Review: Northern Opera Group’s Cinderella, filmed in Leeds

THE rags to riches tale of Cinderella has inspired famous composers to create operas based on Cendrillon, an 18th century fairy tale by Charles Perrault. Massenet’s Cendrillon and Rossini’s La Cenerentola continue to be staged by leading opera companies.

A smaller scale operatic version by Pauline Viardot is much less well known and has now been rediscovered by Northern Opera Group. Viardot was a leading French mezzo soprano who, after her retirement from the stage, composed choral works, songs, and five chamber or ‘salon’ operas. Cendrillon was premiered at Viardot’s Paris salon in April 1904, by which time the composer had reached her early eighties. The work is written for seven main characters and chorus with piano accompaniment.

Northern Opera Group’s magical realisation has been filmed on location in Leeds during Lockdown 2 and is now available on demand. Sophie Gilpin’s production is emphatically not a pantomime. The cunningly achieved transformation scenes are however worthy of the best pantomime traditions.

Special effects are facilitated by picture book graphics and change of locations. Calverley Old Hall served as the home of Baron de Pictordu with his flighty daughters Armelinda and Maguelonne who are waited on hand and foot by their step sister Cinderella. The magnificent Long Gallery of Temple Newsam House is used for the Prince’s Ball at which designer Laura Jane Stansfield’s fun costumes and masks add to the enchantment. The chorus joins in by Zoom and virtual fireworks burst into the night sky above the house.

Viardot’s musical score is well served by an appealing cast which includes Claire Wild as Cinders and Nicolas Watts as the Prince. Chris Pelly conducts and Jenny Martins provides the atmospheric piano accompaniment for this sparkling festive season treat. Further details and bookings from www.northernoperagroup.co.uk

Geoffrey Mogridge