Kraków Opera: Cinderella

Is This a Fairytale, or Not…

The versions of this fairytale are neverending – there are as many of them as there are tellers. Shortly the eminent choreographer and director Giorgio Madia will be presenting his own story of Cinderella. This time will the poor orphan triumph and marry her prince? We can found out for ourselves on 30 April during the Kraków Opera premiere.

Giorgio Madia, graduate of the ballet school at Milan’s La Scala and soloist of the Béjart and San Francisco Ballets, these days creates his own shows in his inimitable style, what is more playing with conventions and the ballet tradition. The Cinderella libretto he has compiled works marvellously well with a collage of compositions from Gioacchino Rossini’s opera of the same name. The developments on stage bring to mind a Disney tale, the effective costumes – the work of Cordelia Matthes – allude to Audrey Hepburn’s style in the 1960s, and in the dance moves the trained eye might perceive allusions to classic stagings of Swan Lake or Giselle. The dancers, the singers and choir of the Kraków Opera will be appearing in the show. The orchestra will be led by Sebastian Perłowski.

In the Cinderella’s story told by Madia the traditional sunniness of spirit and faith in dreams are not sacrifised. We’re not going to betray whether magic tricks help them to be fulfilled, but there’ll certainly be no shortage of on stage magic: both the dancing and music enchant. (Barbara Skowrońska)