OVERVIEW
Stanton Welch's Cinderella
The story has been a favorite for generations, but make no mistake, this is not your childhood Cinderella. More tomboy than princess, Stanton Welch’s title character is a striking woman of substance, determination and spunk. She’s in control, fighting the oppression and will of her evil stepmother with wit and vigor. And when she finds true love she grabs it – and wisely holds on with both hands.
STANTON WELCH’S PRODUCTION OF THIS AGE-OLD FAIRY TALE IS A CHARMER IN ITS OWN RIGHT, AND HOUSTON BALLET DELIGHTED A FULL AUDIENCE IN ITS OPENING THURSDAY NIGHT PERFORMANCE.
HOUSTON PRESS
WELCH’S BEAUTIFUL CHOREOGRAPHY AND BROADENING STORYLINE RECASTS THE TALE-AS-OLD-AS-TIME PRINCESS PLOT WITH CINDERELLA AS THE LITERAL LEAD THIS TIME, TAKING CONTROL OF HER LIFE AND DESTINY.
HOUSTONIA MAGAZINE
SYNOPSIS
MAIN CHARACTERS
Cinderella, Dandini, the Prince, Stepmother, Grizabella, Florinda, Buttons, Cinderella's Father, Cinderella's Mother
ACT 1
Scene I
The Breakfast Room Chez Cinderella
It is mid-morning on the day of the prince’s carnival. Cinderella serves her stepmother and stepsisters, Grizabella and Florinda, who are aflutter with excitement at the prospect of the evening’s royal ball. Cinderella’s father, already weakened by family discord and alcohol, is easily persuaded to another day’s drinking. Couturiers arrive with the stepfamily’s ball attire and a dance instructor drills the girls in the evening’s steps. The stepsisters, encouraged by their mother, destroy Cinderella’s hope of attending the ball by throwing her dead mother’s wedding dress into the fireplace. Comforted only by Buttons, the chimney sweep, Cinderella dons the dress and imagines the ball until, confronting her reflection in the mirror, she realizes the dress is ruined. Horrified, she runs from the house.
Scene II
A Street
Cinderella, followed by faithful Buttons, fights through a festive crowd as she seeks to escape to her mother’s grave.
Scene III
A Graveyard
At the tomb, Cinderella’s tears invoke the spirit of her mother, and her passionate life force conjures all the spirits of the dead into brief life. A vision of times past reveals the tragic love of Cinderella’s parents and the subsequent exploitation of her father’s grief by the cruel stepmother. The spirit of Cinderella’s mother summons the ghosts to create a magical dress for Cinderella, and Buttons is transformed into her page. After warning that she must return by midnight, the ghosts transport them to the royal ball.
INTERMISSION
ACT 2
The Royal Pavilion
The ball is in progress when the stepmother and stepsisters arrive with an excited flourish, for this evening the prince is expected to choose a bride. The royal companions of the prince arrive, to the admiration of all the ladies, and herald the entrance of the king. Then, to a thrilled crowd, the prince makes his entrance. All seek to ingratiate themselves with him when, suddenly, a chill breeze announces the arrival of a lovely, mysterious young woman. The prince invites her to dance, and, dazzled by his charm, Cinderella readily acquiesces. But she soon realizes he is all vanity and self-absorption. Breaking free of his company she encounters Dandini, the prince’s secretary, and dances with him. The prince is furious at this breach of royal protocol and demands to know more about her. Cinderella is saved from discovery by the announcement of supper. Left alone, Dandini is joined by Cinderella and the couple begins to fall in love. After dinner, Cinderella tries to leave but is detained by the prince, who insists that she stay. The clock strikes midnight and the ghosts reclaim the magic dress. Cinderella flees, leaving only a slipper.
Act 3
The Palace and Surrounds
The Prince’s companions are ordered to find the owner of the slipper. They search the world and produce princesses from Spain and Arabia, but to no avail. Ignoring his son’s objections, the king insists that the common folk of the country try the slipper. Town ladies rush to get in line, except Cinderella, who is avoiding detection. She comes upon the lovesick Dandini, who gradually recognizes her as his mysterious beloved from the ball. The stepmother tries unsuccessfully to fit the slipper to her daughters’ feet, leaving only Cinderella to try it on. She is proved its true owner. The prince, compelled to recognize a commoner as his future wife, is forced by the king to propose. Cinderella rejects his offer in favor of Dandini, who then must defend himself against the Prince’s outrage. The stepmother, furious at the loss of a royal connection, attacks Cinderella but is stopped by Cinderella’s father, an effort which kills him. In spirit he is reunited with his beloved first wife, and the stepmother, witnessing this vision, descends into madness. Cinderella and Dandini, her true prince, go forward to begin their own story – free from servitude and bound eternally by love.
ARTISTS
Stanton Welch
CHOREOGRAPHER
In July 2003, the acclaimed Australian choreographer Stanton Welch assumed the leadership of Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company, as artistic director. Since his arrival, Mr. Welch has transformed Houston Ballet by raising the level of classical technique, infusing the company with new energy, drive and vision; introducing works by distinguished choreographers to the repertoire; and attracting some of the world's best coaches to Houston to work with the dancers. He has created works for such prestigious international companies as Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Royal Danish Ballet.
Sergei Prokofiev
COMPOSER
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (23 April 1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian and Soviet composer, pianist and conductor. As the creator of acknowledged masterpieces across numerous musical genres, he is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century. His works include such widely heard works as the March from The Love for Three Oranges, the suite Lieutenant Kijé, the ballet Romeo and Juliet – from which "Dance of the Knights" is taken – and Peter and the Wolf. Of the established forms and genres in which he worked, he created – excluding juvenilia – seven completed operas, seven symphonies, eight ballets, five piano concertos, two violin concertos, a cello concerto, a Symphony-Concerto for cello and orchestra, and nine completed piano sonatas.
HISTORY
CINDERELLA REPERTOIRE HISTORY
This was Houston Ballet’s third time performing Stanton Welch’s Cinderella as a part of its main season. Selections from Cinderella have been performed at various performances of Houston Ballet’s Jubilee of Dance. Before Stanton Welch’s Cinderella, Houston Ballet performed Ben Stevenson’s production of Cinderella seven times during past main seasons.
CINDERELLLA PRODUCTION DETAILS
CHOREOGRAPHER: Stanton Welch
GENRE: Full-length Classical Ballet
RUN TIME: Ballet in 2 Acts; approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes
COMPOSER: Sergei Prokofiev
SCORE: “Cinderella"
ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHER: Rostislav Zakharov with libretto by Nikolai Volkov
ORIGINAL PREMIERE DATE: November 21, 1945 at Moscow, Russia designed by Pyotr Williams by the Bolshoi Ballet
HOUSTON BALLET PREMIERE DATE: September 30, 1976 at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas; staged by Ben Stevenson with designs by Peter Farmer; March 2, 1989 at the Wortham Theater in Houston, Texas; staged by Ben Stevenson with designs by David Walker
STANTON WELCH’S PRODUCTION WORLD PREMIERE DATE: February 21, 1997 at the State Theatre in Melbourne, Australia by the Australian Ballet
STANTON WELCH’S PRODUCTION HOUSTON BALLET PREMIERE DATE: March 6, 2008 in the Brown Theater at the Wortham Theater Center in Houston, Texas
SUBESQUENT STANTON WELCH’S PRODUCTION HOUSTON BALLET PERFORMANCES: February 23, 2012 in the Brown Theater at the Wortham Theater Center in Houston, Texas
STANTON WELCH’S PRODUCTION COSTUME DESIGN: Kristian Fredrikson
STANTON WELCH’S PRODUCTION SET DESIGN: Kristian Fredrikson
STANTON WELCH’S PRODUCTION LIGHTING DESIGN: Lisa J. Pinkham
BALLET MASTERS (2017): Steven Woodgate and Barbara Bears
HOUSTON BALLET ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR (2017): Ermanno Florio
HOUSTON BALLET STAGE MANAGER (2017): Josh Daniels
HOUSTON BALLET ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER (2017): Vanessa Chumbley
SPECIAL PROGRAM NOTES (2017): “Houston Ballet’s performances of Cinderella sponsored by: ConocoPhillips.”
DANCE TALK (2017): A 21st Century Cinderella, Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at 7:00 pm at the Center for Dance
RELATED EVENT (2017): Free informal film screening of Ever After (1998) Wednesday February 15, 2017 at 7:00 pm at Café Brasil/The Brandon
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