Premiere of Rossini's La Cenerentola
The world premiere of Gioacchino Rossini's opera "La Cenerentola" took place on January 25, 1817, in Rome, Italy. This opera is an adaptation of the Cinderella fairy tale, featuring the character Angelina, who endures mistreatment from her father and stepsisters. The story revolves around Prince Ramiro, who, disguised as a servant named Dandini, searches for his true love. The plot centers on a grand ball where Ramiro recognizes Angelina through a silver bracelet, leading to their eventual marriage. Rossini, celebrated for his earlier work "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," was commissioned by the Teatro Valle to create an opera buffa. Notably, he chose to eliminate magical elements from the original fairy tale, which sparked controversy among French audiences who felt this change was a betrayal of Charles Perrault's narrative. Upon its premiere, "La Cenerentola" received mixed reviews, with initial criticism directed at the performers' ability to handle Rossini's intricate score. However, the opera quickly gained popularity, achieving acclaim across Europe following subsequent performances.
Premiere of Rossini's La Cenerentola
Premiere of Rossini's La Cenerentola
On January 25, 1817, Gioacchino Antonio Rossini's La Cenerentola (Cinderella) made its world premiere in Rome, Italy. Still one of Rossini's most popular operas, La Cenerentola is based on the children's tale of Cinderella. The heroine, Angelina, is scorned and mistreated by her father and evil stepsisters, Clorinda and Tisbe. A prince named Ramiro, who is looking for a wife, disguises himself as the servant Dandini and falls in love with her. Ramiro later holds a magnificent ball at his palace which Angelina attends, and after recognizing her from a silver bracelet he professes his love and the two are married.
Rossini had been enjoying great success in 1816 with his opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The barber of Saville) when he was approached by the Teatro Valle in Rome for an opera buffa to be staged the following season. The opera buffa—light, comic opera— was Rossini's forte, and he accepted the commission. Teatro Valle's theater manager suggested that Rossini collaborate with the librettist Jacopo Ferretti, who proposed adapting the story of Cinderella, based on the fairy tale Cendrillon, ou la petite pentoufle de verre by Charles Perrault. For his opera, however, Rossini insisted on removing all magical or supernatural elements from the plot, a decision initially met with outrage by the French, who felt Rossini's work was a betrayal of Perrault's story, especially Rossini's substitution of a bracelet for Cinderella's shoe. Upon its premiere La Cenerentola, starring Geltrude Righetti Giorgi as Angelina and Giacomo Guglielmi as Don Ramiro, received a mixed reception. The press reviewed the opera favorably but criticized the performers, who, except for Miss Giorgi, seemed to have difficulties with Rossini's complex score. Ferretti recalled the opening night as a “fiasco,” primarily since much of the performance was met with either no applause or boos. Nevertheless, within a few nights, the opera was being hailed a great success, as was the case when it was later staged at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and opera houses all over Europe.