SMTD Past Performances

Opera > Past Performances > 2021-22 Season

Cinderella (Cendrillon)

A fairy tale in four acts

Music by Jules Massenet
Libretto in French by Henri Cain
After the fairy tale by Charles Perrault

Department of Voice & The University Symphony Orchestra
November 5 – 8, 2021 • Power Center for the Performing Arts

The King is throwing a ball in Prince Charming’s honor, and all will be in attendance–except for Lucette, known as “Cinderella” to her stepmother & stepsisters. That is, until Le Fee–Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother–steps in. Her spell only lasts until midnight. That’s long enough for Cinderella and Prince Charming to meet and fall in love.

This highly melodic and witty “Conte de fees” premiered in Paris at the Opera-Comique on May 24, 1899.

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Artistic Staff

Conductor: Kirk Severtson
Stage Director: Abbigail Coté
Chorus Master: Katherine Rohwer
Scenic Designer: Dipu Gupta
Costume Designer: Christopher Vergara
Lighting Designer: Kathleen Alexandrou
Sound Designer: Roger Arnett
Hair and Make Up Designer: Brittany Rappise
Assistant Conductor: Aleksandr Polyakov
Assistant Director: Sitong Liu
Assistant Scenic Designer: Niamh Sullivan
Assistant Costume Designer: Janna Vukovich
Production Stage Manager: Caroline-Michele Uy
Rehearsal Pianist: John Morefield
Rehearsal Pianist: Natalie Sherer
Diction Coach: Timothy Cheek
Ensembles Production Manager: Erin Casler
Hair and Makeup Supervisor: Sam Whetstone

Crew

Production Crew

1st ASM Wilhelmina Schuster

ASMs  Andrew Kevic, Marina Lebowich

Sound Engineer  Roger Arnett

Hair and Makeup Supervisor  Sam Whetstone

Professional Stitcher  Marcia Grace

Theatrical Lighting  Kathleen Alexandrou, Abi Farnsworth, Sydney Geysbeek, Harrison Hoffert, Megan Mondek, Jordan Pinet, and Theatre 250/252 Students

Painting  Maya Sistruck, Ellie Vice, Caroline Michele Uy, Nicole White, & Theatre 250/252/261 Students

Properties  Shelby Alexander, Ainsley Grace, Casey Guilds, Katie Kim, Alex Li, Charlotte Stallings, Audrey Tieman, Laurence Vance, and Theatre 250/252 Students

Scenery  Raymond Galasso, Sydney Geysbeek, Abigail Labbe, Niamh Sullivan, Sophia Severance, and Theatre 250/252 Students

Running Crew

Light Board Operator  Alex Li

Follow Spot Operators  Chloe Chandler, Summer Wasung

Supertitles Operator  Jaxon Williams

Props Crew Lead  Audrey Tieman

Properties/Scenery Crew  Brooke Arnold, Ben Bian, Megan Fox, Chase Warren

Scenery/Deck Crew  Charlotte Stallings, Ellie Vice

Wardrobe Crew  Olivia Biase, Rachael Hymowitz, Rohan Maletira, Esmay Pricejones

Wig/Makeup Crew  Dallas Fadul, Caitlyn Wade

Department

David Gier, Dean
Paul Boylan Collegiate Professor of Music

Department of Voice

Chair
Scott Piper

Opera Faculty
Timothy Cheek, Abbigail Coté, Kirk Severtson, Matthew Thompson, Danielle Wright

Voice Faculty
Freda Herseth, Stephen Lusmann, Rose Mannino, Stanford Olsen,  Scott Piper, George Shirley,  Louise Toppin, Daniel Washington, Stephen West

Associated Faculty
Caroline Helton

Distinguished Visiting Artist
Thomas Hampson

Professors Emeriti
Willis Patterson, Carmen Pelton, George Shirley

University Symphony Orchestra

Director of Orchestras
Kenneth Kiesler

Assoc. Director of Orchestras
Adrian Slywotzky

Director of Concerts & Events
Paul Feeny

Ensembles Production Manager
Erin Casler

Interim Librarian
Madeline Warner

Production Manager
Jonathan Mashburn

Equipment
Marcus Byers, Natalia Camargo, Andrew Colon, Margot Cunningham, Jack Morin, Eli Stefanacci

Ops Coordinator
Walt Puyear

Cast

+ Paris Cast Thursday/Saturday,* Versailles Cast Friday/Sunday
Cendrillon: Christine Amon+
Cendrillon: Colleen Cole Beucher*
Le Prince: Sarah Best+
Le Prince: HaYoung Jung*
La Fée: Greta Groothuis+
La Fée: Megan Warburton*
Pandolfe: Taewon Sohn+
Pandolfe: Paul Leland Hill *
Madame de la Haltiére: Samantha Williams+
Madame de la Haltiére: Aria Minasian*
Noémie: Darla Lowe+
Noémie: Megan Maloney*
Dorothée: Valeria de Luna-Kent+
Dorothée: Myah Rose Paden*
Le Roi: Timothy Zajdela+,*
Le Doyen de la Faculté: Trevor Scott+
Le Doyen de la Faculté: Jonathan Taccolini*
Herald: Jonathan Taccolini+
Herald: Trevor Scott*
Le Surintendant des Plaisirs: Noah Rogers+,*
Le Premier Ministre: Andrew Hallam +,*
Sprite S1: Lauren Fleming
Sprite S2: Alyia (Aliyah) Quill
Sprite S3: Annika DeJonge
Servant: Maggie Reed
Servant: Soleil Garcia-Johnson
Servant: Lucy McDowell
Sprite S4: Caitlyn Bogart
Sprite A1: Pelagia Pamel
Sprite A2: Madeleine Buckley
Servant: Lucy Koukoudian
Servant/Courtier: Ian Pathak
Courtier Dawson: Trotman
Servant/Courtier: Javier Torres
Doctor: Xavier Perry
Servant/Doctor: Anthony Larson
Servant/Doctor: William Lee
Minister: Craig Rettew

Orchestra

Violin I
Annamaria Vasmatzidis**, Eugenia Cho, Bright Johnston, William Thain, Iris Wu, Kathy Zhang

Violin II
Alexandria Ott*, Fiona Cunningham-Murray, Erika Dalton, Zoe Fong, Bethlehem Kelley, Muirne Mitchell

Viola
Thomas Chafe*, Margot Cunningham, Katie Snelling, Jacob Westerbeke

Cello
Priscilla Kim*, Christopher Chan, Benjamin Maxwell

Double Bass
Emani Barber, Timothy Walters

Flute
Minseo Kim, Ting-Yu Yeh

Oboe
Jonathan Chan, Jeffrey Langer

Clarinet
Michelle Ho, Triniti Rives

Bassoon
Marissa Honig, Heeseung Lee

Trumpet
Vance Kreider, Jack Smid

Horn
Dena Levy, Jack Moeser

Trombone
Shonn Olegario

Percussion
Britton-Rene Collins, Nolan Ehlers, Reed Puleo

Harp
Beth Henson

**Concertmaster

*Principal

Staff

University Productions Administrative  Staff

Executive Director
Jeffrey Kuras

Administrative Specialist
Christine Eccleston

Administrative Asst.
Nathan Carrillo

Marketing & Communications Director
Sarah Erlewine

Information Systems Manager
Henry Reynolds

Facilities Manager
Shannon Rice

Performance Halls House Manager
Kelley Krahn

Sr. Backstage Operations Mgr.
Barry LaRue

Backstage Operations Mgrs.
Mark Gordon, David Pickell, Dane Racicot,
Donald C. Watkins

University Productions Production Staff

Production Manager
Paul Hunter

Assistant Production Manager
Miriam Michaels

Technical Director (Power Center)
Douglas Edwards

Technical Dir. (Walgreen)
Richard W. Lindsay, Jr.

Interim Master Carpenter
Devin Miller

Interim Scenic Carpenter
Andrew Furda

Charge Scenic Artist (Power Center)
Toni Y. Auletti

Charge Scenic Artist (Walgreen)
Beth Sandmaier

Theatrical Properties Manager
Patrick A. Drone

Assoc. Theatrical Properties Manager
Sarah Tanner

Properties Artisan
Dan Erickson

Theatrical Lighting Manager
Heather Hunter

Sound Engineer
Henry Reynolds

Costume Shop Manager
Laura Brinker

Asst. Costume Shop Manager
Leslie Ann Smith

Cutter/Drapers
Justin Collings, Seth Gilbert, TJ Williamson

Stitcher
Rene Plante

Crafts Artisan
Elizabeth Gunderson

Costume Stock Manager
Theresa Hartman

Wardrobe Manager
Rossella Human

Resources

  • Sung in French with projected English surtitles
  • Set in Paris in the 1970’s
  • Assistant Conductor Aleksandr Polyakov conducted the November 7th performance.
  • Cinderella was presented through special arrangement with Pocket Publications Cardiff LLP. Orchestral reduction by Tony Burke, (c) Pocket Publications.

ACT I
Madame de la Haltiere’s household is preparing the mistress and her two disobliging daughters for the evening’s court ball, while Pandolphe, her husband, wryly reflects on the pleasures of the past when he and his daughter, Cendtillon, lived in peace in the country. Servants, hairdressers and milliners scurry to considerable effort, then all depart, leaving Cendrillon to lament her exclusion from the party. The Fairy Godmother materializes in a great celebration of coloratura fireworks, galvanizes her entourage to improvise a costume, and wakes Cendrillon and packs her off to the palace, giving her a glass slipper and also commanding her to return by midnight.

ACT II
The Palace. Prince Charming is sunk in deep melancholy. Nothing, not even an ensemble of flute, crystal flute and viola d’amore, can rouse him. The King commands him to choose a bride from the company shortly to be assembled. Guests begin to arrive, and a suite of five ballets begins. At the completion of the ballet, Pandolphe and his three ladies make their entrance. Shortly after, Cendrillon also enters to general admiration. The Prince is plainly captivated by the unknown young woman, and there ensues a love duet which is, unfortunately, followed by the clock, striking midnight, requiring that Cendrillon leave at once.

ACT III
Cendrillon runs home in despair, having mislaid the slipper, and manages to disappear before her father and the three termagants return. They enter praising their own prowess at tho ball and disapproving of everything else. Pandolphe can’t stand up to them, but they eventually disappear and he and Cendrillon look forward to a happier life in the country together. He leaves, but Cendrillon cannot forget her stepsisters’ remarks claiming that the Prince’s interest in the unknown girl was no more than a passing fancy. She rushes despairingly into the night.

The Fairy Godmother holds court in the forest, and when an apparently broken-hearted young man appears, contrives to allow Cendrillon to hear him without being seen. Together, she and the Prince implore the Fairy to dissolve the magic barrier that separates them. Then they once again pour out their love. However real it seems, it is still only a dream …

ACT IV
Months have passed and Pandolphe is seen keeping watch over the sleeping· Cendrillon. When she awakes, he offers comfort. He assures her that her ravings – about the Prince she has never met and a glass slipper she never owned – are nothing but a dream. She accepts what he says, and father and daughter make their escape before Madame de la Haltiere and her daughters put in an appearance and put an end to the tranquil mood of the scene. A Herald announces that this very day all the ladies of the court are summoned to try on the glass slipper found in the palace after the ball. Cendrillon realizes that her “dream” was in fact real and begs her Fairy Godmother to make it possible for her to go.

At the palace, ladies of rank and fashion enter to a lively march and try the slipper, all to no avail..2 The Fairy Godmother announces Cendrillon, and she and the Prince greet each other rapturously, as she easily slips into the glass slipper .. The court renders homage as Pandolphe and his wife make their entrance, she brushing past him to embrace Cendrillon with the words: “My own child!” Pandolphe turns to the audience: “You see, all has ended well!”

Synopsis by Nico Castel

Not available for this performance

Not available for this performance