La, Cenerentola, << cheh neh REHN toh lah, >> is a comic opera by the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini. The Italian author Jacopo Ferretti wrote the libretto (text). The opera was first performed in Rome on Jan. 25, 1817. Rossini based La Cenerentola on the fairy tale of “Cinderella.” The work became the most popular of the many operas based on the Cinderella story.
The heroine of La Cenerentola is Angelina, called Cinderella. She lives in the home of her stepfather, the nasty nobleman Don Magnifico and his two daughters, Tisbe and Clorinda. The family treats Cinderella as a servant, forcing her to work practically as a slave. One day she gives food to a beggar, who is actually Alidoro, the tutor of Prince Ramiro. Alidoro is secretly searching for a bride for the prince. Alidoro reports Cinderella’s kindness to the prince, who visits her home disguised as his own valet. He and Cinderella fall in love.
The prince holds a ball where he will announce his choice for a wife. Clorinda and Tisbe go to the ball, but Don Magnifico forbids Angelina to attend. However, Alidoro provides her with a costume, and she goes to the ball. There she again meets Ramiro. Cinderella still believes he is a valet and gives him one of two matching bracelets so he can later identify her. The prince returns to Don Magnifico’s home, reveals his true identity, and takes Cinderella to be his princess. The angry sisters and embarrassed Don Magnifico must beg Cinderella’s forgiveness.
The opera features several comic numbers and two beautiful arias sung by Cinderella at the end of the opera, “Nacqui all’affanno” (“I was born to pain”) and “Non più mesta” (“No longer sad”).
See also Rossini, Gioachino Antonio .
