Cinderella (opera)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Opera dates
Title: Cinderella
Shape: Children's opera in two acts
Original language: English
Music: Peter Maxwell Davies
Libretto : Peter Maxwell Davies
Literary source: Cinderella
Premiere: June 21, 1980
Place of premiere: Orkney Arts Theater in Kirkwall
Playing time: about 50 minutes
people

All roles are in the treble clef and are sung by children in their normal pitch

  • Cinderella
  • Prince Charming - the prince
  • Three Ugly Sisters - three ugly sisters:
    • Medusa
    • Hecate
    • Dragonia
  • Widow Grumble - Widow Grumpy
  • The Three Commanders-in-Chief of the Armed Services - three military commanders:
    • Field Marshal Sir Wellington Bombast Blimp
    • Lord Admiral Sir Nelson Drake Victory
    • Lord Delta-Wing Vertical Take-Off
  • Herald - the herald
  • Cat - the cat
  • A train, cats, wedding guests ( children's choir )

Cinderella is an opera by Peter Maxwell Davies for young actors and a young orchestra in two acts. She is a modernized form of Cinderella . The opera was composed in 1979 and premiered on June 21, 1980 at the Orkney Arts Theater in Kirkwall as part of the St. Magnus Festival. The original version is English, but there are now several German translations.

action

first act

Cinderella takes the train to her new au pair job. When she arrived at her destination, widow Knurrig recognized her and had to carry the luggage to the house. There she meets the three funny and mean daughters of the widow Knurrig: Medusa, Hekathe and Dragonia.

As soon as Widow Knurrig is out of the house, Cinderella is ordered around by the sisters ("scratch my back"). After a lively catchy tune with recorder accompaniment (“I would really like to travel”) the sisters leave and Cinderella complains to the cat of her suffering (“O Pussicat”).

Then suddenly the herald appears to a trumpet fanfare and announces a great ball to the prince. The sisters are very excited and see their chance (“I'm more excited than ever”). Only Cinderella is not allowed to go to the ball. She complains to the cat again, and the cat has advice (“I'm the seventh daughter”). She uses her magic powers to get Cinderella clothes for the ball and then drives her and her kittens to the ball.

Second act

The dancers sway to waltz music at the ball. Different guests arrive one after the other: the field marshal, the naval admiral, the captain of the air force, the cat and finally the three sisters. After each of the three sisters has a lover in the military, the prince comes after a piece of more modern dance music, very bored. After venting his displeasure ("Oh, those stupid dances with all the chicks here"), Cinderella appears. Announced by the cat as a princess, the prince falls in love immediately. But the Knurrig sisters do not want to see that and pull the prince to dance. But then the cat intervenes and Cinderella and the prince dance together after all. The joy is short-lived, the kittens are already announcing midnight, the time when Cinderella will become an ordinary au pair again. She has to leave the ball in a hurry, but loses a shoe. Now they both sing lonely about their great love. Back at home, the sisters complain and cry, but also comfort their mother with the promise that they will immediately “catch” another bridegroom. The prince is walking through the country looking for his princess, accompanied by the three commanders of the military. After the sisters are happily reunited with their lovers, the prince finally finds his Cinderella and drives with her to the wedding.

occupation

All instrumental parts are intended for school children without special musical training. Only the piano part is a little more demanding.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ From the translation for the performance at the Bonn Opera .