La Cenerentola, Birmingham Hippodrome - review

These were sometimes re-worked as stage productions and some, like Mother Goose, Aladdin and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, still survive as traditional pantomimes.

Cinderella first appeared in 1697 and was used as the basis of an opera by several composers, but it was the young Rossini’s score which captured the public’s approval in 1817 and established his reputation as a major international composer.

The somewhat gruesome details of the Perrault plot are discarded, but the main plot and moral ethos of the original are retained.

A down-at-heels family is headed by the silly, self-important and penny-pinching Don Magnifico. He has two vain and stupid daughters whose only ambition is to marry a wealthy prince who will resolve all their financial problems. Also in the family is stepdaughter Angelina but she has to skivvy in the kitchen for the rest of the family.

As it just so happens, Prince Ramiro is looking for a wife and hears about this family; he exchanges identities with his valet Dandini to find out the truth about the Magnificos.

They insist that Angelina is dead. However, at the ball all is revealed and Angelina forgives the shortcomings of her ugly sisters and cruel father.

Joan Font’s original 2007 production, here restaged by Xevi Dorca, has a set which was then fashionably minimalist but now shows its age, although the multi-purpose inglenook fire-place has its magical moments. The fairy-tale qualities of the work are highlighted by the antics of six large mice who add humour to proceedings and conveniently double as stage-shifters.

The costumes are magnificently detailed, though some of the theatrical devices used to move the plot along are now a little shop-worn.

Tara Erraught’s Angelina shows commendable vocal confidence, while Matteo Macchini, as Don Romero, shows the right kind of romantic appeal, but there were times when he did not bridge the break totally convincingly, and there were also times where he was overshadowed in some of the singing by his valet Dandini, portrayed in lively fashion by Giorgio Caoduro.

Aoife Miskelly and Heather Lowe’s ugly stepsisters Clorinda and Tisbe are played in malevolent mood while Fabio Capitanucci makes a slothful Don Magnifico.

Under conductor Tomas Hanus the WNO orchestra gives a lively account of the score. He also ensures that the delightful coloratura singing is brilliantly demonstrated and there are also great accounts of the rapid patter songs which were later much developed and used by Gilbert and Sullivan.

WNO repeats Traviata tonight and ends with War and Peace tomorrow.