La Cenerentola June 2026 Program - Opéra Garnier

Description

Once upon a time... the story of Cinderella. But a Cinderella without a fairy godmother, without a pumpkin, and without a glass slipper. It hardly matters that the opera La Cenerentola, composed by Gioacchino Rossini on a libretto by Jacopo Ferretti, departs from the tale popularized by Charles Perrault: the magic works in another way.

Created in 1817 for the Carnival of Rome, this sparkling work reveals all of Rossini's artistry, as he composed the score in just twenty-four days. Behind the virtuosity of this feat unfolds music of irresistible melodies, where the most brilliant comedy blends with a gentle sense of melancholy.

Stripped of its supernatural trappings, La Cenerentola celebrates another kind of enchantment: that of emotions, forgiveness, and inner transformation. Between dazzling ensembles and delicately expressive arias, Rossini delivers a richly contrasted score, driven by an irresistible theatrical energy.

Director Guillaume Gallienne places the characters on the edge of a volcano ready to erupt, subtly revealing the tensions and fragilities that run through this human fable. Through his vision, Rossini's humor is shaded with nuance and ambiguity, giving the work a singular depth.

A lively and moving opera program that restores all the power of a universal tale in which musical brilliance, poetry, and humanity come together with grace.