Cinderella

Cinderella
Opera Colorado
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO 
April 30 - May 8, 2011

Upon hearing that Opera Colorado was presenting Cinderella, I thought this would be popular with families. I noticed many children seated around me. While the show was effective at drawing the families in, the show was not geared toward children. Act One was very long and many of the children did not return after intermission.

While the story was familiar, this telling was not as we have grown to expect. Cinderella was indeed a servant to her stepmother and  stepsisters, but it took a very long time for her to get to the ball. When she arrived, she wore a glittering black dress. And instead of a glass slipper, she left behind one of two identical bracelets.

The score was beautifully sung, but none of the arias were particularly memorable.The costumes and sets brought the story to life. While this wasn't Disney's Cinderella, it was a compelling version of the fairy tale.