Synopsis:
In the house of Don Magnifico, Angelina, known as Cinderella, lives with the two daughters of her step-father, the Baron. Cinderella is treated as a servant and humiliated by all but her luck begins to turn when a ball is announced at which Prince Ramiro will choose a wife.

From beginning to end this champagne production sparkles with good humor, radiant performances and exciting music.

Rossini composed comic operas of the bel canto repertoire, which were very popular in the first half of the 19th century. Rossini’s music was sparkling, inventive, Mozartian, and the vocal lines of his operas were showcases for tenors and sopranos of the day. Rossini popularized comedy in opera. It was his Barber Of Seville that began a tradition that is still strong to this very day. Of his many comic, bubbly, light comedies, Rossini’s La Cenerentola, "Cinderella" is his most mature comedy. It becomes romantic. Worth noting is the music, with its measure of witty tunes and sophisticated melodrama.

The opera begins with Cinderella and her stepsisters talking about the ball the prince is having in which he is to find a suitable wife. Cinderella sings her opening aria "Un volto di un re" which comically presents her as a daydreaming, naive, young woman, whose hope is she will find true love with the prince, despite the obvious class differences. After her transformation into a beautiful young woman, Cinderella attends the ball and captures he admiration of the prince. In this element, Cinderella becomes a romantic heroine of bel canto opera- strong, independent, forgiving, loving. She forgives her stepsisters for their cruelty and marries the Prince in a happy ceremony. The ending is one of Rossini’s most dynamic. The familiar fairy tale has a romantic, comic twist, entertaining and engaging as drama.