The timeless tale of Cinderella will be brought to the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) stage in a production of Gioachino Rossini’s opera La Cenerentola on April 24 and 26.
Germany’s Bavarian State Opera, conducted by Antonello Allemandi, will make its Omani debut with La Cenerentola, a production originally designed and directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Just like the traditional fairy tale, in Rossini’s version of Cinderella, which he wrote in 1817 based on the libretto by Jacopo Ferretti, there is a charming prince and evil, vain stepsisters, but it also has a wicked stepfather and a philosophical tutor. In this tale, there is a prince dressed as a servant, and a servant dressed as a beggar, all with the aim of discovering the true character of a potential bride. As with most fairy tales, it also features a happy ending.
“This is an exquisite, timeless production which has been seen at many of the world’s top opera houses since its premiere in 1980, so we are thrilled to bring it here to Muscat. Whether you are an opera aficionado or coming to the opera for the first time, La Cenerentola is sure to delight you,” commented Umberto Fanni, artistic director and acting-director general of the Royal Opera House Muscat.
The production features the Bavarian State Opera orchestra and chorus. The prince Don Ramiro is sung by Italian tenor Antonino Siragusa. Dandini, the prince’s valet, is sung by Italian baritone Vito Priante.
The stepfather Don Magnifico is sung by Italian baritone Lorenzo Regazzo. Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura and Italian mezzo-soprano Paola Gardina play the stepsisters Clorinda and Tisbe. American mezzo-soprano Angela Brower is Angelina (Cenerentola/Cinderella). The prince’s tutor Alidoro is sung by Kuwaiti-born bass Tareq Nazmi.
The Bavarian State Opera was founded in Munich in 1653. It attracts some 600,000 people to over 400 performances each year, making it one of the most important contributors to culture in Munich.
Production, set and costume designer Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, (Paris 1932 – Munich 1988), was a French opera director and designer who created unorthodox and often controversial productions for opera houses throughout Europe and the US. His repertoire embraced everything from the Monteverdi and Mozart operas, to works by Rossini, Bizet, Massenet, Verdi, Wagner and Puccini, to contemporary operas.
La Cenerentola (Cinderella) will be performed for two nights on April 24 and 26 at 7pm. For more information about Royal Opera House Muscat, tickets, and frequently asked questions, please visit the website at www.rohmuscat.org.om
