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Act l Prelude Scene 1 Episode 1. Morning Paris The square before the Paris Opera is living its usual, everyday life. Artists are hurrying to the morning rehearsal. Lucien, a budding composer, makes for the Theatre accompanied by his friends. Heis full of hope and dreams of having his works produced on this illustrious stage... Lucien goes up to the director, but the latter gives him the brush off. His friends advise him to persist and,picking up his courage, Lucien goes through the hallowed door.
Episode 2. The Paris Opera Ballet Foyer A rehearsal is in progress — the dancers are doing the morning exercise. The lesson is twice interrupted by the appearance of the ballerinas, Florine and Coralie, accompanied by their patrons —Camusot, who finances the Theatre, and the Duke, who is a social bon vivant. They represent, as it were, two competing parties: Camusot supports Coralie, the Duke — Florine, her rival.
A nervous Lucien enters the room. Under the curious eyes of those present the composer becomes flustered, but begs permission to perform one of his works. Lucien begins to play — at first timidly,then with greater feeling. However, his listeners do not take to his passionate music, full of romantic aspiration. The groups of guests and dancers who, initially, had gathered round the composer,start to melt away. The outcome becomes clear — for the Theatre Director is bound to abide by the opinions of his all-powerful patrons. Lucien’s hopes are shattered. Desperate, his spirits in hisboots, he is about to leave, when he is stopped by Coralie. She had been profoundly moved by his music. Making use of her influence with Camusot and the Director, Coralie obtains a commission forLucien: he is to write the music for La Sylphide, a ballet specially created for Coralie.
Scene 2 Lucien’s room Lucien is struggling over the composition of his ballet. Enter Coralie. Her appearance inspires the composer, in her he acquires his Muse. The main theme of the future ballet is found. Inspirationand love uniting forces, give birth to the music.
Scene 3 Back stage at the Paris Opera Premiere of the ballet La Sylphide. Lucien is on tenterhooks: how will the public react to his debut? Scenes from the ballet develop in his imagination. In place of the Youth, a romantic insearch of happiness, he sees himself. The romantic scene of the avowal of love unfolds, bathed in elegic tones: separation is inevitable. The Sylphide must vanish — terrestrial love is forbidden forher. Slipping away as lightly as a dream, she flies off...
The premiere is a resounding success. All applaud the young composer and Sylphide-Coralie. Florine is full of envy, the Duke shares her sentiments.
Act 2 Scene 4 Coralie’s room Coralie is happy with her Lucien. The success of La Sylphide has brought them fame and love. The lovers would be totally happy were it not for the fact that everything in her home remindsCoralie that she is not free, it all belongs to her protector the banker.
Camusot turns up unexpectedly. Vexed because he is not admitted for such a long time, the banker suspects Coralie of infidelity. Coralie tries in vain to pass off Lucien’s top hat, which Camusot hasdiscovered, as part of her concert costume. Not wishing to lie, Lucien appears from the hiding place Coralie had found for him. All that remains for Camusot to do is to make his exit. The banker,however, is confident that life will again deliver Coralie into his hands.
Coralie and Lucien are as happy as can be: it is as if a terrible load has fallen from their shoulders — they are free.
Scene 5 The Duke’s Palace Forgetting their recent rivalry, Camusot and the Duke are united by their wish to subdue Lucien to their will, make him their obedient pawn. Their plot is simple: they will get the young man intotheir power by dazzling him with the bait of glamorous fame and money and force him to write a ballet for Florine. Florine hands Lucien an invitation for a ball at the Duke’s palace.
Masked ball at the Duke’s palace. Enter Lucien. He has changed — tail coat, white gloves, blase gestures. In the mad whirl of the masquerade, surrounded by beautiful women and elegant men, the youngman loses his head. Lucien pursues an unknown woman wearing the Sylphide costume and tears off her mask — it is Florine, he is defenceless before her charm. At the Duke’s invitation, Lucien takes hisseat at the card table and starts playing: everything has been arranged so that luck is with him. The pile of gold at his side grows bigger and bigger, and the force of an unknown passion clouds hisreason. All his hopes have come true: Paris is at his feet; money, women, fame — all are his. At a tense moment in the game, Florine appears.