The hardworking Cinderella is released from her misery by a good fairy and showered with beauty, love and riches. Who doesn’t dream of such a fairytale?

Director Caitlin van der Maas situates the story of Cinderella (French: Cendrillon) within the setting of a talent show. Here the air teems with hope and ambition.
While Cinderella secretly dreams of another life, her stepmother goes to great lengths to haul in a recording contract for her foolish daughters.
The pop star Prince is depressed and doesn’t see much advantage in looking for new band members, something that his father, king of the Record Company, insists upon.
Massenet’s beautifully romantic music provides all the characters in the show with emotional colors: the manipulative stepmother, the helpless father, the bickering sisters, the loving spirit of Cinderella’s deceased mother, the dreamy pair Prince-Cinderella, and all the backstage members of the show.

Massenet’s opera Cendrillon was performed by the students of the DNOA (Dutch National Opera Academy). The Hague Philharmonic conducted by Walter Althammer provided the many colors of the instrumental accompaniment.

The production pictures above are taken by Roelof Rump.