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La Cenerentola
In the dilapidated mansion lives Don Magnifico, Baron of Montefiascone, along with his two daughters and one stepdaughter. Clorinda and Tisbe try on different clothes while Cenerentola who is considered as the maid sings a sad poem about a king who found a wife among the common folk. Just then a beggar comes and the stepsisters try to send him away, while Cenerentola offers him bread and coffee. Just then some courtiers enter to state that Prince Ramiro will soon pay a visit as he is searching for the most beautiful girl in the land to be his bride. The sisters are excited and they ask Cenerentola to get more jewels. Amidst the commotion Magnifico gets up from his sleep and scolds the girls for disturbing him. After everyone retires Prince Ramiro disguised as his own valet comes to the mansion. Cenerentola gets flustered when she sees the handsome stranger.
The Prince asks her who she is but she gives a flustered explanation. Just then Magnifico enters and Ramiro tells him that the Prince would be arriving soon. Dandini who is actually the prince's valet, enters disguised as the Prince. Dandini invites the girls to a ball. Don Magnifico and his daughters plan to leave behind Cenerentola. Ramiro observes everything that is going on. Ramiro's tutor, who had earlier come as the beggar asks Cenerentola to go with him to the ball. Dandini tells the Prince the true nature of the sisters. The Prince is confused, as his tutor had spoken highly of one of Magnifico's daughters. Clorinda and Tisbe come back to the room and Dandini offers Ramiro as a companion for one of them, but they turn their noses up at a simple groom. Just then Alidoro declares the entrance of an unknown, veiled lady. When she lifts her veil everyone is confused as all feel that she resembles somebody.
Act II
Magnifico is worried about the new girl, he thinks her to be a threat to his daughters. Ramiro is obsessed with the new girl, as she resembles the girl he had met in the morning. He hides himself as he sees Dandini approaching with Cenerentola. Dandini proposes to Cenerentola but she refuses and tells the Prince that she is in love with his groom. Ramiro is delighted and he comes forward but to check his honesty Cenerentola gives him one of a pair of matching bracelets and asks him to find her. Ramiro with the help of his tutor and his men starts the search. Magnifico, thinking Dandini to be the prince asks him which of his daughter's he wants to marry. Dandini reveals the truth and after Magnifico gets angry, Dandini orders him out of the palace. Back at the mansion the father and daughters are angry, they order Cenerentola to prepare supper. Dandini once again enters the house saying that the Prince needs help. The prince enters the house, Cenerentola realizes that Ramiro is the prince and the Prince too recognizes her. Cenerentola and the Prince marry and live happily ever after.
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La Cenerentola is an operatic drama by Gioacchino Rossini that is based on the fairy tale Cinderella. La Cenerentola was premiered in Rome in 1817 and it was not well accepted. Eventually, the opera became a hit and from Italy it reached Lisbon in 1819, London in 1820 and finally New York in 1826. Rossini wrote La Cenerentola when he was just 25 years old and completed it within three weeks. There are slight variations from the traditional fairy tale in La Cenerentola as Rossini did not want magic to feature in his opera.
