Cinderella Massenet
Calgary Opera

One night that changes everything.

Pure escape fantasy, set to music as shimmering and romantic as the ballroom itself. Experience the thrill of transformation in a breathless race against the clock.

DIVE DEEPER

• Did you know? The fairytale of Cinderella has roots dated as far back as ~850AD, from the Tang dynasty-era set of folk tales that includes the story of “Ye Xian”, who loses a shoe on her way home from a New Year’s Eve festival.
• Massenet’s take on Cinderella, based on the 1697 story by Charles Perrault, is full-on fairytale: the Fairy Godmother grants wishes, Cinderella arrives at the ball in a magical coach, and the clock strikes midnight just before the Prince declares his love for the mysterious woman at his party.
• In his opera, Massenet humanizes and even pokes fun at nobility. He gives names to Cinderella’s wicked stepmother and stepsisters; at the ball, when Prince Charming is inundated with women vying for a rich married life, Massenet turns the scene into eat-the-rich satire.
• In Cinderella, the role of Prince Charming is usually played by a female singer — a trope in opera often called “trouser” or “pants roles”. Trouser-role characters come with a unique layer of meaning: they’re usually younger men, high-class or even royalty, and often lack impulse control…