My first Glyndebourne opera. Didn't enjoy this as much as other Rossini and Verdi operas as the music and bonkerness of the plot don't seem as standout as other works; but it does have its charms. I don't really understand the plot; girl aka Cinderella lives with oppressive father (or perhaps not father), and his two equally oppressive daughters: she is their unloved, unpaid and unappreciated skivvy. Everyone has really drab, dirty costumes which I didn't like, but it's not until the end that I realised that this is essential plot device - they have stolen her dowry to buy fine clothes and let their estate decay as the stolen money runs out. Cinderella is rescued by her non-fairy real Dad? He is disguised as a poor man who she gives food to and shows compassion to.
Meanwhile, a sub-plot involves a Prince who's coming to visit switching places with his valet (?) Dandini to check out the real state of things. This is where it gets good for me - Dandini livens things up by bossing the Prince 'his servant' about; falsely flattering the oppressive daughters and getting their father Don Magnifico (the irony!) really drunk to prove his fealty to the Prince. No idea! Somehow the real non-fairy Dad gets Cinderella some glad rags and she does go to the ball! Then Dandini breaks the fourth wall as the oppressive family get their comeuppance, and he settles back to enjoy the spectacle. The awareness of being characters in a play is funny as they all realise they're about to get justice. Cinderella gets a big Disney Princess final sing off and some fantastically beautiful regal bling.
Best things about this - sarcastic Cinderella; the bit where everyone insults everyone else. Cinderella gets properly dissed for hanging out with the Prince; the Prince properly disses the family - Cinderella begs for compassion and pity for them. The bonkers puffy sleeves and 1810s/1820s hair styles on the two oppressive sisters. Dandini. When the production channells Rossini doing Mozart - it all feels a bit Figaro Barber of Seville at points - the Prince and Dandini seem to teeter on breaking out into Figaro, Figaro, Figaro. Dandini's swishing about. Cinderella's happy warbling at the end. Dandini's happy sing off solo as the oppressive family lose the plot literally (one with very smelly smelling salt or maybe it's even meant to be medicinal laudanum!) as the Prince insists that Cinderella come and reign with him!
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