Havana, September 18 (ACN-RHC)-- Cuba's National Ballet Company (BNC), directed by prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, is slated to take part in the Cultural Fall Season of the Annual Arts Festival in Yucatan, Mexico.

The renowned ballet company will present 'Coppélia' at the Manzanero Theater of Merida on September 22nd and 23rd. This beautiful version of the original by Arthur Saint-Leon is based on two stories by German E.T.A. Hoffmann.

Leading roles will involve Viengsay Valdes, Amaya Rodriguez, Victor Estevez, Adrian Molina, Feliz Rodriguez and Ernesto Diaz, accompanied by the corps of ballet, according to a report by the BNC.

Coppélia, one of the most famous pieces of the traditional ballet repertoire, was premiered on May 25, 1870, at the Paris Opera (Theater Imperial l'Opera at the time).

Coppélia is the story of an inventor, Dr Coppelius, who has made a human-size dancing doll. It is so lifelike that Franz, a village swain, becomes infatuated with it and abandons his girl friend, Swanhilde. She shows him his folly by dressing as the doll, pretending to make it come to life and ultimately saving him from an untimely end at the hands of the inventor.