Золушка / Cinderella (2018)

Le ballet de l’Opéra national de Paris (2018)

Charles Perrault’s celebrated tale, set to music by Sergei Prokofiev, is transposed to a film set. In a series of references to the heroes of the American cinema, Rudolf Nureyev propels his Cinderella under the spotlights of Hollywood. With a producer for fairy godmother and a star actor as Prince Charming, she escapes her miserable destiny and sees her dreams come true in a story not without similarities with that of the choreographer, the young Tartar who became an international star. With this “ballet‑metaphor”, the Company pays tribute to its former director Rudolf Nureyev. A great production that celebrates the opening of the Paris Opera’s anniversary year.

ACT I

Hollywood in the 1930’s. A diner run by Cinderella’s father. Cinderella’s two shrewish stepsisters never miss an opportunity to audition for the movies and have finally landed roles in a new film. The stepsisters and the tyrannical stepmother are busy choosing outfits to wear to the studio while Cinderella sits on one side. The stepsisters squabble. Cinderella finds herself alone and dreams of a different life. When she tries to pull her father away from his drinking, the sisters become particularly cruel. An injured man arrives at the house. True to her generous nature, Cinderella is quick to take care of him. In reality, he is the producer of the film in which the sisters have wangled roles. The costumes the sisters are to wear in the film are delivered. A dance instructor arrives to rehearse with them before they depart for the studio. Cinderella looks on longingly. Everyone leaves and Cinderella entertains herself by repeating the dance steps she has just seen. She puts on her father’s clothes, which are hanging on the coat rack, and plays at being a movie character (Charlie, the tramp). The producer returns to find the young girl who helped him and brings her to the studios. He presents a fashion show of the spring, summer, autumn and winter collections so that she can choose a dress for her début. The clock on the set strikes twelve. The producer gives Cinderella a warning: time passes quickly; while still young and beautiful, she must pursue her dream and become an actress. They leave for Beverly Hills in his splendid limousine.

ACT II

Backstage, the director and his assistant quarrel while movies are being made all around them. On the first set is a comic escape from prison. A burlesque scene is being shot on the second set with men disguised as ballerinas. Filming on the central set is a dramatic scene from King Kong. Tahitian girls dance unaware of impending danger. When the monster appears, the natives offer up the girls in sacrifice. The producer chases everyone off the stage as the movie star makes his entrance. The handsome actor enters. The stepmother and starstruck sisters are directly on his heels! The dance master rehearses the corps de ballet, the actor and the sisters. The sisters perform dreadfully. Just then, Cinderella enters surrounded by a flock of photographers like a true star. She meets the movie star and they film some “takes”. The dance instructor rehearses with Cinderella, and she then performs a solo. The actor then performs his solo. There is a break, and refreshments are brought in. Seizing three oranges, each of the stepsisters throws herself into a frenzied solo to attract the actor’s attention. But it is too late. The actor and Cinderella have already fallen in love. After the break, they film the scene with the full cast. It is completed just at the stroke of midnight. The clock reminds Cinderella that all this is too beautiful to last. She flees.

ACT III

The movie star, cast and crew search for Cinderella. They scour the city’s night spots: looking first in a Spanish cantina, then a Chinese opium den, then a Russian cabaret. She is not to be found. Returning home, Cinderella recalls the previous night’s events. Her stepmother and sisters wake up and life continues as before. The actor arrives unexpectedly, holding the shoe the mysterious young woman left behind her in her flight. He tries the shoe on the sisters and their mother. None of them fit into it. Cinderella takes it and puts it on her own foot. The actor is beside himself with joy at finding the one he loves. The producer (half-Pygmalion, half-Diaghilev) thinks it is an ideal time to sign Cinderella’s first contract. In real life, just as on the silver screen, they live happily ever after.