Swanilda?
I think the vivacity of it, and I think she’s going to be a fun character. There’s lots of dancing in it too, which is really nice and always fun and challenging.
Yes, it would be quite a test of stamina I’d imagine.
Yeah, I know! It looks like it’s just all fun and games …
Which former Swanildas have you admired in the role? Has there been a particular interpretation that you’ve really loved?
Well, at the beginning of the year we saw the full company perform Coppélia on DVD, and we watched Lisa Pavane do it and she was absolutely beautiful; definitely a good person to look up to.
Even though you’re not dancing with Daniel, what’s it been like to share the experience of being cast in these roles for the first time?
It’s really exciting for Daniel because it’s a full-length, and even though he’s doing The Silver Rose, which is also a full-length work, it’s his first classic three-act, full-length ballet. It’s really exciting to share that with him. It was so exciting to see him cast with Madeleine Eastoe because she’s a beautiful dancer, and it’s a great privilege for Daniel to be with someone like that, of her calibre. I’m dancing Coppélia with Kevin Jackson, which I’m really looking forward to.
What will you do to prepare for the role?
Go to toyshops!
Coppélia plays in Sydney from 4 – 22 May and Melbourne from 10 – 22 June
Images: Artists of The Australian Ballet in Coppélia. Photography by Gaica Branco.
One of the reasons I’m really looking forward to seeing Coppelia is that the story was in one of my “Great Stories from the Ballet” books when I was little. I pulled the book out again when my daughter danced a solo from Coppelia some years ago, and discovered that it is set in Galicia, which, funnily enough, is the area of Poland that my husband’s family comes from!
(And for a change, my daughter’s coming with me to see the ballet this time around, just BECAUSE she did her first solo competition from it!)
I am looking forward to see Coppelia at the Opera House on Monday! I love the cheekiness of the characters and the folk/national dance of Czardas and Mazurkas in Act I
Dr. Coppelius always does great acting! Can’t wait!
Just got home from Coppelia in Sydney – what magic on the stage tonight!!! Reiko and Tzu-Chao have a clear chemistry, to add to their flawless techniques and spectacular acting ability. Wonderful show, can’t wait for round two next week
Little wonder I enjoy Coppelia – the characters, the story, the dancing, the costumes, the music, the colour; the whole spectacle. I did not know Coppelia was set in Poland. (Thanks Jen). At the time the Opera House first opened I was a member of a Polish Folkloric Ensemble and we were luckly enough, along with many others, to participate in the opening ceremonies. Our dancing teacher/artistic director (a professional from Poland), however, would never let us perform a Mazurka, as he beleived we were not yet ready. We thought otherwise. After seeing Coppelia I now truly understand!!
Pingback: Comment of the month: June | Behind Ballet