La Cenerentola
CENERENTOLA: A Live Fairy Tale
Gioachino Rossini | Opera in Two Acts
Sung in Italian | Running time to be announced
A live film event by Andrea Andermann, shot live on location in Turin, Italy
September 9 & 11
Cenerentola: A Live Fairy Tale, a stunning new film-opera event from producer Andrea Andermann, has
been called “A kaleidoscopic fairytale suspended between Mozart and Disney with a hint of noir” by La
Repubblica. Watch as Rossini’s jubilant take on the story of Cinderella unfolds in real castles and
ballrooms in Europe, and through lush, never-bef0re-seen animation. Starring Lena Belkina as
Cenerentola.
VIDEO CLIPS AVAILABLE HERE: http://static.emergingpictures.biz/videos/cenerentola.html
Cast
Cenerentola Lena Belkina
Don Ramiro Edgardo Rocha
Tisbe Annunziata Vestri
Clorinda Anna Kasyan
Don Magnifico Carlo Lepore
Dandini Simone Alberghini
Alindoro Lorenzo Regazzo
Creative
Director Carlo Verdone
Music Gioachino Rossini
Cinematography Ennio Guarnieri
Conductor Gianluigi Gelmetti
Choirmaster Emanuela Di Pietro
Animation Annalisa Corsi, Maurizio Forestieri
Choreography Paolo Mohovich
Designer and Producer Andrea Andermann
Coro Maghini, Balletto dell’Esperia, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale Rai
Recorded June 3 & 4, 2012
PRAISE
"A kaleidoscopic fairytale suspended between Mozart and Disney with a hint of noir… It is a beautiful live
fairytale with the music of Rossini" - La Repubblica
"Cinderella epic fairytale that enchants live on TV. A masterpiece of a thousand faces" - La Repubblica"The marvelous music of Rossini, a perfect company of singers, fascinating locations" - Corriere della Sera
"This beautiful Cinderella makes for beautiful opera on TV. This Cinderella alone justifies the entire
annual TV license" - La Stampa
"The animation of Cinderella is a masterpiece of elegance, culture and technical graphics" - L'Unità
PROGRAM NOTE
The fairy tale Cinderella, which inspired Gioachino Rossini’s opera, was published by Charles Perrault in
1697 as Cendrillon ou La petite pantoufle de verre (Cinderella or The small crystal slipper). Many of the
familiar figures from the fairy tale and the Disney film, such as the fairy godmother, the ball, the curfew at
midnight, etc., were not incorporated into the opera for a number of reasons. Rossini and librettist
Giacomo Ferretti made the slipper a bracelet instead, because Roman censorship laws did not permit a
woman’s bare foot to play such a central role. Another reason different traditional Cinderella story
elements were omitted is because the work was written so quickly – Ferretti wrote the libretto in 22 days,
and Rossini wrote the music in 24 days. This performance, shot live on-location in the Italian countryside,
is a new interpretation that combines influences from many different versions of the Cinderella tale that
came before it – and includes some of those traditional Cinderella elements that Rossini initially didn’t
have time to include!
SYNOPSIS
ACT 1 Cenerentola (Cinderella) is forced to work in the run-down house of her evil stepfather, Don
Magnifico. When a beggar comes to the door, Cenerentola’s mean stepsisters reject him, but Cenerentola
shows him kindness. Prince Ramiro arrives, disguised as his own valet, so that he might observe the
ladies. He sees that Cenerentola is truly kind, while her sisters fawn over his valet Dandini (who is
disguised as the Prince). After they depart, Alindoro arrives in disguise and offers to accompany
Cenerentola to the ball. At the palace, Dandini (still assuming the guise of the Prince) tells Ramiro that the
stepsisters are cruel, and they prove it when they are rude to the disguised Ramiro. A veiled Cenerentola
arrives with much fanfare.
ACT 2 Magnifico is concerned that the mysterious beauty will wreck his daughters’ chance with the
prince. Dandini declares his love for Cenerentola, but she politely declines and says that she loves the
valet. Ramiro emerges and returns her love. Cenerentola gives him a bracelet and says, “if you really love
me, you’ll find my by this bracelet,” and inexplicably vanishes. Encouraged by Alindoro, Ramiro starts his
hunt for Cenerentola. Back at Magnifico’s house, Cenerentola is dressed in rags again. Dandini and
Ramiro arrive. Ramiro recognizes Cenerentola from the bracelet, and they are reunited. After Cenerentola
assumes her princessly role, she forgives her cruel family and all is well.