Propelled by soaring melodies, laced with humor both subtle and broad, La Cenerentola is an opera for all ages—but it’s no fairy tale. In fact, Rossini and his librettist, Jacopo Ferretti, managed to tell the tale without a hint of magic. This is a Cinderella for the Age of Reason. No mice turn into coachmen. No pumpkin turns into a coach. There’s no fairy godmother. And, as your students will discover, there’s not even a telltale glass slipper.
The story is less about magic and more about human nature. The opera, as a result, transcends its roots as a children’s tale in its humane and realistic approach, making the title heroine’s transformation one of character rather than stereotype. It gives its prince genuine reason to fall in love with Cinderella—and unlike some more familiar versions, it makes Cinderella an agent of her own fate. The Met: Live in HD transmission will bring your students all the comedy, pathos, and beauty of Rossini’s work. This guide is designed to enrich their enjoyment of La Cenerentola and to help them look beyond the great fun to what proves, deceptively, to be an opera of ideas.
The synopsis can be found here.