Showing @ Festival Theatre, Edinburgh until Sat 22 Nov @ 19:15
It’s an appropriate opera to stage given the season. Despite the lack of superstitious elements in Rossini‘s interpretation of Cinderella – he decided to exorcise all pumpkins, fairy godmothers and helpful mice from his original libretto – there’s something pleasantly pantomime-y in the air.
Unlike many versions of the rags-to-riches tale, the plot turns on a series of mistaken identities, rather than the one central mystery of the beautiful girl at the ball. The most enjoyable of these is Richard Burkhard‘s Dandini, disguised as the Prince so that the prospective royal bridegroom can better observe his potential mates at a distance. Burkhard is a joy throughout, but never more so than when he is hamming up his regal credentials, swaggering around crotch first and chest hair out.
Away from the comic elements, Victoria Yarovaya adds weight to the central part, with her rich, controlled tone and the solemn dignity of her performance. Cenerentola’s treatment at the hands of her cruel family is dwelt on in considerable detail, and the final scene, where she and Nico Darmanin‘s Prince stand, in hand-clasped love, is genuinely moving.
The principal cast consists of only six, and yet the stage bursts with life. This is helped by the energy of the singers; not least the excellent male chorus, who skip, stroll and saunter their way across the stage with gusto. The set design, though relatively similar throughout, also deserves attention. A series of revolving cloisters – a cross between confessionals and beach changing rooms – allow for multiple interpretations of the space, with glowing wine bottles and delicate snowfalls adding a touch of the fantastical.
It’s not perfect. On several occasions, the orchestra proves too powerful for the singers – especially the otherwise accomplished Graeme Danby as Don Magnifico – and costumes vary from the sublime to the ridiculous. In particular, Cenerentola’s ball gown looks gloriously silly rather than magnificent. But niggles can’t detract from the overall sparkle of the performance. This an definitely an opera to be enjoyed rather than endured.