THE FANTASY OF ROSSINI’S LA CENERENTOLA

Think of a fairytale. Now imagine the fairytale in question is filled with disguise, misdirection and good humour, while celebrating strong women, and of course finishing with the obligatory happily-ever-after. This is what Opera Queensland’s production of La Cenerentola by Rossini is all about. It is fresh, delightful, and thoroughly entertaining.

Most viewers are more familiar with the story as “Cinderella,” except, in this version, there is no evil stepmother, nor fairy godmother, nor glass slippers, nor wonderous carriages turning into a pumpkin at the stroke of midnight. Instead, there is a big-hearted and beautiful woman, who is ignored and forgotten, and whose curiosity and zest for life sees her follow an adventure and find true love. Plus, we have a stepfather, a benevolent tutor, matching bracelets, and lots of disguises.

La Cenerentola was composed in just three weeks when Rossini was merely 25 years old, and it is said to contain some of his finest work both for solo and ensemble voices. It is not hard to see why. This opera is as light as a feather, yet full of drama and intensity that keeps the audience on their toes – or on the edge of the seat! The familiar voice of Hayley Sugars, Sarah Crane, Shaun Brown and Samuel Dundas, are joined by new talent of Mara Gaudenzi (Angelina, aka Cinderella), Petr Nekoranec (Don Ramiro, or the prince) and James Roser (Don Magnifico, the stepmother figure).

This tongue-in-cheek production happens against a beautiful setting (Laura Hansford) cleverly made flexible through lighting (Christine Felmingham) and a handful of props. Costuming (Karen Cochet and Bianca Bulley) reflects the simplicity of this staging. For example, the already comic attire of Don Magnifico and the stepsisters is made even more comical through exaggeration of their features. Do you like pink and flowers? Well, there is plenty of each in this show. Even the audience joins in by following the “cocktail with a touch of floral” dress code. The result is that the florals spill candidly into the auditorium, filling the entire hall with youthful joy and hopefulness.

The minimalism of this production’s staging echoes the transparency of Rossini’s score, which allows the singers to show off their operatic skills in many, many solo coloratura passages. Rossini uses this virtuosic technique for each of the main characters, creating sparkling rows of notes that sprinkle the audience one by one in a conversation of perfect harmony that only opera can offer. This lively opera induces a sense of urgency underscored by effortless elegance. Hands down, one of the finest productions by Opera Queensland!