Cinderella

Opera

This little treasure by Viardot is what is known as a “salon opera”, a booming genre during the 19 th century created for aficionados in the apartments of the wealthy. Many of those small-scale operas eventually became acknowledged as works of art particularly because their composers were great musicians and singers, including Manuel García and his daughter Pauline Viardot. Pauline, the sister of Malibrán, was a prolific composer who left us her personal view of
the fairy tale in which the stepmother is replaced by a rather naughty father and caricature stepsisters. The subject matter champions the right to a happy life, and love as the power against envy and abuse. The opera was chosen to open the Real Teatro del Retiro and, following its success, it now returns to be enjoyed by schoolchildren and the whole family.

A coproduction by the Teatro Real together with the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, Teatro Cervantes in Málaga and the Fundación Opera from Oviedo.

Music by Pauline Viardot

Stage director: Guillermo Amaya

Musical director and piano: Francisco Soriano

Set design: Pablo Menor Palomo

Costume design: Rachel Porter

A Real Teatro de Retiro production

Including participation by young singers from the Friends of the Teatro Real Foundation’s CRESCENDO programme.

School matinees
31 January and 6 and 7 February 2025 at 10.30am and 12 noon.

Family performances
1 and 8 February 2025 at 12 noon and 5.30pm and 2 and 9 February at 11am and 1pm.

Recommended for children aged 10 and over

Educational recommendation: 12- to 18-year-olds