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Special thanks to our education community partners
Contents Activity guide overview A brief history of opera Vocal spotlight Characters in Cinderella Cinderella overview & synopsis Composer biography Haute Couture & the 1950’s The music of Cinderella Bel canto: what is it? Activity: Creative concept Activity: Storyboard Activity: Poster design Activity: Spot the differences Activity: Be the bigger person Activity: Character reflections Activity: Design a playbill Cinderella further listening
Nothing beats the excitement of live opera! For more information on how your class can attend a dress rehearsal at special student pricing, contact us by email at education@edmontonopera.com or visit us online at edmontonopera.com/discover/education
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Cinderella costume designs by Deanna Finnman
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Education and Activity Guide Overview
Opera 101 Opera is the art form of all art forms — it combines theatre, orchestral music, unamplified live singing, visual design, and much more. Going to the opera is not only a beautiful artistic experience, it can also be a very educational trip. Opera gives students the opportunity to engage with a variety of historical movements in literature, art, and politics. Each opera sheds light on the era it was composed in and contains themes relevant to today’s world. To make the most of your opera experience, please read the following pointers on opera etiquette before attending the dress rehearsal. Arrive early! Your tickets will be available at the auditorium 60 minutes prior to show time. Please allow enough time to seat your group — we suggest 30 minutes. The dress rehearsal for Cinderella will be attended by over 2000 teachers and students, so allot extra time for ticket pickup, seating, etc. It is also best to have students use the washroom prior to locating your seats within the theatre.
This education and activity guide is designed for teachers, students, and those who are interested in engaging with various aspects of the opera both before and after attending the performance. The first part of this guide is more reading-based, with a detailed overview, synopsis, and conceptual discussion of Edmonton Opera’s Cinderella. This is essential learning before you proceed to the activities because it places the production within a specific framework. Teachers may distribute the content for students to read as-is, or choose to go over the material with the entire class. This guide is intended for all grades K-12 attending the performance; there are some suggested ways to adapt the content based on difficulty level, but teachers are encouraged to modify activities to suit the needs of their class. Please contact us with any questions about this guide at education@edmontonopera.com. We can provide resources for further discussion, suggestions on how to tailor activities and content for your class, and more.
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Applause is welcome!
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Opera is spectacle. Your presence in the audience is essential to complete the whole experience. Enjoy the performance and respond to what you see. Unlike television or film, every live performance is unique: only you and the performers will share the experience you have in the theatre. Your warmth and good humour are important to them, so when you like something, tell them with your applause.
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Applaud after the arias as well as after the performance; you can shout “Bravo!” for a man, “Brava!” for a woman, and “Bravi!” for more than one person, or the whole performance.
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No cameras or recording devices.
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The artists’ images and performances belong to them and we ask you to respect that by refraining from recording their work in any way.
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Other pointers:
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No food, gum, or drinks of any kind (except water) in the theatre. Students are welcome to bring packed lunches, but these must not be eaten in the theatre. Food may only be consumed out in the lobby during intermission. Bottled water is allowed in the theatre. Acoustics are very good in the Jubilee auditorium, so any sounds of food being unwrapped, bottles being crushed, etc. will be heard throughout.
Turn off your cell phones and all electronic devices. Keep movement and voices down to a minimum, as this is a live dress rehearsal performance. Please stay seated. Once in the theatre it is courteous to remain seated until intermission. Please do not leave the theatre unless there is an emergency.
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Use the bathrooms before the rehearsal begins or at intermission. After the curtain goes down and the lights go up, the intermission (20 minutes) begins. Now is the time to talk, eat (in the lobby) and use the washroom. Be silent if the performance has to stop for a few moments (this is a performance, but also a working rehearsal so it may be necessary to stop at times). If you must use the washroom during the performance, please be accompanied by an adult supervisor. The ushers will let you in again but you will have to wait until there is an appropriate break in the opera. Many times this is not until intermission.
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Characters
(in order of vocal appearance) Clorinda—Soprano Don Magnifico’s older daughter Tisbe—Soprano Don Magnifico’s younger daughter Angelina (Cenerentola/Cinderella)—Mezzo-soprano Don Magnifico’s stepdaughter Alidoro—Bass-baritone Prince Ramiro’s tutor, he is also a wise philosopher Don Magnifico—Baritone Baron of Montefiascone, father of Clorinda and Tisbe, stepfather of Angelina Prince Ramiro—Tenor Prince of Salerno Dandini—Baritone Prince Ramiro’s valet
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Synopsis
Overview
Cinderella is one of the most popular fairytales ever told, and children across the world have grown up being enchanted by its classic ‘good triumphs over evil’ message. Composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) maintains the basic premise and positive spirit of the Cinderella story, but makes several changes in his comedy-of-errors version. La Cenerentola also does not feature any magic or supernatural elements, which are an integral part of the original tale. Rossini instead uses the music to create a whimsical and playful atmosphere, giving humans the agency to write their own happy endings!
Act One — The Magnifico Mansion Sisters Clorinda and Tisbe are bickering as usual, while their stepsister Angelina (Cenerentola/Cinderella) works as a maid and must put up with their every demand. There is a knock at the door and a beggar enters. The sisters turn him away, but Cenerentola gives him some coffee. Little does anyone know: this beggar is actually the prince’s tutor, Alidoro, in disguise. Officials arrive at the Magnifico mansion to announce that Prince Ramiro is looking to marry, and that he will host a ball to meet this house's bachelorettes. Don Magnifico wants one of his daughters to be chosen so that he can use the prince’s wealth to save his failing estate. Prince Ramiro then arrives at the house, dressed as his valet Dandini, to observe the women who live here. His tutor Alidoro advised him that Ramiro would find a worthy princess in this house. Cenerentola enters and the two lock eyes, immediately falling for one another. Neither reveals their true identity, and thus the ‘valet' and the ‘maid’ remain attracted to each other from a distance. Ramiro’s valet, Dandini, now enters dressed as the Prince to invite Magnifico and his two daughters to the ball. When Cenerentola asks Magnifico if she can attend the ball, he
Rossini’s Cinderella follows in the bel canto tradition of music, which makes this one of opera’s most vocally challenging pieces. ‘Bel canto’ translates literally to ‘beautiful singing’, but it is a lot more than just great music that is easy on the ears. Bel canto is Rossini’s trademark style, and he infuses some highly technical and precise musical movements throughout the opera. The score of Cinderella gives both singers and orchestra a chance to show off their skills, with complex and fast-paced moments followed by slower, richer arias and duets. Cinderella is the kind of opera that takes you on a journey full of twists and turns not only in the plot, but also musically — so strap in and get ready for the ride!
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scoffs at her. Alidoro arrives and declares that the household has three daughters, not two, but Magnifico quickly covers it up by saying that the third daughter has died. The entire party then exits, leaving a heartbroken Cenerentola and Alidoro behind. Alidoro sees Cenerentola’s good heart, and promises to take her to the ball. At Prince Ramiro’s palace, Dandini and Ramiro discuss why Alidoro said a worthy woman would be found in the Magnifico family, seeing how selfish and silly they both are. Dandini (as the prince) tests the two young women, offering his valet (Ramiro) as a husband to the sister he does not choose. Clorinda and Tisbe are completely affronted by this suggestion. Alidoro enters the mansion, followed by a stunningly beautiful mystery woman (Cenerentola). No one knows who she is, and they all wonder why she seems so familiar. Act Two — The Prince’s Palace Don Magnifico is upset at the arrival of the beautiful stranger, knowing that the prince would not choose Clorinda or Tisbe over her. Cenerentola, on the other hand, lets the prince (Dandini) know that she is in love with his valet (Ramiro). Upon hearing this Ramiro excitedly steps forward, but Cenerentola says she has to leave. She tells Ramiro not to follow her, but says that if he really loves her,
he will find her somehow. She leaves Ramiro her bracelet. Ramiro resolves to find this mysterious woman and marry her. Magnifico continues to put pressure on the prince (Dandini) to choose one of his daughters. Frustrated, Dandini reveals that he is the prince’s valet, not the prince himself. Magnifico, Clorinda, and Tisbe leave the palace, feeling insulted. They return home in a bad mood and observe Cenerentola, who is back to wearing rags. Ramiro, now in his usual princely attire, is travelling past the Magnifico house when his carriage breaks down (thanks to Alidoro’s intervention), forcing him to seek refuge with the Magnifico family. As Ramiro and Cenerentola lock eyes, they soon recognize one another. The prince notices Cenerentola’s bracelet and confirms that she is the mystery woman. Magnifico and his two daughters, however, refuse to accept the situation, causing Ramiro to become angry. Cenerentola asks the prince to forgive the family. Cenerentola and Ramiro celebrate their wedding at the royal mansion, and Magnifico tries to mend his relationship with the new princess. All Cenerentola wants, however, is for Magnifico to accept her as his daughter, which he does. Risen from the ashes, Cenerentola finally finds her ‘happily ever after’.
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mutual, although Wagner was apparently quite impressed by Rossini’s last opera, Guillaume Tell). Rossini left the Academia Filharmonica early and accepted work at the Teatro San Moise à Venice, where he wrote four farse (translating literally to ‘farce’, these were low-budget, chorus-less, 80-minute operas). This exercise allowed him to develop an effective, action-packed structure for his fulllength comedies. He was also one of the first composers to write out ornamentation, since bel canto singers were known to take liberties and would render the piece an entirely different composition with their interpretation. Although his first two-act opera caused some problems with the censors, he soon became a successful composer in Milan, earning military deferment and name recognition. He was especially prolific after signing a contract with Teatro San Carlo, when he produced 18 operas in seven years. Rossini was soon receiving offers from all over Europe and chose to settle in Paris — a city he loved, with exposure to music from all over the continent and the ability to train some of the finest singers of the day. Eventually, he was replaced by Verdi and Puccini, although his work was repopularized in the mid and late-20th century. Rossini died at the age of 76, in Paris, France. He left money to his hometown of Pesaro, and a music conservatory was built there, dedicated to the genius Italian composer.
Composer Biography— Rossini (1792-1868) Born Feb. 29, 1792, in Pesaro, Italy, Gioachino Rossini grew up in a musical family — his father was a horn player and sometimes professor at the Academia Filharmonica, while his mother actively pursued her operatic career when her husband was jailed for his political convictions. Rossini wrote nearly 40 operas throughout his career, as well as sacred music, chamber music and cantatas. His composing years span both the classical era and the Romantic period, trends which are reflected in his early and later compositions. At the age of 14, he was accepted into the Academia Filharmonica, where he proved to be a good accompanist and repetiteur. It was at the academia that he met two influential singers: Velluti, a castrato and symbolic of the old traditions of opera, and Isabella Colbran, a soprano who would become his wife. After she died in 1845, Rossini married Olympia Pelissier in 1846. Rossini’s work is considered a bridge between the old guard of opera and paving the way for composers such as Wagner, Verdi and Mayerbeer. Rossini thoroughly enjoyed Mozart’s work, earning the nickname “the Italian Mozart,” but did not think much of Wagner (a feeling that was
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Haute Couture is the fashion genre that most closely mirrors costume design, as it involves the painstaking creation of one-of-a-kind art pieces. In fact, many of the world’s greatest Haute Couture designers have also designed costumes for famous film studios, ballet companies, and opera houses. Because of the highly artistic and experimental nature of Haute Couture, it has created some of the most extraordinarily beautiful and extraordinarily outlandish clothing of the 20th century! In the 1950’s Haute Couture houses reigned supreme, dictating styles and silhouettes that would trickle down to the masses for years to come. For the ateliers and the very elite who could afford to wear Haute Couture, the “reveal” of a gown at a fashion show or a society ball was highly anticipated and secretive. Designers schemed to outdo one another at such events, and their clients did the same to get their hands on the best fashions. This is not the ‘poodle skirt, saddle shoes world’ we often equate with the 1950’s but a world where being a ‘slave to fashion’ and keeping appearances was everything.
Haute Couture, Italy, and the 1950’s By Deanna Finnman, Costume Designer Haute Couture (meaning ‘high sewing’ or ‘high dress making’) was originally used to describe the work of designer Charles Frederick Worth in the late 1800’s. However, since 1945, the term Haute Couture is protected by law as defined by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris in France. It is a strictly monitored organization in which a very select group of designers (French nationals and international) are invited to become part of as an elite association or “list”. Among the many rules that these designers must adhere to is that they must employ at least 15 full time persons at their own atelier in Paris, must produce hand made garments for a specific client with a minimum of one fitting, and present a collection each season to the Paris press, comprising at least thirty-five full outfits for both daytime and evening wear. In the 1950’s Italian Haute Couture designers were required to show in Paris as they still do today.
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Haute Couture in Cinderella Like the rigidity of the Haute Couture world, gender roles in the 1950’s were also rigid, which makes it the perfect backdrop for Cinderella. Stepsisters Tisbe and Clorinda and are far more sympathetic when you think that the only way they can succeed in life is by marrying well, hence their competitive fashion obsession to catch the Prince’s eye in a bigger, better, more extravagant gown. As well the thrust of 1950’s fashion was all about bold silhouette and angularity, which on the expansive Jubilee apron stage is required for interest and effect. Hemlines were much in play at this time allowing our performers more mobility for modern comedic blocking and because the designers of the day each had a distinctive signature style this can be played upon to create a specific look for each character. The Italian influence is more dominant in menswear. The best of Italian menswear has long been seen as an effortless, clean, cool style. Think Marcello Mastroianni in La Dolce Vita.
Edmonton Opera’s Cinderella The magic of our Cinderella will be the costume transformations and changes that happen on stage. The most notable one will be when Cinderella herself is transformed so she can attend the ball, but we will see reveals for the other characters as well.
Cinderella’s stepsisters Tisbe and Clorinda will be the two fashionistas; each loyal to a different atelier giving them a distinctive look and silhouette. They are not only mean to Cinderella but also fiercely competitive with each other (who wants to wind up in a bridesmaid’s dress after all?) Their looks will be over the top garish playing on asymmetry and a pattern
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mix. Wraps or cloaks will reveal their “dueling dresses” to the audience. Cinderella, in contrast, has a simplicity that radiates her true beauty much like a young Audrey Hepburn of that era, who was a muse to the Haute Couture designer Givenchy. Her transformation will be into a gown that is elegant, unencumbered, and timelessly beautiful. The audience instantly sees her radiant beauty but her family views her as plain, without style, and therefore worthless. Cinderella’s wedding look will be fresh and modern, without the trappings of a long train etc. giving a sense youthful exuberance and that she and the Prince are embarking on a more balanced life together. Prince Ramiro will mirror Cinderella with his own effortless classic elegant look, as they are the only two characters that can see through all the artifice and fall in love. The Prince and his valet Dandini will complete an onstage costume exchange so that the audience can understand that they are portraying each other. However
Dandini will become flamboyant and “dandified” throughout the piece as he takes on the role of prince. Kind of like if a young Elton John switched places with Prince William. In another transformation, the old and weathered Alidoro will become the all knowing, sage, and arbiter of style much like a modern Tim Gunn or Karl Lagerfeld. Don Magnifico, Cinderella’s stepfather, will have the look of an oily Italian Impresario — he’s the ultimate stage mom, pushing and molding his daughters to become highly sought after bachelorettes!
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storyline, arias were intended to carry more emotional content and became an opportunity for singers to display their vocal talents. What to listen for during Cinderella: • Cinderella is immediately defined by her slow, sombre minor-key ballad about a lonely king who rejects beautiful or splendid women and marries instead one who is good. The simplicity of her melodic style contrasts with the spiky, flouncy lines allotted to her sisters in their opening duet; in the opera they're not "ugly" in any physical sense, only in their selfish and competitive behaviour. But when Cinderella snaps at her sisters to “just let her sing”, it shows her inner strength as well. • Their father (Cinderella’s stepfather) Don Magnifico, meanwhile, is a pompous buffoon. The "buffo" or clown is a traditional feature of Italian ‘opera buffa’ (comic opera), deriving ultimately from street theatre. Everything he sings shows him to be ridiculous. In his opening aria his solo line is full of extravagant emphases and ungainly leaps. Much of it is in the form of a patter-song (a device also used by Gilbert & Sullivan) wherein the words are sung so fast that their meaning dissolves into absurdity. • Ramiro, the Prince Charming figure, displays a vocal line of elegance and grace perfectly matching Cinderella’s in their initial duet, their rapture in their love at first sight burgeoning in the extravagant
The music of Cinderella
Rossini composed Cinderella in the ‘bel canto’ tradition, which literally translates to ‘beautiful singing’. This style features fast-paced music, quick changes between high and low register for the singers, and an effusive score overall. Below are a few terms that students can learn: Recitative — Also known by its Italian name "recitativo", it is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines as formally composed songs do. It resembles sung ordinary speech more than a formal musical composition. Secco Recitative — Secco (“Dry”) Recitative is accompanied mostly by plucked strings. Later, in the operas of Vivaldi and Handel, the accompaniment was standardized as a harpsichord and a bass viol (the ancestor of our double basses today) or violoncello. In Cinderella you will hear the recitatives being accompanied by a harpsichord. (Here’s a link for what one sounds like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71x4MSlpGUk – start at 3:10 for the excerpt) Aria — An aria (Italian: air) or arias in common usage. Arias were originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term became used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without orchestral accompaniment, normally part of a larger work. Unlike recitatives, which carry the
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decorations (actually pure vocal expression) that spring out of their lines. Among the highlights are the ensemble pieces, especially the first act quintet and the second act sextet, which both come at points of high drama. The first occurs when Cinderella begs her stepfather to be allowed to go the ball. He refuses, mocking her as an impertinent servant, while Ramiro and his servant Dandini (disguised as the Prince himself) start to ask awkward questions. The Prince's tutor Alidoro enters with proof that there are three daughters in the household. Don Magnifico firmly states that the third – Cinderella – is dead, a comment immediately reflected by a stark figure in the orchestra. Then Rossini begins his intricately patterned quintet, initially with three voices following each other in canon until all five voices are involved and the texture becomes increasingly overloaded. When they swing from a slow section into the fast final section in a new key, he constructs one of his famous crescendos, steadily turning up the volume and level of activity to the point where all five singers plus full orchestra are at full pelt; he then repeats the trick, raising the temperature even further, until a point of total confusion is reached. The ending of the act one finale – the midpoint of the opera, coming just before the interval – is another complex ensemble using the literary metaphor of awaiting an earthquake to represent everyone's
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astonishment at Cinderella’s unveiling at the ball. Rossini creates a giant-sized double crescendo, twice building up from a moment of hushed awe to an almighty climax involving all of the principals plus chorus and orchestra. The second act sextet comes at the point where Cinderella’s real identity can no longer be denied; a general sense of perplexity is expressed in staccato, sotto voce singing interspersed by sudden individual explosions of realization. Two other pieces deserve a mention: firstly, the orchestral storm in act two, during which Ramiro's carriage overturns outside exactly the right house - Cinderella's. Rossini had an enormous fondness for storms - they occur at significant points in many of his operas; expect plenty of thunder and lightning from the orchestra. Lastly, there's Cinderella’s big rondo finale, in which she's finally allowed the full range of coloratura fireworks: trills, scales and extravagant cascades of notes flying in all directions. She's won her beloved and, indeed, the opera, and does a star turn to present, in the words of the opera's subtitle, the aural spectacle of "Virtue Triumphant".
driven by a sensitive musical setting of a poetic and singable text. The technique of singing that produced the desired results valued smooth production, or legato, throughout the entire vocal range. Ideally, you did not want to hear singers shifting gears as their voices moved from low to middle to high registers. Also prized was the ability to execute effortlessly all manner of embellishments — rapid-fire runs, trills and such — the better to decorate vocal lines. So the use of a lighter yet penetrating sound in the upper register was crucial to the style. The melodic line is everything in a bel canto opera, not just in the arias but in the elaborate scenes that contain them. Those scenes offer long stretches of lyrically enhanced recitative and extended spans of arioso, a halfway station between full-out melody and conversational recitative. Catchy tunes in all styles of music tend to have something in common: they are laid out in symmetrical phrases with simple melodic riffs that are repeated. Such melodies are analogous to poetry written in symmetrical verses with lines of equal length and repeated phrases. I would like to think that the practice of writing freeroaming melodic lines, which continues, is in part a result of early-19th-century Italian opera, which empowered composers to push the practice to the hilt. Whatever you want to call it.
Bel Canto: audiences love it, but what is it? by Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times In 1858 Gioachino Rossini, wealthy, well fed and, at 66, retired from the opera business for nearly 30 years, bemoaned the decline in the heritage of Italian singing during a conversation with friends in Paris. “Alas for us,” he is reported to have said, “we have lost our bel canto.” He was referring to the art of singing as it flourished in Italy from the mid-1700s through the first decades of the 19th century. He might also have been referring to the approach to writing operas by the Italian composers who were steeped in the bel canto singing tradition. It is not really clear. Quite a bit about the concept of bel canto has long been open to interpretation, including the meaning of this loose term itself, which literally translates as beautiful singing. In its narrowest sense bel canto opera refers to the early decades of 19th-century Italian opera, when Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti dominated the field. But the overall concept of bel canto started much earlier, with a consensus among opera enthusiasts that there was nothing more ravishing than a beautiful voice singing a beautiful melodic line beautifully, especially a melodic line
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Option B: Older Students A Vision Board is used to show a unifying idea for a creative project. Often, directors will use a vision board to focus their vision for a production. It features specific elements such as costumes, set design, and props. Establish your setting:
Activity — Creative Concept! Pre-performance activity One very important facet of every production is the design of the show. Each production has a dedicated team of designers – both costume and scenery – working with the director to make their vision come to fruition. In this activity, students will create costumes and set ideas for what they think the opera should look like. They can pull inspiration from the production that they saw, other productions, and, most importantly, their own imaginations. Option A: Younger students Read the overview and synopsis of Cinderella as a class to make the story of this particular opera clear compared to the well-known fairytale. Now, students must generate ideas to design this production! 1. Divide students into small groups, and give each group two large sheets of butcher paper. Students will trace two students on the paper, and then draw costumes on their silhouettes. Choice of which two characters they want to design costumes for is up to the students. 2. In these groups, students can also then design a scenic concept — what does Cinderella’s house look like in Act One? The Prince’s palace in Act Two?
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Do you want it to be set in the time/place that the opera was originally written for, or in another time and place? For example, Edmonton Opera’s production is set in a 1950’s haute couture environment, which is completely different from Rossini’s 1817 Italy. Have a good reason for changing the setting – make it appropriate for the story and music of the opera. Do the themes present remind you of a specific time period? Do you envision the opera having simpler or more complex costumes? Don’t just change the period because you can – consider what costumes you might like them to wear and where the story might take place. If you pick an appropriate historical event to centre those details around, it will help unify the details of your production.
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Props Design
Research what kinds of clothing people wore in the period/location that you chose to set the opera in. What did those of lower social class wear? What would royalty wear? What accessories might each character have? How would you distinguish major and minor characters of the opera? Consider the colours that you would want most represented in the opera – what were the colours of royalty in the setting of the opera? What colours best reflect any relevant themes present in the opera? Is it a bright, hopeful story? Or dark and bleak? Create some colour swatches to use as inspiration for your vision board. Based off your research, create some costumes for your production – pull multiple images from magazines, Internet searches, etc. to create your own costumes. Don’t just use other productions costumes – create your own. Draw something, use the multiple images to make a collage of what looks you want for each character, etc.
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What supplies do the characters in the opera need? Do they need swords, brooms, lanterns, axes, etc.? What should those look like to reflect the style of the setting? Create a properties list and some sketches.
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Research the prominent architectural styles of the period/setting that you chose. What kind of houses did people live in? Were the housing styles different between low and high social classes? What would the royalty/upper class of the period have lived in? Consider the main locations of the opera – Cinderella’s home and the Prince’s palace. How might these places look? What building materials might the people of the period have had? What should your set be made out of, or made to look like? What decorations might you need for the set? Do you need curtains, vases, flowers, torches, etc.? Using your research, create set designs for the main scenes of the opera. As with the costume design, use images from magazines and Internet searches to pull inspiration from. Make a collage of the images collected, or your own original sketch.
Action, and Resolution/Dénouement/ Catastrophe. After filling in their storyboard with those elements, have them present their storyboard to the class. b. Option B: They will need to divide the story of the opera into five specific sections: Setting (Time and Place), Characters, Problem, and the main events or the plot. After they have filled in that information in their storyboard, they can present it to the class. 4. For younger students, consider filling out the storyboard as a class, focusing on Characters, Setting/Place, Time, Problem, and Events. Next, have the students fill in their own individual copies to take home. 5. Remind students that there is more than one correct answer for this assignment. For example, students might have a different idea of what event is the “climax”, or have differing opinions on what the “problem” of the opera is. 6. Below are the two templates for this assignment:
Activity — Storyboard Post-performance activity A storyboard is a sequence of drawings, typically with some directions and dialogue, representing the shots planned for a movie or television production. It can be used to graphically represent the main elements of the plot (exposition, climax, etc.), or focus on the general plot, setting, and characters. In this activity, students will reflect on the performance of Cinderella that they just attended, and create a storyboard to represent some of the aspects of the production. Activity: 1. Choose one of the provided storyboard templates for your class to work on, or create your own to better suit the learning needs of your students. 2. Divide your students into groups of 3-5 and provide each group with templates for a storyboard. For added creativity, they can construct their own, so long as it includes the same elements as the template that you select. 3. Explain to the class that their task is to fill in the elements of their storyboard with aspects of the story of the opera that your class went to see. a. Option A: They will need to divide the plot of the opera into five specific elements: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling
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EXPOSITION
RISING ACTION
CHARACTERS
SETTING PLACE
TIME
CLIMAX PROBLEM
FALLING ACTION
EVENTS
DÉNOUEMENT/CATASTROPHE
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So now that you have some of the basics, design a poster! Be sure to read the content of this guide to learn more about Edmonton Opera’s production and its aesthetic — this will inform your poster design. Here is an example of our poster for the production of Turandot:
Activity — Poster design Pre-performance activity When creating a poster for an opera there are many things to consider. It is important to keep in mind the director’s vision for the production and allow ample time for research through different resources such as online, literature, listening to the music, and watching other productions. In this activity, you will design a poster for Edmonton Opera’s Cinderella (La Cenerentola). When creating an image to represent an opera you must consider the time period, setting, themes, characters, and plot. The designer must also keep in mind our audience that we are trying to appeal to and what types of media we will use to reach them. After researching, it is important to sketch and brainstorm your ideas. It can be helpful to make a collage or mood board of different visuals and ideas that you would like to incorporate into the final image. Other important factors include the hierarchy of information (what is the most important information and how will you show that importance – size of type, colour, location, etc), typography, colour (contrast, significance of colour), composition (placement, size and shape), and form among others. How would you illustrate Cinderella? Is your image a literal or symbolic portrayal?
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Activity — Spot the differences
Pre and post-performance activity
Who are the “evil” people in Cinderella’s life?
Who enables Cinderella to go to the castle?
What is Cinderella’s reaction to first meeting the prince? What is the Prince’s reaction? Why does Cinderella leave the palace?
How does the Prince get a “clue” to find Cinderella? What is the Prince’s clue to find Cinderella?
How does the Prince know that Cinderella is the mysterious guest at the party?
Fairytales like Cinderella follow an ‘oral tradition’: they were told and memorized, rather than written down, so there was never really a standard story that everyone read. Because of this, there are many different versions of the story. As you will find out, the opera version of Cinderella is quite different from the Disney version that students might have grown up with. In this activity, students will note and discuss the differences between the two versions. For younger students, have them fill out the following chart, or fill it out as a class. The “Traditional Cinderella” part of this chart should be filled out before coming to the show. When you get back to your school, have your students fill out the second section. Discuss the differences.
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Traditional Cinderella
Cinderella (La Cenerentola)
ANSWER KEY
Traditional Cinderella Stepsisters, stepmother
Cinderella (La Cenerentola) Stepsisters, stepfather
Who enables Cinderella to go to the castle?
Fairy Godmother
Alidoro, the Prince’s Tutor
What is Cinderella’s reaction to first meeting the prince? What is the Prince’s reaction? Why does Cinderella leave the palace?
Cinderella is in awe of the Prince
The Prince and Cinderella are equally enchanted by one another
Magic runs out at midnight
Wants the Prince to come find her and see her true self
How does the Prince get a “clue” to find Cinderella? What is the Prince’s clue to find Cinderella?
Accidentally leaves behind her glass slipper
Cinderella hands the Prince her bracelet
How does the Prince know that Cinderella is the mysterious guest at the party?
Glass slipper fits
Who are the “evil” people in Cinderella’s life?
For older students: • Compare and contrast the similarities/differences that you noticed during the performances. What specific changes stood out to you? • Why might Rossini and Jacopo Ferretti have made the changes that they did to the “traditional” story? • Have students research other versions of Cinderella across the world. Here is a list to get started: o Yeh-Shen (850 AD, China) o Rhodopis (Egypt) o Billy Beg and the Bull (Ireland) o The Little Red Fish and the Clog of Gold (Iraq) o Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper (Charles Perrault– French) o Cinderella (The Brothers Grimm) o http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cindere lla/marianroalfecox/masterlist.html (345 versions of the story) • Once they have completed their research, students can either: o Write a short comparative essay, contrasting any two versions of Cinderella that they may have come across in their research, OR o Create their own version of Cinderella, using unique elements and changes. Students should try to keep the core elements and themes to the story the same.
Missing glass slipper Cinderella’s bracelet
Bracelets match
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include gossip/rumours, embarrassment, etc. d. Intimidation i. Threats, pressure to do something etc. ii. Intimidation (also called cowing) is intentional behaviour that "would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities" fear of injury or harm. It is not necessary to prove that the behaviour was so violent as to cause terror or that the victim was actually frightened. 2. Look for examples of bullying in Cinderella, and classify the type of bullying done. Below is a list to get your students started. a. Clorinda and Tisbe exclude Cinderella from their family (“Sisters? Don’t you dare call us that!”) b. Cinderella may not come to the ball c. She is responsible for all of the house work d. Her sisters call her some pretty rude names throughout the performance! Examples include “lowest of the low”, “servant”, etc. 3. Brainstorm some ways that students can be more inclusive of their classmates. What are some strategies to adopt in your daily life to ensure those around you aren’t being bullied or excluded? 4. Play some popular icebreaker games to help students get to know each other in a fun way, for example: two truths and a lie, one-word stories, etc.
Activity — Be the bigger person Pre and post performance activity: students will learn about the many different types of bullies, while exploring ways to be more inclusive towards their classmates. The activity may be adapted to suit various age groups. 1. Explain the four different types of bullying: a. Verbal: i. Verbal bullying, or bullying with cruel spoken words, involves ongoing name-calling, threatening, and making disrespectful comments about someone's attributes (appearance, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, etc.). b. Physical: i. Physical bullying, or bullying with aggressive physical intimidation, involves repeated hitting, kicking, tripping, blocking, pushing, and touching in unwanted and inappropriate ways. c. Social/Relational/Exclusion: i. Relational bullying, or bullying with exclusionary tactics, involves deliberately preventing someone from joining or being part of a group, whether it's at a lunch table, game, sport, or social activity. It can also
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Activity — Character reflections •
Post-performance activity Students will try to further understand the characters of Cinderella by doing an in depth character study. Guide the students through the following discussion questions to understand their character’s motivations, strengths, struggles, etc. Have students consider the characters and the role they play in the story. Divide the students into groups, and have each student choose a character to research. Students will need to create a series of journal entries that reflect conflicts present throughout the story of the opera. They can write all of their entries on one character, or write a few entries for multiple characters. CENERENTOLA | DON RAMIRO | DANDINI | TISBE | CLORINDA | ALIDORO | DON MAGNIFICO •
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Foundations: o How old are you? Where are you from? Where do you live now? Do you have any family that we know of? What are your friends/family like? o What is your relationship with the other characters in the opera like? How would your friends/family describe you in three words? (Think of mental, physiological, and physical characteristics)
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o What is your best quality? What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? Getting deeper: o What are your dreams and goals? What drives you to try to reach those goals? How does this affect the choices your character makes in the story? What steps in the opera do you take to achieve your objective? o What obstacles stand in your way? Are there any obstacles that are beyond your control (social status, other character’s actions, laws, etc.)? How will you overcome those challenges? What are the outcomes of your choices? o Looking back from the end-point of the opera, would you have done anything differently? Today: o Are there any characters in modern-day television, literature, movies, theatre, etc., that remind you of the character that you chose? Are there any characters with similar characteristics or traits? o If your character were alive today, how would they be more or less successful? What might they have done differently to achieve their objectives? How is the character’s personality expressed through the music of the opera?
A major part of building the playbill is research. Very few of these elements have to be written by students themselves, it is more a matter of researching online and compiling the required content. For example, the Edmonton Opera website contains information like a cast list, synopsis, and artist biographies while a composer biography can be found through Google.
Activity — Design a playbill Pre-performance activity Recommended for grades 6 and above, ideal for grades 9 and above. At each performance of Cinderella, Edmonton Opera distributes a playbill (also referred to as a program) that contains some useful content about the opera for audiences to read before the performance, during intermission, and even afterwards at home.
You can see an electronic version of our Turandot playbill here for reference: http://www.edmontonopera.com/connect/multimedia/int ermezzo
In this activity, students will design their own mini-version of a Cinderella playbill. Based on the grade level, the playbill can be a simple handwritten one-pager focusing on content or it can be a more detailed multi-page document including images, editorial content, etc.
Some elements typically found in an opera playbill are: • • • • • • •
Composer biography Cast and production team list Director’s notes/Conductor’s notes Synopsis Program notes (a production history, thematic evaluation of the opera, historical context, etc.) Artists’ biographies Any exciting or interesting information about the opera, about this particular production, or more.
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Cinderella further listening • •
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La Cenerentola full opera: https://youtu.be/SeVezYX1m6M The vocal fireworks of mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as Cinderella, Met Opera 2014 https://youtu.be/z3reLK2FbNI La Cenerentola – Miei Rampolli Femminini o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzkTKx 80XN4 Alessandro Corbelli as Don Magnifico — MET 2009 o After being awakened by his children, Don Magnifico curses them and then goes on to tell them all about the dream he had of how he was turned into a donkey. He then goes on to interpret his dream, finishing with the idea that the dream predicts the family's rise to royalty. o Though Don Magnifico praises his daughters with his greeting, the praise instantly turns to criticism, because they’ve awakened him from a wonderful dream. He makes this bold announcement, strewn with complaints, sung with a general grandiosity. He retells the dream with a boyish, enthusiastic lilt. He’s proud of his dream, and he takes its conclusion quite seriously. He goes on to interpret the dream. His interpretation essentially states the wish he’ll repeat over
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and over throughout the opera: that his daughters will rise in society and take him along. The central joke of the aria is that without irony or self-awareness, Don Magnifico declares that the donkey in the dream represents himself. The aria concludes in strains of festive celebration — Don Magnifico’s fantasy of the future that awaits him, sung in his characteristic self-promoting, language muddling style. La Cenerentola – Nacqui all'affanno ... Non più mesta o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST1foX aRr_E Angelina/Cenerentola (Elīna Garanča), Prince Ramiro (Lawrence Brownlee), Don Magnifico (Alessandro Corbelli), Dandini (Simone Alberghini), Maurizio Benini, Conductor, The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, 2009. o As Angelina and the prince celebrate their wedding, she asks her husband to forgive her stepfather and stepsisters. She then goes on to sing that her life has been transformed. “I was born to sorrow and to tears... No longer shall I sit alone singing sadly by the fire Ah, my long years of heartache were but a streak of lightning, a dream, a game.”
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Prince Ramiro and Cenerentola duet, “Un soave non so che” https://youtu.be/yVzVhcAvI_g
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Other popular works by Rossini: The Barber of Seville overture: https://youtu.be/OloXRhesab0 William Tell overture: https://youtu.be/xoBE69wdSkQ
Cinderella opening night sponsor
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For further questions about this education and activity guide, please contact us at: education@edmontonopera.com Special thanks to our Education Dress Rehearsal Sponsor: And to our education community partner:
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