The story of Coppélia concerns a young man's passion for a beautiful girl who turns out to be a mechanical doll, the invention of the wily Dr. Coppelius. The theme is one which recurs frequently in popular mythology (Frankenstein, Pinocchio, Golem) - that of a created being who is more beautiful, more perfect, more tantalising than any human counterpart. Marin transposes the piece from its original rustic setting to a modern, run-down, urban environment and adds a new twist to the story.