The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music presents a fairytale opera for the ages, Cendrillon (Cinderella), Nov. 17-20 in Corbett Auditorium as part of this year’s Mainstage Series. Director of Orchestral Studies, Mark Gibson, conducts with stage direction by Robin Guarino, the J. Ralph Corbett Distinguished Chair in Opera.
‘Cendrillon’ sketch by student costume designer, Maria Lenn.
With original music by Jules Massenet and Libretto by Henri Caïn, Cendrillon is based on Charles Perrault’s original Cinderella story. However, Guarino weaves a bit more magic into CCM’s version of the classic fairytale — movie magic.
Inspired by Francois Truffaut’s 1973 French film Day for Night, CCM’s Cendrillon takes place on the set of a movie. Lucette, a script girl, is the opera’s “Cinderella” who falls asleep on set and dreams of becoming an actress. Her fairy godmother, in the guise of a costume designer, transforms Lucette into the star of the film and transports her to the ball where she falls in love with the Prince, an actor in the film. When Lucette awakes, she is surprised to find the film’s cast arguing about a mysterious woman who attracted the Prince at the ball.
CCM’s Cendrillon, including the added dream sequence, explores themes of transformation and surrealism. Under Guarino’s direction, the opera invites audiences to ask: if it was a dream, does that mean it wasn’t real?
Guarino particularly enjoys working on fairytale operas because of the potential she finds in their accessible storylines. “I love clear, simple, direct story-telling that connects to not only young people, but people of all ages,” she says.
A show for the whole family to enjoy, Cendrillon is ripe with all of the magic and romance of the original fairytale, complete with familiar characters such as the “ugly stepsisters” who appear as diva actresses in this retelling.
The opera is performed in four acts with a brief pause after Act I and an intermission between Acts II and III. It will be sung in French with English supertitles.
Creative Team
Mark Gibson, conductor
Yael Front, conductor on Sunday, Nov. 20*
Robin Guarino, stage director
Marie-France Lefebvre, musical preparation
Vince DeGeorge, choreographer
Thomas Umfrid, scenic designer
Maria Lenn, costume designer*
Nicki Berger, stage manager*
Erik McCandless, lighting designer*
Shannon Hutchins, wig & make-up designer*
*CCM student
Cast
Grace Newberry* as Lucette, the script girl
Jasmin White^ as Lucette, the script girl
Kayleigh Decker* as Actor playing the Prince
Amber Fasquelle^ as Actor playing the Prince
Alex Harper as The Director “Herald”/Ensemble
Murella Parton as Assistant Director/Ensemble
Michael Hyatt as The Camera Man/Ensemble
Christian Pursell* as Pandolfe, an actor (Lucette’s father)
John Tibbetts^ as Pandolfe, an actor (Lucette’s father)
Karis Tucker* as Madame de La Haltière, an actress (Pandolfe’s second wife)
Rebecca Printz^ as Madame de La Haltière, an actress (Pandolfe’s second wife)
Nicole Hodgins as Noémie, an actress (Madame de La Haltière’s daughter)
Chelsea Melamed as Dorothée, an actress (Madame de La Haltière’s daughter)
Erica Intilangelo* as The Costume Designer “Fairy”
Heidi Middendorf^ as The Costume Designer “Fairy”
Brianna Bragg, Shannon Cochran, Abigail Hoyt, Claire Lopatka, Lisa Rogali, Amy Joy
Stephans as Assistant Costume “Spirits”/Ensemble
Samson McCrady as Actor “The King”/Ensemble
Zane Hill as Actor “The Prime Minister”/Ensemble
Robert Stahley as Actor “The Dean”/Ensemble
Page Michels, Natalie Sheppard as Make-up Girls/Ensemble
Rebecca Castillo as Female Extra/Ensemble
Logan Wagner as Male Extra/Ensemble
Donghwi Baek as Lighting Crew/Ensemble
* Thursday, Nov. 17 and Sunday, Nov. 20
^ Saturday, Nov. 19
Performance Times
8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17
8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19
2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20
Location
Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati
Purchasing Tickets
Tickets to Cendrillon are $31-35 for general admission, $22-25 for non-UC students and $18-21 for UC students with a valid ID. Customizable subscription packages are also available.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online at ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice.
Parking and Directions
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.
For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors.
For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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CCM Season Presenting Sponsor and Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
Mainstage Season Production Sponsor: Macy’s
Opera Department Sponsor Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Rosenthal
Opera Production Sponsor: Genevieve Smith
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Story by CCM graduate student Charlotte Kies
CCM VILLAGE NEWS ARCHIVES 