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(More customer reviews)La Cenerentola has been well served on DVD. The recently released Jean-Pierre Ponnelle filming of the opera was an excellent production, joining Cecilia Bartoli's star vehicle with the Houston Opera as fine representatives of Rossini's unfairy tale retelling of Charles Perrault's Cendrillon (or Cinderella). This new, vividly realized Glyndebourne production traditionally staged (in the finest sense) by Sir Peter Hall is perhaps the best of the three: combining intelligent insight into Rossini's unique operatic vision as well as a perceptive grasp of the historical importance of Cenerentola in the evolution of art, situated as it is on the cusp of the Romantic Era.
La Cenerentola is given the sub-heading (by Rossini) "a Dramma giocoso in two acts"; significantly, it is an inscription deliberately shared with Don Giovanni, the finest "serious comedy" ever staged. Mozart's spirit hovers over this opera; combining, as it does, comedy and a darker world view than is the youthful Rossini's norm. There is no room for farce. This is a relatively sober tale of impoverished gentility struggling to regain a social foothold. There is no fairy Godmother; rather a Voltaire-like philosophe (Alidoro) who attempts to manipulate events for ends never completely clear. This opera is truly representative of it's age and that is how Sir Peter stages it. The London Philharmonic is nicely conducted by the youthful Vladimir Jurowski. That this opera succeeds so well is a tribute to all concerned in this beautiful, resonant production.
First performed at the Teatro Valle, Rome on 25 January 1817 on the heels of Rossini's successful il Barbieri di Siviglia, and with a libretto by Jacopo Ferretti, La Cenerentola is as much a child of the Enlightenment with it's rational values and philosophe trained Prince in the person of Don Ramiro as it is an expression of nascent Romanticism with it's triumph of love over social hierarchy. If you are expecting a traditional fairy tale you will be disappointed. It is more a comedy of manners with serious overtones: the struggles of individual merit attempting to overcome class restrictions. It is an expression of the Age of Franklin, Washington and Jefferson. This Cinderella will better herself not through magic but through intrinsic worth, as coached by Alidoro, a philosopher/social mechanic. Sir Peter Hall suggests (in the 30 minute documentary on disc 2 entitled Insights) that opera singers should be clothed in the style of the music they sing. This production is placed in the era of 1815-1830 and is stunningly visual. The grandees are beautifully dressed in their period clothing, Cenerentola and her family suitably seedy in costumes looking moth-eaten, lived-in and dirty, yet suggestive of former gentility. It is obvious that great thought went into the staging of this opera. The sets also reflect the social position of their denizens, a loving recreation of the era which draws you into the world of this opera like no other component. It is a visual treat.
The acting and singing are fine because both aspects of the drama are stressed. The vile, narcissistic step-sisters Clorinda (Raquela Sheeran) and Tisbe (Lucia Cirillo) are excellently portrayed. The Father ironically named Don Magnifico (Luciano di Pasquale) is superbly repugnant. The philosophe Alidoro (Nathan Berg) is sung with a suitably rich Bass-Baritone reminiscent of Mozart's Sarastro in the Magic Flute. Dandini (appropriately named), the servant who masquerades as the prince to discover which of the sisters is most worthy of marriage, is sung by Simone Alberghini. The prince Don Ramiro (Maxim Mironov) is youthful with a fine, slightly reedy tenor. Angelina (another appropriate name) also known as Cenerentola is sung by lovely Ruxandra Donose. Her voice struck me as slightly problematic. It is a dark mezzo-soprano leaning toward contralto and is an excellent instrument: lyrical and supple. It's a voice that will only improve with time. At her lower register she projects softly so that hearing her distinctly on my sound system required my close attention and an occasional finger on the volume button. Her upper register is fine, with no difficulty in projection (though she's no Bette Midler).
The opera was recorded live at the Glyndebourne Opera House on June 2 & 4 2005. It is shot in 16/9 anamorphic widescreen high-definition film and looks beautiful. The double layer DVD is NTSC encoded for all regions. Sound is available in LPCM stereo and 5.1 DTS Digital Surround and is stunningly lifelike with great presence and immediacy. Good home theater systems will have a field day. Subtitles are in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. Extras include a Cast Gallery, an Illustrated Synopsis and a short documentary Insights with Sir Peter Hall and Vladimir Jurowski. The running time of the 2 discs is 187 minutes.
On balance, this is my favorite Cenerentola because of its insightful production. It is intelligently presented and beautiful to look at. Opus Arte is releasing some fine DVD sets and this is another example of their high standards. Strongly recommended.
Mike Birman
Click Here to see more reviews about: Rossini - La Cenerentola / Ruxandra Donose, Maxim Mironov, Simone Alberghini, Luciano Di Pasquale, Nathan Berg, Vladimir Jurowski, Glyndebourne Opera (2005)
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