The combination of story, music and dance in The Royal Ballet’s Cinderella is hard to beat. All the elements of the story are there: the spiteful Step-sisters, the fairy godmother, the ball, the striking clock. And at the centre is Cinderella whose rags-to-riches journey unites her with her handsome prince. Frederick Ashton created a ballet that is both demanding of its principals and full of great charm – the perfect way to enjoy some of the world’s greatest dancers bringing ballet to life. There are magical moments, as when Cinderella makes her entrance to the ball and her pas de deux with the Prince. But there is also humour and character with the Step-sisters, tussling with each other as well as failing to charm anyone else. Prokofiev’s music is one of the great 20th-century ballet scores, so rich in atmosphere and full of orchestral colour, a perfect complement to the stage pictures.
|
