Cinderella

History

The libretto of Cinderella was criticized for putting more emphasis on spectacle than on drama and story-telling. Nevertheless, the production was an enormous success due to the ovation given to the Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani in the title role. On opening night she caused a sensation in the Mariinsky Theatre, and was universally praised by the St. Petersburg critics, with a critic of the Peterbugskaya gazeta reporting that her dancing reached a level of "...unprecedented perfection." The theatre critic for the Peterburgskii lpistok reported that Legnani executed "...the most dizzying difficulties of ballet technique with absolute ease, without the least tension or fatigue...", and that she "...revealed such perfection of technique and such strength as are difficult to imagine." He went on to state that Legnani "...must unquestionably be counted among the greatest virtuosas of choreography which Petersburg had ever seen."

The most celebrated scene of Cinderella was the ball in the throne room of the castle in the second act, which included an elaborate Grand Pas d'action for the characters Cinderella, the Prince, soloists and the corps de ballet. Also successful was the spectacular Night tableaux of Act III, representing the Nile, Granada and Paris with each number beginning by the dancers and scenery rising out of a lake at the back of the stage with the wave of the Good Fairy's wand.

The premiere of Cinderella has the distinction of being the first performance of a ballet in Russia to feature a ballerina performing 32 consecutive fouettés en tournant, which was executed by Pierina Legnani in the title role. The ballet historian Konstantin Skalkovsky, who served as dance critic for the Peterburgskaya gazeta at the turn of the 20th century, reported on Legnani's feat: "...in the last act Legnani positively outdid herself. When Emma Bessone danced the lead in "The Haarlem Tulip" she did 14 fouettés. In her variation Legnani performed 32 of them without stopping, and without traveling one inch! The public delightedly applauded the Ballerina and compelled her to repeat this variation as well. On the repetition she nevertheless did 28 fouettés. To count them became the favorite occupation of the public."

Cinderella was later staged for the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow by Lev Ivanov, with the first performance given on 31 July [O.S. 19 July] 1898. Ivanov supervised a revival of the second act for the farewell benefit performance of Pierina Legnani on 5 February [O.S. 23 January] 1901. This would prove to be the last performance of any part of the ballet.

Fitinhof-Schell's score for Cinderella was never published in any form. The only part of the score that is still heard is the female variation in polka rhythm danced in the Mariinsky Theatre's version of the so-called "Le Corsaire Pas de Deux".

Résumé of scenes and dances

Taken from the original printed libretto of 1893.

Act I

№ 01 Jeu dansant des marmitons

№ 02 Scène dansante

№ 03 Scène mimique de Cendrillon

№ 04 Pas des étincelles

№ 05 Apparition de la fée bienfaisante

№ 06 Leçon de maintien

№ 07 Cortège et départ de Cendrillon pour le bal

Act II

№ 08 L'arrivée des invités

№ 09 Entrée du roi et de la reine

№ 10 Réception des ambassadeurs

№ 11 Apparition de Cendrillon

№ 12 Danse russe

№ 13 Danse polonaise

№ 14 Grand pas d'action

№ 15 Fuite de Cendrillon

Act III

№ 16 Scène mimique de Cendrillon et la fée bienfaisante

№ 17 Marche et entrée des invités

№ 18 Apparition de Cendrillon, la fée bienfaisante et les princesses de la nuit

Synopsis

ACT I – A large kitchen

Scene 1

At the rise of the curtain, Gianna the cook and her scullery maids are busy preparing dinner, but Gianna no sooner leaves the kitchen than the scullery maids abandon their duties and begin to dance and play with saucepans and skillets.

Gianna returns, sees their mischief and sternly orders them back to business; they pay her no heed and Gianna, drawn into their merriment, begins to dance with them. A bell is heard. Gianna now emphatically orders her helpers to calm down; in confusion, they rush back to their places.

Scene 2

Aloisa and Odette enter hurriedly, hunting for their little sister to help them dress for the ball. Seeing that Cinderella is not there, they order the scullery maids to find her at once. The sisters are in a frightful worry. The hour of their departure for the royal celebration is approaching and their toilettes are not yet finished; they begin to smarten themselves up, angry and astonished at Cinderella's absence.

Scene 3

Cinderella runs in holding a sheaf of straw; her sisters rush over to push and pinch her and make their poor sister suffer, then they order her to set right their toilettes, which Cinderella willingly tries to do. The sisters, now content, begin to dream and boast to one another of their successes at the ball. Making fun of Cinderella, they dance and force her to dance as well. Their parents enter and press their daughters to get ready to leave. In vain, Cinderella begs her parents and sisters to take her along. Her sisters laugh and her father orders her sternly to stay at home and tend to her chores.

Scene 4

Alone and sad, Cinderella dreams about the pleasures of the ball, imagining the dances, but realising that she cannot go, and hurries about her work. The hearth flares up; Cinderella watches astonished as living sparks fly out of the fireplace. They surround her; delighted, she admires them and dances with them.