EVENINGS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC - BAHRAIN - |
PROGRAMME FOR 10 JANUARY 2001 |
LA CENERENTOLA OPERA BY GIOACCHINO ROSSINI (1792-1868) |
Comic opera in two acts Libretto: Jacopo Ferretti Premiere: 25 January 1817 in Rome |
CAST Angelina (Cenerentola), stepdaughter of Don Magnifico Don Ramiro, the Prince of Salerno Don Magnifico, the Baron of Montefiascone Dandini, the prince's valet Alidoro, a philosopher and the prince's tutor Tisbe, daughter of Don Magnifico Clorinda, daughter of Don Magnifico |
- Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo-soprano) - Raul Gimenez (tenor) - Enzo Dara (bass) - Alessandro Corbelli (baritone) - Michele Pertusi (bass) - Jill Grove (soprano) - Laura Knoop (mezzo-soprano) |
Houston Grand Opera Chorus & Orchestra conducted by BRUNO CAMPANELLA |
THE STORY ACT 1 At the house of Don Magnifico his two daughters, Tisbe and Clorinda, preen themselves while their stepsister Cinderella consoles herself with a song about love. Alidoro enters disguised as a beggar, searching for a fiancee for his pupil Don Ramiro, the prince. The prince's retainers arrive and announce that Don Ramiro himself will come shortly to invite Don Magnifico and his daughters to a ball at which he will choose the most beautiful girl present as his bride. Don Magnifico relates a dream about a sudden improvement in the family's fortunes and hurries his daughters to make themselves ready. Don Ramiro enters disguised as his valet Dandini - he and Cinderella fall in love at first sight. Dandini then arrives dressed as the prince and invites Tisbe and Clorinda to the ball. Cinderella is forbidden to go. Alidoro now enters in his normal attire and demands to see Don Magnifico's third daughter, but the baron pretends that she is dead. Alidoro tells Cinderella that he will take her to the ball himself. Don Magnifico celebrates the new position to which he has been appointed by Dandini, who is still masquerading as the prince. Dandini paints for Don Ramiro an unflattering portrait of the deportment and character of Tisbe and Clorinda. The two sisters compete for Dandini, who suggests that one should marry his valet since he cannot marry them both. Alidoro enters and announces the arrival of an unknown lady wearing a veil. When she is persuaded to show her face, the jealous sisters are struck by her resemblance to Cinderella. ACT 2 Don Magnifico admonishes Tisbe and Clorinda not to forget their old father, convinced as he is of their coming prosperity and his life ahead as the father of a princess. Don Ramiro, who has fallen in love with the mysterious lady, suspects that Dandini entertains similar feelings for her. Concealing himself, he overhears Dandini's proposal of marriage to Cinderella and her confession that she is already in love with his valet. Don Ramiro comes forth and proposes to Cinderella. She tells him that before she will marry him he must discover her identity, giving him one of a pair of bracelets she is wearing as she leaves so that he may recognise her when he finds her. Don Ramiro sets off to find out the unknown beauty's identity. Meanwhile, Don Magnifico presses Dandini for his decision as to which daughter he has chosen for a wife, but Dandini reveals that he is really the prince's valet. Don Magnifico, Tisbe and Clorinda return home to find Cinderella waiting for them. A storm breaks out. Don Ramiro and Dandini enter, and Don Ramiro announces his intention of marrying Cinderella. She forgives her stepfather and stepsisters and all ends happily. |
Recorded live at the Houston Grand Opera, November 1995 sung in Italian, with English sub-titles |
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