Cinderella Study Guide

Cinderella Study Guidecoc.caCanadian Opera Company 2010/2011

Cinderella(La Cenerentola)

GIOACCHINO ROSSINI (1792 – 1868)

http://www.coc.ca


Table of Contents

Cover: The COC presents Rossini’s Cinderella. Joyce DiDonato as Angelina and Patrick Carfizzi as Don Magnifico in the Houston Grand Opera production, 2007. Below: Catherine Cook as Tisbe and Tamara Wilson as Clorinda. Photos: Brett Coomer

Cinderella: Background and Characters ............................................................................................ 3

Cinderella: Synopsis ................................................................................................................................... 4

Gioacchino Rossini .................................................................................................................................... 5

The Life and Times of Gioacchino Rossini ...................................................................................... 7

Rossini’s Music ............................................................................................................................................. 9

Cinderella: Unconsciously, Universally and Eternally Appealing .......................................... 10

Cinderella: What to Look For ................................................................................................................ 11

Cinderella: Listening Guide .................................................................................................................... 13

Cinderella: A Touch of “Class” ............................................................................................................... 16

Activity: Exploring Opera Voices in Cinderella ............................................................................ 17

http://www.coc.ca


Cinderella: Background and CharactersRossini wrote Cinderella (La Cenerentola) in three weeks, a year after the premiere and success of his most famous opera, The Barber of Seville. To expedite the composition process, Rossini used the overture from La gazzetta (The Newspaper), part of an aria from The Barber of Seville and enlisted the help of fellow composer, Luca Agolini, who contributed some recitatives and arias.

Cinderella is a co-production

of Houston Grand Opera Association, Welsh National Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu

and Grand Théâtre de Genève.

The opera is sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™.

Book your school

group tickets now!

Call COC Group Sales at 416-306-2356 or e-mail

[email protected].

Dress Rehearsal:

April 19, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

Performances: April 23, 28, May 1, 7, 10, 13, 19, 22, 25, 2011

at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

The opera premiered on Jan. 25, 1817 at the Teatro Valle in Rome with 25-year-old Rossini conducting from the pianoforte.

Name Description Voice Type PronunciationClorinda Angelina’s stepsister Soprano kloh-REEN-dahTisbe Angelina’s stepsister Mezzo-soprano TEES-behAngelina (Cinderella) Servant to her stepfather Mezzo-soprano ahn-jeh-LEE-nahAlidoro Prince’s tutor Bass ah-lee-DOH-roh Don Magnifico Angelina’s stepfather Bass Don mah-NEE-fee-cohDon Ramiro Prince Tenor Don rah-MEE-rohDandini Prince’s valet Baritone dahn-DEE-nee

MAIN CHARACTERS

3

http://www.coc.ca

mailto:[email protected]


Cinderella: Synopsis

ACT IIn the hall of Don Magnifico’s castle, Angelina, called La Cenerentola, works while her two stepsisters, Clorinda and Tisbe, admire themselves. Alidoro, the tutor of Prince Don Ramiro, arrives at the door disguised as a beggar. The stepsisters spurn him and only Angelina offers him food and drink.

Shortly thereafter, Don Ramiro arrives disguised as his own valet. He is impressed with Angelina’s beauty and tells the family that the Prince will arrive shortly to personally make an important announcement. Don Ramiro’s valet, Dandini, enters, disguised as Don Ramiro himself. Deceived by this reversal of roles, Don Magnifico presents the stepsisters to Dandini, who tells them he will be hosting a ball in order to select a worthy bride. He invites all the eligible young women in the house to his palace.

Privately, Don Magnifico tells Angelina that he will not allow her to attend the ball. Later, when Don Magnifico and the stepsisters have left for the ball, Alidoro returns, still dressed as a beggar. He removes his disguise, provides the astonished Angelina with a gown and a carriage, and takes her to the palace.

At the royal palace, Don Ramiro and Dandini, still disguised as each other, entertain Don Magnifico. Don Magnifico feels certain that Don Ramiro will select one of his daughters as his bride, and Clorinda and Tisbe compete for his attention. Angelina arrives, beautifully dressed and wearing a veil so that nobody will recognize her.

ACT IIDon Ramiro is taken with this mysterious lady, and contemplates her similarity to the serving-girl he met earlier that day. He approaches Angelina and she gives him a bracelet, promising that when he finds the girl wearing the matching bracelet, she will marry him if he chooses. She then leaves.

At Don Ramiro’s instructions, Dandini explains to Don Magnifico that he is not in fact the Prince, but the Prince’s valet. He throws the protesting Don Magnifico out of the palace.

Later, back at the castle of Don Magnifico, Angelina is tending to the fireplace when her stepsisters and Don Magnifico dejectedly return from the ball.

Soon Don Ramiro and Dandini enter, seeking shelter from a storm because their carriage has overturned outside. Angelina is surprised to learn that Don Ramiro, whom she believed to be a valet, is in fact the Prince.

Don Ramiro recognizes the bracelet that Angelina is wearing and chooses her for his bride, denouncing Don Magnifico and the stepsisters for their ill treatment of her. Angelina pleads for reconciliation, and all ends happily.

4

The COC presents Rossini’s Cinderella. Nikolai Didenko as Alidoro in the Houston Grand Opera production, 2007. Photo: Brett Coomer

http://www.coc.ca


Gioacchino Rossini

Composer Gioacchino Rossini was born on Feb. 29, 1792 in Pesaro, Italy to Anna Guardarini, an opera singer, and Giuseppe Antonio Rossini, a horn player. Rossini was raised mostly by his grandmother. Although he was apprenticed to a blacksmith and a butcher to keep him out of trouble, Rossini was a musical child, and in 1806, at age 14, he left the world of work to begin his studies at Bologna’s Accademica Filarmonica. By the following year Rossini had learned to play both the violin and the harpsichord, and his spare time was spent working as a rehearsal pianist and a keyboard player at theatres around town. He left school before graduation to work as an apprentice composer at the Teatro San Moisè, Venice, where he wrote four one-act farcical operas. Following his apprenticeship, Rossini’s first two successes were La pietra del paragone (1812) and Tancredi (1813). With The Italian Girl in Algiers in 1813, Rossini broke new ground, integrating serious elements into a comic opera, for example Isabella’s cavatina* “Cruda sorte,” and her rondo** “Pensa alla patria.” In 1815, Rossini was offered a very prestigious position at the wealthiest opera house in Europe, the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Between his arrival in 1815 and his departure in 1822, he wrote nine operas for San Carlo and nine for other companies; one of the latter is the now-famous The Barber of Seville. In 1824, having married Neapolitan soprano Isabella Colbran and achieved successes in Vienna and London, Rossini moved to Paris to work at the Théâtre des Italiens and, later, the Paris Opéra. Once he had a handle on the French language and theatrical tradition, Rossini was ready to compose for a Parisian audience.

A photograph of Rossini from 1865, by Etienne Carjat.

* cavatina:a short, simple song, with no

repetition

*rondoan aria that uses

repetition of a theme or motif; from the

Italian word ritornare meaning “to

return”

His great comic opera Le Comte Ory, which recycled sections of his earlier opera Il viaggio a Reims, was a huge success. The political epic Guillaume Tell (William Tell, best-known for its overture), which was the culmination of Rossini’s development as an artist, was likewise successful, but it also turned out to be his last opera. Having composed 39 operas in 19 years, and having kept busy in Paris fostering the careers of young singers such as Maria Malibran and young composers such as Meyerbeer, Donizetti and Bellini, Rossini needed a break. He went home to visit his widowed father, intending to return to Paris and to continue to compose. In 1830, while the composer was still in Italy, the French government fell, and the new administration made huge budget cutbacks. Rossini, having been employed by the fallen government, lost his contract and his lifetime annuity. After six years of litigation the annuity was restored, but by this time Rossini had decided to retire.

5

http://www.coc.ca


In 1855 he returned to Paris, where he held weekly musical salons and helped to develop the careers of young singers such as soprano Adelina Patti. Rossini had been a hero for much of his working life, but by the time he retired his music was no longer as fashionable as it had once been. He died Nov. 13, 1868 in Passy, France.

Rossini was actually

born in a leap year, on Feb. 29. Though he

died when he was 76, he would have celebrated

only 20 actual birthdays.

The COC presents Rossini’s Cinderella. A scene from the Houston Grand Opera production, 2007. Photo: Brett Coomer

6

http://www.coc.ca


w Americans capture York (Toronto) and Fort St. George during the War of 1812.

1815 w Rossini is offered a position at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, where he stays for seven years and writes nine operas.

w Napoleon is banished to the island of St. Helena.

w Brazil declares independence from Portugal.

w The last battle of the War of 1812 is fought.

1816 w Rossini’s most famous opera, The Barber of Seville premieres in Rome and Verdi’s Otello opens in Naples.

w The metronome is invented by Mälzel in Germany.

1816 w Jane Austen writes the novel Emma.

1817 w Rossini’s Cinderella opens in Rome.

w The U.S. starts construction of the Erie Canal between Buffalo and Albany. It is completed in 1825.

1822 w Rossini marries his first wife Isabella Colbran.

w The accordion is invented in Germany.

w Aleksandr Pushkin writes the narrative poem, Eugene Onegin.

1823 w Rossini and his wife move to London and then Paris, where he takes up the directorship of the Théâtre des Italiens.

w First performance of Beethoven’s famous Ninth Symphony (the “Ode to Joy” symphony).

1824 w Rossini’s popularity grows so great that Charles X of France gives him a 10-year contract to write a new opera every other year.

w Michael Faraday invents the first toy balloon.

1791 w Mozart writes his last work, The Magic Flute.

w The territories are separated into Upper and Lower Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

1792 w Gioacchino Antonio Rossini is born on Feb. 29 in Pesaro, Italy.

w French revolutionaries storm the palace of Tuileries and imprison King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. They are executed the following year.

w Captain George Vancouver begins his explorations of the Pacific Coast.

w Gas is used as lighting for the first time in England.

1806 w Rossini composes his first opera at the age of 14 (Demetrio e Polibio). The opera is not produced until 1812.

w Joseph Bonaparte is named King of Naples.

1807 w Rossini enters the Liceo Musicale in Bologna, though he has to leave because of financial difficulties.

w England prohibits the slave trade.

1812 w Rossini’s first success, the two-act opera, La pietra del paragone, opens at La Scala, Milan.

w The War of 1812 begins. w The Brothers Grimm collection of fairytales is

published.

w Iodine is discovered.

1813 w Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers opens in Venice.

w Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi and German composer Richard Wagner are born.

w McGill University in Montreal is founded.

The Life and Times of Gioacchino Rossini

7

http://www.coc.ca


w The rules for baseball are codified by the Knickerbocker Baseball Club.

1855 w Rossini returns to Paris and composes his last works.

w Florence Nightingale introduces hygienic standards into military hospitals during the Crimean War.

w The Bunsen burner is invented by German chemist, Robert Bunsen.

1867 w The British North America Act is ratified. w On July 1, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario unite as the Dominion of Canada with Ottawa as the capital. Sir John A. MacDonald becomes the first prime minister.

1868 w Louisa May Alcott writes Little Women and Charles Darwin publishes The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication.

w The first professional baseball club is founded, the Cincinnati Red Stockings.

w Rossini dies in Passy, France on Nov. 13.

Events listed are taken from Bernard Grun’s Timetables of History, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1982; and The Canadian Global Almanac, ed. John Robert Colombo, Toronto: Macmillan Canada, 1995.

1829 w Rossini’s last opera, William Tell, opens at the Paris Opéra to huge acclaim, and Rossini retires from opera composition, telling those around him that he has no music left in him. He decides to travel to Italy.

w W. A. Burt invents the typewriter.

w Louis Braille invents embossed printing that allows the blind to read.

1830 w Rossini loses his position at the Paris Opéra because his supporter, Charles X of France, has abdicated and has been succeeded by Louis Philippe who is not a fan of the arts.

1837 w Rossini leaves Paris for Italy, where he suffers

from a prolonged illness.

w Rebellions begin in Upper and Lower Canada.

w Victoria becomes Queen of the United Kingdom.

w Samuel Morse exhibits his electric telegraph in New York.

1845 w Rossini’s first wife dies, and he marries his

life-long time love, Olympe Pélissier.

w Wagner premieres his opera Tannhäuser.

8

http://www.coc.ca


bel canto opera style. Bel canto (“beautiful singing”) developed from the 18th-century’s composers’ love of improvisation. Composers began writing long complex passages to challenge their singers and show off the singers’ ornamental abilities. Singers were expected to take the basic melody line and then show their skills and personality through embellishing the music.

Rossini spent much of his career writing opera buffa, or comic opera, which had been around since 1706 but didn’t gain acceptance in the opera houses of Europe until the late 18th century. Opera buffa often featured a set of stock characters (the lovers, the old man, the young boy) and situations (squabbles that ended the first and second acts and set up the beginning of the next acts). Rossini’s most famous opera, The Barber of Seville, is a prime example of an opera buffa.

Cinderella marked a musical turning point for Rossini. He had married the dramatic soprano Isabella Colbran and wanted to write for her voice type, which was most suited to opera seria, a work based on serious subject matter drawn from history and mythology. The opera was completed in just 24 days. The title role was written for a coloratura mezzo-soprano and requires a low voice of phenomenal agility. The period of relative neglect that affected Cinderella was not in the least part due to the difficulty in finding singers who could manage the florid nature of the vocal writing.

Today, Rossini’s importance to the development of opera is much better understood than it once was. He revitalized Italian opera, founded the bel canto tradition, integrated French and Italian operatic traditions, and made use of numerous compositional innovations.

Having been born a year after Mozart’s death in 1792, Gioacchino Rossini found himself in a period of musical change. The Classical period was giving way to the Romantic period, replacing structured, less emotional music with a freer style that allowed composers to express themselves through their pieces. Musical expression was becoming more important than structure, and the aria-recitative-aria (song – sung/spoken – song style) arrangement was giving way to opera that flowed smoothly from one moment into another. Orchestras began to expand, as woodwind and brass instruments took their places amongst the strings and percussions, and the harpsichord – the staple of the operatic recitative – found itself being phased out altogether.

The son of an opera singer and a horn player, Rossini was a musical child, and in 1806 he began his studies at Bologna’s Accademia Filarmonica. His musical abilities began to shine, and he composed his first opera at the age of 18. Rossini composed 20 operas between 1815 and 1823 and more than 35 in his lifetime.

Most of Rossini’s operas were written in less than a month, which often meant that when he got stuck he would borrow music from his previous operas or enlist the help of other composers. For Cinderella (La Cenerentola), music from his older operas La gazzetta and The Barber of Seville was used and fellow composer Luca Agolini was called in to fill several holes in the score. When he found out that a celebrated baritone was performing the role of Dandini, Rossini scrapped some of Agolini’s work and wrote an extended aria of his own the night before the opera premiered.

Rossini’s music is known for its tuneful, brilliant and catchy melodies, rhythmically vital, sprightly orchestrations, and his repetition of melodies and structure. He is also known for the “Rossini crescendo,” an instrumental musical effect used to build a gradual increase in sound. He would repeat a musical pattern and with each repetition, he would add instruments or voices, continuously augmenting the volume and increasing the tempo (speed) of the music. This created a growing sense of excited agitation and tension until the music culminated in a grand ending.

Rossini, along with Italian composers Donizetti and Bellini, were the three founders and masters of the

Rossini’s Music

9

http://www.coc.ca


endless chores. The tale also presents a most acute expression of sibling rivalry from both sides: the step-siblings are hateful in their dealings with Cinderella, careful that she receives no kindness or reward. Cinderella represents the child who never feels she will measure up, and who also is punished unjustly by cruel parents, who meanwhile treat her siblings with great generosity. Deeper than the issue of sibling rivalry is the hunger for parental approval, and the horror of parental rejection and cruelty, whether real or perceived. Finally, the “happily ever after” ending is a most satisfying revenge fantasy, with Cinderella raised up to a level of privilege and love she hardly could have imagined. The perfection of her goodness and beauty is rewarded and, depending on the tale, she either generously shares her good fortune with her step-family, or watches them suffer as she leaves them behind to enjoy her golden future. As with most childlike fantasies, the dream ends with her marriage, after which all will be perfection; there is no knowledge of the real, adult-life challenges to come.

Fairytales are powerful tools to aid children to subconsciously recognize their own traumas in stories that also happen to be engaging and fascinating. For more on this engrossing subject, read The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairytales by the renowned child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim, in which he examined classic fairytales, and analyzes their very real usefulness in providing outlets for the most intense childhood traumas.

The story of Cinderella, the put-upon young woman who finally triumphs over her cruel step-family, is universally beloved. One of the earliest versions of the story dates from 850 – 860 AD and is from China. It tells of Yeh-Shen, who overcomes the cruelty doled out to her by her stepmother and stepsister. Cinderella-like tales have been enjoyed since, all over the world, including Europe, Persia, Africa, and the North American Algonquin tradition.

Most of these stories contain the same basic plot points: a young person is in the power of a cruel step-parent. She (sometimes he) is ill treated and forced to work as nothing more than a slave. Her step-siblings are spoiled and the obvious difference between their situations is stark. The heroine overcomes tremendous odds, often with the help of magical animal and human friends to win the love of a rich and handsome young prince. In some versions her family members are punished for their former cruelty, and in others the heroine is magnanimous and forgives her relations.

Plot points aside, the variants on the Cinderella tale also share psychological similarities that have powerful, unconscious appeal for their readers. Young people can relate on some level to much of what the story offers and scholars interested in the psychology of fairytales have an irresistible subject with Cinderella. It isn’t just about wanting to grow up and marry a handsome prince! First come the terrors of childhood and the frustration of a lack of autonomy: Cinderella is no more than a misunderstood slave, with no monetary or emotional reward for her

Cinderella: Unconsciously, Universally and Eternally Appealing

10

http://www.coc.ca


godmother, pumpkin and glass slipper), the story of Cinderella is often associated with French courtly fashions of the 1700s. While watching Cinderella, notice that the costumes reference French fashion of the mid- to late-1700s*, but Els Comediants have hugely exaggerated the colours, shapes and sizes of the costumes and sets. Moreover, the production seems familiar, but still unique and exciting. Unrealistic colours and shapes also provide an element of fantasy, perfect for the re-telling of one of the world’s most popular fairytales.

This production of Cinderella was designed by a group called Els Comediants, a Spanish theatre company that creates innovative performance experiences through a mix of elements of carnival and circus traditions, puppetry, audio and visual elements and more. Their closing ceremonies for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck9OoY3b9WI] created a major worldwide stir thanks to the incredible scope and originality of the performance, and set the bar high for the host countries that have followed suit. For Cinderella, Els Comediants have created a geometric, brightly-coloured world of exaggerated proportions and magical creatures.

Thanks to the popularity of 17th-century French writer Charles Perrault’s version (the first to involve the fairy

Cinderella: What to Look For

The COC presents Rossini’s Cinderella. Catherine Cook as Tisbe, Joyce DiDonato as Angelina, and Tamara Wilson as Clorinda in the Houston Grand Opera production, 2007. Photo: Brett Coomer

11

*Elements of French fashion

at this time included wide panniers for women

(hoops worn under the skirt that jutted out horizontally at

the hips), snug breeches, coats and waistcoats for men, and

elaborate, powdered wigs for both sexes.

http://www.coc.ca

link to: http://www.comediants.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck9OoY3b9WI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck9OoY3b9WI


Look for the use of geometric patterns and solid colours, a common theme running through the production in sets and costumes. Such treatment is reminiscent of the design aesthetic of the De Stijl art movement; principal painter Piet Mondrian’s paintings are characterized by primary colours and geometric shapes held together with thick black lines. These elements give a playful, modern feel to the opera. The design makes this opera reminiscent of popular movies in which the stories are told from the perspective of toys, dolls and other inanimate or non-human objects (think of the Toy Story franchise!).

The COC presents Rossini’s Cinderella. Tamara Wilson as Clorinda, Earle Patriarco as Dandini, and Catherine Cook as Tisbe in the Houston Grand Opera production, 2007. Photo: Brett Coomer

12

The magical, colourful style of Els Comediants lends itself very well to opera. Part of the magic of opera is that one opera can be performed a million different ways – as you watch Els Comediants’ production of Cinderella, consider: how would you choose to design a production of this opera?

http://www.coc.ca

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet_Mondrian


Cinderella: Listening GuideThe tracks listed below correspond to the complimentary Listening Guide CD provided to school group bookings only.

Cinderella is usually called a melodrama giocoso because it contains both dramatic and comic elements. For Rossini, Cinderella signalled a shift away from comic operas, such as The Barber of Seville, to writing the more serious operas that would later dominate his operatic output.

By Gianmarco Segato, COC Editorial and Retail Co-ordinator

MUSICAL EXCERPT: Act I, scene i, Aria: “Una volta c’era un re” (“Long ago there lived a king”)

CONNECTION TO THE STORYTo cheer herself up, Angelina (Cinderella) sings a little song about a king who settles for a woman with a kind and loving heart over a woman who possesses beauty, wealth and glamour.

MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCEAngelina’s opening music is a relatively simple little melody with a folksong feel. The simplicity of the music and story reflects her low status as a maid in the house of her stepfather and stepsisters. The only florid moment the melody is when she sings “lasciatemi cantar” (“leave me to sing”) to her stepsisters after they mock her tuneful song [1:49 – 2:11]. This little interjection of fast moving notes shows off Angelina’s inner strength in comparison to her kind and subservient exterior. As the opera progresses and her fortunes change, Angelina’s music becomes increasingly more complex and decorated and personifies her transformation from servant to princess.

FURTHER REFLECTIONIn other versions of the fairytale, Cinderella is thought of as being very youthful and feminine. Rossini wrote the role for a darker voice type, a mezzo-soprano (middle female voice). How does hearing this excerpt change your vision and assumptions of the character?

MUSICAL EXCERPT: Act I, scene i, Duet: “Una volta c’era… Un soave non so che” (“Long ago their lived… Oh, so ardently I gaze”)

CONNECTION TO THE STORYDon Ramiro, the Prince who is disguised as his own valet, enters Don Magnifico’s household where his tutor, Alidoro, has told him he will find a woman who exudes warm-heartedness and beauty. The Prince is instantly attracted to Angelina.

MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCEIt is love at first sight for Angelina and the Prince and this is reflected in Rossini’s delicate writing for the mezzo-soprano and tenor voices in their romantic duet. The sense that they will eventually join together as

1

2

13

http://www.coc.ca


3

a couple is echoed in the way their voices intertwine, singing complex passages of coloratura (a decorated vocal line in which single words are stretched over many notes) in two-part harmony [3:15 – 3:54].

Towards the end, the music becomes faster as the couple realizes their mutual attraction for each other, making their hearts flutter with fleeting joy.

FURTHER REFLECTIONThe music shifts as the Prince realizes that he is revealing too much and he reverts back to being in complete character of a valet. He asks to meet Don Magnifico’s daughters. Angelina’s music becomes more quiet, detached and nervous and she begins to babble while she explains her circumstances to the Prince [4:29 – 5:10]. Her frustrations with her stepsisters are evoked in the sudden increase in tempo (speed of music) and the descent of her melody [5:34 – 5:59].

MUSICAL EXCERPT: Act I, scene i, Finale: “Ah! se velata ancor” (“Never was one more fair”)

CONNECTION TO THE STORYThe chorus announces the arrival of Angelina at the ball. Angelina offers herself as a wife to one who will give her respect, love and kindness.

MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCERossini uses an exclusively male chorus in Cinderella to represent the Prince’s attendants. They serve the purpose of inviting everyone to the ball in the first scene, and here, they sing of the mysterious veiled woman, Angelina, as she makes her grand entrance at the palace. Their rhythm is detached and spiked with nervousness (almost as if stuttering). They are overwhelmed with the veiled woman’s beauty.

This is our first chance to recognize that the title role was written for a coloratura mezzo-soprano as it requires a lower voice of phenomenal agility. Angelina, veiled and unrecognized, introduces herself with “Sprezzo quei don che versa fortuna capricciosa” (“I set no value on the gifts which fickle fortune bestows”) in a very regal, poised and embellished melody [1:07 – 1:38]. In this scene, Angelina’s virtuosic vocal line consists of rapidly ascending and descending scales, which demands everyone’s attention, much to the annoyance of her jealous stepsisters. It provides quite the contrast to the simple melody she sang at the beginning of the opera.

Though Rossini intended Cinderella to be more in the style of opera seria, he could not shy away from adding his sense of humour in this excerpt. His comedic writing is abundant: Dandini, disguised as the Prince, gives an over-the-top and lengthy proclamation of the veiled lady’s beauty [3:36 – 4:47] (and through the ensemble which expresses the bewilderment of Clorinda, Ramiro, Angelina and Alidoro) [4:48 – 7:36] as Angelina is unveiled.

FURTHER REFLECTIONWhat do you think about Rossini’s use of comedy in an opera he hoped to be serious? Do you think these humourous ensembles add to the story or detract from it?

14

http://www.coc.ca


4

5

MUSICAL EXCERPT: Act II, scene i, Ensemble: “Siete voi?… Questo è un nodo avviluppato” (“Is it you?... Here’s a plot there’s no denying”)

CONNECTION TO THE STORYHaving tracked her down after the ball, the Prince recognizes that Angelina was the mysterious veiled woman. Angelina is surprised to learn that the valet is in fact the Prince; universal bewilderment is expressed by all in this ensemble.

MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCEWhat distinguishes Cinderella from other operas is the intricate ensembles. This Act II example is built up on a slow, staccato tune (marked maestoso, or, majestically) suggesting the distracted and surprised thoughts of each character. From there, each singer in turn breaks away with a florid phrase representing the feeling that one’s head is spinning with utter shock and confusion, while the others keep up the steady rhythm with a constant repetition of the tune. Rossini gets maximum amusement value from his repeated use of the Italian rolled “r” which is usually exaggerated by the singers.

FURTHER REFLECTIONHow is it that this excerpt can be funny now as it was to audiences at its premiere almost 200 years ago? Music offers a universal language, emotions and a means for expression. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

MUSICAL EXCERPT: Act II, scene ii, Finale: “Non più mesta accanto al fuoco” (“Now no longer by the cinders”)

CONNECTION TO THE STORYWith the past behind her, Angelina forgives her family and takes pleasure in her new-found happiness.

MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCEIt begins with a relatively simple tune in which Angelina reflects on how far she has come from her days tending to the cinders. The vocal line is quickly transformed however, and the result is one of the greatest coloratura showpieces of the entire repertoire. The heroine’s joy, good heart and happiness are made amply clear and like an athlete, she is required to sing incredibly quick decorations, trills and leaps bringing the opera to a joyous conclusion.

FURTHER REFLECTIONSinging an opera is like running a marathon. Singing such a technically difficult piece is like having to sprint the last 500 m with all of your energy. How do you think an opera singer would prepare for such a role?

It’s no wonder singers sometimes get a bad reputation for being divas and taking so much care of themselves while singing in a production. Imagine if you had to run a marathon three to four times a week, and you only got paid for the runs you completed!

15

http://www.coc.ca


connections determined who one could marry. For this reason, class mobility*** was extremely difficult. This being the case, it’s really Cinderella’s aristocratic blood that allows her to overcome being isolated and victimized.

Modern Class Structure

Today in North America, class mobility has become much easier. With public access to education, healthcare and other services, individuals are not as controlled by their parentage and social class as before. The U.S., for example, prides itself on what it calls the “American Dream,” the notion that anyone, from anywhere, can achieve greatness. However, despite the belief that the U.S. has done away with the class divide entirely, some people believe that the modern wealth structures continue to reinforce inequalities between classes.

Where does Canada come in? Is Canadian society one in which any person can succeed, or do you have to be a Cinderella to have a “happily ever after?”

Things to consider…

wWhere in the world might class structure still exist?w Is there a “Canadian Dream,” if so, what is it?w Do you think class divisions exist in North America, if

so, how and where?w Are “class structure” and “social structure” the same

thing?

At the end of the opera, Prince Don Ramiro uncovers Angelina’s true identity and whisks her away to his castle to be his bride. This “rags to riches” story is the foundation of hope for many young people who wish to be saved from what they feel is a life of drudgery. In the Brothers Grimm version, Cinderella represents the idea that anyone who is good and pure, regardless of rank, can have their dreams come true. History, however, would argue with the Brothers Grimm and point out that Cinderella was actually a titled lady, which allowed the Prince to save her. Had she really been a servant, would they still have a “happily ever after?”

During the era in which Rossini sets his story, Cinderella would have been considered a domestic servant. Historically, young women (and some men) would apprentice themselves to wealthy families where they would work their way up. This position was not without its challenges. Domestic servants were usually from the lower classes and worked long hours in exchange for food and accommodation (and occasionally a very small wage). Before the Industrial Revolution, all workers were subject to the terms dictated by his or her employer. After the Factory and Labour Acts* of the early 19th century, conditions for most workers improved. In the case of our heroine, however, domestic servants did not really fall under these acts, and Cinderella would have continued to be subject to the demands placed upon her by her employer.

Although she performs the duties of a servant, Cinderella is not of the lower class. Her father, an aristocrat, qualifies her as a socially acceptable bride for Don Ramiro. Traditionally, aristocratic families wanted to keep and augment their wealth so paternity** and familial class

Cinderella: A Touch of “Class”

*Factory and Labour

Acts: A series of laws passed in the early 19th

century (after the Industrial Revolution) introduced to

protect the rights of labourers by regulating working conditions, hours and

personnel.

**Paternity: The relation of a

descendant to his/her male parent.

***Class or social mobility refers to an individual or group’s ability to change

their status.

16

http://www.coc.ca


Activity: Exploring Opera Voices in Cinderella

CRITICAL LEARNING

w Students will use their listening skills to critically explore music and drama in opera.

wStudents will be able to explain the effect of casting choices and voice types on characterization.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

wWhy did Rossini intend for Angelina to be played by a mezzo-soprano?

wWhat archetypes are associated with the following voice types: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, countertenor, tenor, baritone and bass?

wHow does casting influence the mood and overall production of the opera?

CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS

wThe Critical Analysis Process: Use the critical analysis process when responding to, analyzing, reflecting on and interpreting music.

wSkills and Personal Growth: Demonstrate an understanding of how performing, creating and critically analyzing music has affected a student’s skills and personal development.

wCharacteristics and Development of Music: Demonstrate an understanding of the history of various musical forms and of characteristics of music from around the world.

Learning Goals (Unpacked Expectations)

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

wDemonstrate an understanding of the significance of casting and its effects on characterization.

wApply critical thinking strategies and effectively use listening skills to analyze musical works in an opera.

MUSIC – OPEN, GR. 9 TO 12

INSTRUCTIONAL COMPONENTS AND CONTEXT

Readiness

w Review synopsis of Cinderella prior to delivering this lesson.

w Have an understanding of the different voice types in opera.

Materials

w Internet access: 1) Visit the Cinderella listening guide at: http://

www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1011Season/LaCenerentola/ListeningGuide.aspx and listen to the audio clips.

2) Information on opera etiquette at the Canadian Opera Company’s Online Learning Centre: http://www.coc.ca/ExploreAndLearn/NewToOpera/OnlineLearningCentre/FAQsandEtiquette.aspx

w Chart paper and markersw Cue cardsw Appendices

17

http://www.coc.ca

http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1011Season/LaCenerentola/ListeningGuide.aspx



http://www.coc.ca/ExploreAndLearn/NewToOpera/OnlineLearningCentre/FAQsandEtiquette.aspx




MINDS ON (Approximately 20 minutes)

w In groups of four or five, students will engage in a Graffiti Activity (Appendix A) to brainstorm characteristics and personality traits of the characters from Cinderella. Each group creates graffiti on a chart paper for one character. Once each group member records two characteristics, they pass the chart paper in a clockwise direction to the next group. Ensure students do not repeat ideas.

w Have the class listen to audio clips from Cinderella, and discuss which of the character traits they have just identified are best represented by their voice types. For example, what kinds of character traits are evident in the mezzo-soprano voice of Angelina, for instance. By using the worksheet provided (Appendix B), students will analyze the audio clips by thinking about the context of the song, the mood, which character is singing in the clip and what voice type the character might be.

PAUSE AND PONDER

Assessment for Learning (AfL)Minds On and Action phase: Observation with a focus on proper use of related terminology.

Assessment as Learning (AaL)Consolidation phase: Students will reflect on their learning experience by expanding their knowledge of opera which will prepare students to be critically-minded during the performance.

Differentiation (DI)wGraffiti activity draws out

personal opinions and promotes group work.

wAudio clips are geared towards auditory learners and the What If… Activity is geared towards visual learners.

Quick TipwBe familiar with the pedagogical

tools and provide explicit instruction before conducting the activities.

wRefer to the COC’s Online Learning Centre for information on opera etiquette: http://www.coc.ca/ExploreAndLearn/NewToOpera/OnlineLearningCentre/FAQsandEtiquette.aspx

Link and LayerExplore other adaptations of fairytales, novels, short stories and plays. This activity fits well into an English or drama-based classroom through its exploration of archetypes and character analysis.

Hyperlinks in the LessonCinderella Listening Guide: http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1011Season/LaCenerentola/ListeningGuide.aspx

MUSIC – OPEN, GR. 9 TO 12 / MUSIC – GR. 11 TO 12 , ENGLISH, DRAMA

ACTION!(Approximately 40 minutes)

w On a chart paper, each group co-operatively works on the What If Activity (Appendix C) and thinks critically about voice types and characterization, i.e. “What if… the role of Angelina was played by a soprano, how would we conceive of her character? Have students consider other aspects of the opera including mood, plot, setting and costume.

w In groups, students will recast Cinderella as a comedic opera and as a serious, tragic opera. Students provide explanations as to why they chose the specific voice type for each character. Students are given the choice of altering the ending to provide different effects on the overall story. Encourage students to be as creative as possible!

CONSOLIDATION(Approximately 15 minutes)

w Each group presents their new cast of Cinderella to the class and explains the reasons behind their casting choices.

w If this lesson is prior to viewing the performance, have the students think about how voice types will influence the characterization in this production. On a cue card, have each student write down at least one question they would like to explore during the performance that pertains to characterization (i.e. How will Angelina’s role be portrayed by the lead of this production? Is her voice a suitable choice for Angelina’s character?)

w Collect the completed cue cards and distribute them to students on the day of the performance. Each student will receive another student’s question to which they are responsible for answering.

w Briefly discuss proper opera etiquette with students.

18

http://www.coc.ca











APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Graffiti Activity: Example

MainCharacter

Heroine Orphan

Servant

Humble

Princess

Angelina (Cinderella)

19

http://www.coc.ca


APPENDICES

APPENDIX B: Exploring Opera Voices Listening Guide Worksheet

Listen to the audio clips of Cinderella. In groups, discuss which of the character traits you have just identified for each character are evident in each clip. With what characteristics do you associate each song? Consider the following questions as you carefully listen to the music.

w What do you think the character is singing about? What do you think the context is?

wDo(es) the character(s) sound happy, sad, mad, irritated or upset? What emotions do you associate with the music?

w Which character(s) do you think is/are singing?

w What do you think their voice type is/are? Is this voice type representative of their character(s)?

APPENDIX C: “What if” Activity Template

Mood? Personality?

Costume?

Plot?

Setting?

What if the role

of Angelina was played by a

soprano?

20

http://www.coc.ca


Above: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Photo: Sam Javanrouh

The COC offers a wide variety of school programs for Kindergarten to Grade 12.

To find out more, visit our website at coc.ca/Explore or contact:

Education & Outreach AssistantCanadian Opera Company

Tel: 416-306-2392Fax: [email protected]

Cinderella Study Guide contributors: Carly Anderson, Sarah Angus, Jennifer Dougall,Gianmarco Segato, Katherine Semcesen, Gillian Story and Gianna Wichelow.

The COC Gratefully Acknowledges:

Charitable Registration Number: 11883 4829 RR0001

http://www.coc.ca

Cinderella Study Guide

Documents

rossinis cinderella

cinderella study guidecoc

famous opera

opera voices

cacanadian opera company

houston grand opera

welsh national opera

performing artsthe opera