La Cenerentola

This comic opera premiered in Rome in January 1817, having been completed in 24 days, when the composer was only 25. It tells of course the well-known story of Cinderella, though with various changes from the story we all know from our fairy tale books. There are no glass slippers, transformation of mice into horses, or pumpkin into coach, and no Fairy Godmother. The task of providing clothes, jewels, and transport to allow Cinderella to go to the ball falls to Alidoro, the prince’s tutor. Prince Ramiro pretends to be his valet, Dandini, the valet becomes the prince. In this way the prince is able to find a truly good, kind and genuine person to be his wife. Of course, the confusion that ensues gives rise to many comic moments.

The Electric Theatre, in a converted electric power station, is a well-equipped and much-loved community theatre.

We were offered a colourful and well-designed programme. There was a piece on Rossini, a good synopsis and Director’s Note, interesting cast profiles, super rehearsal photos, and the ever-interesting list of past productions.

The set was simple and very effective. On a raised platform was Cinderella’s cooking range, suspended above that an impressive array of cooking pots and implements hanging from a rail. Below to left and right were two doors, presumably leading to the more comfortable areas of the castle. A very ingenious conversion to the ball scene entailed covering the stove with a silver curtain, placing the throne on top of the stove, dropping down two mirrors and a chandelier, and to left and right of the stage two sumptuous damask hangings. The colour scheme changed from pink to turquoise. All very simple, leading to slick set changes.

Props included a couple of hat and shoe boxes, a fairly small round box that contained all Cinderella needed to transform into the veiled beauty, a selection of plates and cutlery to suggest the imminent banquet, and various vegetables, fruit and wine bottles!

Lighting was very effective throughout.  Sound and lighting were especially impressive in the thunderstorm scene.

Fine dresses for the ladies, except of course Cinderella, until she became the golden- gowned veiled lady at the ball. Don Magnifico first appeared in nightgown, cap, and elaborate dressing gown. The gentlemen were all decked out in 18th Century finery, including some occasionally rather odd wigs, and different kinds of buckles on their shoes depending on the occasion.

The well-balanced 12-piece orchestra was, as always, in very good hands under the direction of Lewis Gaston. The seven soloists excelled themselves, and the balance of sound was very good indeed throughout.

We started, of course, with Don Magnifico’s dysfunctional family, his two preening, smug daughters Clorinda (Anna Goodhew) and Tisbe (Caroline Garragher) harassing poor Cinderella as she tries to keep up with all their various orders. They really were an unpleasant pair of characters, with few redeeming features, roles which must have been great fun to play! And they were very well played indeed.

They were interrupted by the arrival of Alidoro (Conall O’Neill), the Prince’s tutor, disguised as a beggar. Clorinda and Tisbe gave a great show of disgust and threw him out of the house, but not before dear Cinderella (Hannah Dobra) sneaks a piece of bread over to him. Already we see her living up to the piece’s subtitle ‘Goodness Triumphant’. Hannah Dobra’s performance as Cinderella was masterful, she not only sang this complex role superbly, but she was also the first Cinderella I have seen who showed the frustration at all her hard work, how flustered those bullying sisters’ constant orders made her, and how sad she was, as she sang her plaintive song: ‘Once upon a time there was a king’.

The sisters created a marvellous team of two, with contrasting individual personalities, a certain amount of rivalry, yet also harmonious, never upstaging each other. As well as behaving so cruelly to Cinderella, they were much amused by their bumbling father Don Magnifico, and quite rudely so.

Don Magnifico appeared in his nightclothes, berating his noisy family for waking him up, ‘My disgraceful, irritating, awful daughters’, and recounting his strange dream of a flying donkey, which he also interpreted for them. Simon Wilson can always be relied upon to provide a super performance in a comic role, and he played this one with great gusto.

Don Ramiro, the Prince (Tom Morss) appeared at the house in disguise as his valet Dandini, obviously having been tipped off by Alidoro, and he and Cinderella were immediately attracted to one another. ‘Something sweet, I know not what’ they sang sweetly together, and they were indeed a very believable couple, their voices were also very well-balanced.

Dandini (Andre Andrade) enjoyed impersonating the Prince, and laid on the charm impressively towards Don Magnifico and his daughters, inviting them to the ball. They were totally flattered and quite convinced that one of the girls will be chosen to be the Prince’s wife. There followed a very fine quintet: ‘A deep bewilderment is felt by everyone’.  A plan was hatched to have some fun at the expense of  Don Magnifico by making him the Royal Butler, which he accepts with great delight, proceeding to try all the wines in the cellar. Once again, Simon Wilson magnificent here, bombastic, conceited, relishing his new powers in the aria: ‘I am the steward, president and the rule, lord of wine’.

Of course, Cinderella wows everyone at the ball, watching kindly on was her well-wisher Alidoro, so well-played by Conall O’Neill, I enjoyed watching him, often in the background, but always in role, and in fine voice when he was to sing.

The Prince and Dandini then ended their masquerade,  Dandini quite disappointed to be no longer in the role of Prince, but he delighted in bursting Don Magnifico’s bubble, especially as the two daughters had been so rude when he had suggested they marry his valet. Andre Andrade performed the Dandini role with great flair, and the duet with Magnifico: ‘It’s a secret of great importance’ was a really amusing moment.

There was a marvellous storm scene where the Prince’s ‘coach’ was overturned just outside Don Magnifico’s castle. The Prince finds Cinderella there, of course, and the sisters are mortified. A splendid sextet ‘It’s a knot with many tangles’ was a highlight for me. And of course, Cinderella’s final sweet aria: ‘Born into sorrow and sighing’ was a marvellous finale. The audience erupted!  A much-appreciated performance, so well-cast, directed and executed by Director Callie Gaston and all involved, full of fizz, humour and tenderness.

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