Libretto by Kanstantin Kuzmiatsou after Charles Perrault's fairy tale

Musical director:  Yuri Karavaev

Choreography and staging: People’s Artist of Belarus Kanstantsin Kuzniatsou, Honoured Artist of the Republic of Belarus Yuliya Dziatko

Set designers: People's Artist of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Okunev, Lyubov Sidelnikova       

Costume designer: People's Artist of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Okunev

Lighting designer: Evgenii Lisitsyn

Computer graphics: Pavel Suvorov

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Act I

Scene 1

What could be better than sitting in a chair by the fireplace surrounded by grandchildren and reading them fairy tales? And, to the sounds of crackling firewood and in the gleams of the warm fire, mentally traveling to a place where magic happens and amazing adventures take place...

We are in the room of two sisters who spend their time doing the most natural thing for them: arguing. Today, the reason is a beautiful scarf. Each girl wants to try it on, believing it suits her best. Their mother, who cannot do with lengthy disputes, enters the room due to the noise. The scarf is torn in half, therefore the conflict is settled.

An enormous basket filled with freshly laundered clothes appears at the doorway. Or rather, the basket is carried in by a fragile girl. This is Cinderella, the stepsister of the capricious girls. She is forced to do all the household chores and the dirtiest jobs. The Stepmother inspects the basket critically, grimaces with aversion, and leaves.

Finally, Cinderella has a moment to catch her breath. She moves an inconspicuous curtain by the fireplace, revealing her main treasure: the portrait of her mother, who died several years ago. How she misses her mother's love and care... Lost in thoughts, the poor girl doesn't notice the Stepmother and her daughters returning to the room. They see the portrait and the Stepmother becomes furious: no reminiscing until all the work is done! The sisters begin scattering the laundry from the basket, mocking the defenseless Cinderella.

The Couturier arrives in the room. He came to fit the dresses that the ladies will wear to the ball at the royal palace. Cinderella is doing her best to help them, while the sisters... they find a reason to quarrel again.

The Stepmother has invited a dancing master so her daughters can show themselves in all their glory at the ball. However, his patience is running thin…these girls' whims would drive anyone crazy!

Everyone is ready, it's time to go. Everyone except Cinderella! While helping her Stepmother and sisters, she completely forgot that she doesn't have a dress for the ball! 

And Cinderella really hoped to go to the ball, to dance...

But in moments of despair, as in any fairy tale, magic comes. The Fairy with her entourage appears out of rays of light. The poor child should make her dream come true and go to the ball!

And the Fairy didn't come empty-handed: her students bring in an enormous pumpkin. With a wave of the magic wand, the pumpkin opens, revealing a marvelous dress and a pair of glass slippers.

The Fairy's assistants cheerfully help Cinderella with all the preparations. The Fairy reminds her that everything, even magic, has its time limit. She will have to leave the ball when the clock strikes midnight.

The Fairy transforms the pumpkin into a coach. It's time to leave! As the coach disappears at the turn, the Fairy's assistants realize that Cinderella forgot her new glass slippers in the rush. The students rush after her, striving to correct the omission.

Scene 2

Meanwhile, there is a fuss in the palace. The Master of Ceremonies hurries his assistants. Everything should be in its place.

Finally, the ball begins! Ceremonial music plays, the King and guests enter the hall. Among the guests are the Stepmother and her daughters. They try to attract the King's attention, but the King is clearly unimpressed by their "talents." The announcement of the Prince's arrival (his son), saves the King from annoying guests. The Prince cheerfully and carefree dances among the guests.

At this moment, the Ball is interrupted by the arrival of a new guest. No one knows who she is or where she comes from, but everyone is struck by her beauty and grace. The Prince invites the guest to join the celebration. The King, who has long dreamed of his son's marriage, watches them.

The Grand Waltz begins (What is the Ball without the waltz!). The Prince and Cinderella cannot stop talking, it feels easy and natural, as if they have known each other for a thousand years.

The Fairy's students, having sneaked into the ball, try to persuade Cinderella to put on the slippers, but she waves them aside. She is deeply fascinated with the moment. Cinderella is happy, and all her sorrows seem so distant!

The Prince is enraptured by Cinderella and offers her three rare fruits: oranges. Cinderella modestly refuse the gift, but the Stepmother and sisters, not recognizing their sister in the beautiful guest, beg for this rarity for themselves. They are pleased: now they have such a wonderful souvenir.

Time spins away, and midnight approaches. The appearance of a Fairy overshadows Cinderella's Joy. Cinderella wants to dance just a little longer, but time is inexorable. She rushes to leave the hall without even saying goodbye to the Prince.

The Fairy's students, who haven't yet given Cinderella the slippers, run after her, and in the rush, drop one slipper on the stairs.

The courtiers pick up the slipper. The beautiful stranger disappeared like a vision. This slipper is the only reminder that the encounter with the beautiful stranger was not a dream.

Act II

Scene 3

There’s a council in the palace. The King, the Prince, and his friends decide what to do. The King cannot bear to see his son so sad: if the Prince wants to be happy, he will have to make an effort. And besides, if they have one slipper, there must be another one somewhere! Finding the owner of the other slipper will be a trivial task.

A long journey begins. Cities and countries follow one another... And not a single girl fits the slipper. But the Prince is determined to find his love.

Scene 4

Cinderella's room. The ball is over, and her life is full of loneliness again. The only thing that keeps her from despair is her faith in miracles and the memory of the Prince. The Fairy's students secretly hide the second slipper in the laundry basket.

The Stepmother and sisters, who have returned from the ball, enter the room. They hurry to boast about their evening to Cinderella. Suddenly, the Prince and his friends appear in the house. Learning the purpose of their visit, the Stepmother drives Cinderella out of the room.

The sisters try on the slipper one by one, but without success. The frustrated Stepmother pushes them aside and tries to put the slipper on her own foot. And then, failure again! Cinderella returns to the room, hoping to slip by the Prince unnoticed.

The Prince notices her. He insists that she tries on the slipper. In a fit of rage, the Stepmother pushes the Prince, the slipper flies out of his hand, frightened Cinderella drops the basket, and... (oh, miracle!) the second slipper falls out of the basket. However, the Prince no longer looks at the slippers or her feet; he looks into his beloved's eyes. He's been looking for so long, but she was so close to him; he just needed to listen to his heart!

Everyone is amazed. The Prince found the one he was looking for.

In the end, a Fairy must appear to bless the lovers. Let it be so with us.

...What could be better than sitting in a chair by the fireplace surrounded by grandchildren and reading them fairy tales? And to the sounds of crackling firewood, in the reflections of the warm fire, mentally traveling to a place where magic happens and amazing adventures take place... What could be better if the ones you love are around you?

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