BRENTON NEWCOMB
Special to The Leader
Opening this week, The Hillman Opera will present “Cendrillon” (Cinderella) in Marvel Theater, located in Rockefeller Arts Center.
The opera is a collaborative project put on by many departments that will run Nov. 15 through Nov. 17.
“Cendrillon” is an opera classic written by Jules Massesenet and is set to a French libretto by Henri Caïn. The opera is based on Perrault’s 1698 version of Cinderella.
This story is similar to the widely-known Disney story with variations coming from when the play was written in 1895.
Fans of classic fairytales are bound to connect to the opera and enjoy the story that is told through singers, dancers and an orchestra.
The opera, which is sung in French, will still be accessible to anyone wishing to see a take of the classic story, as there will be a projection of the English translation.
The orchestra consists of 40 musicians on brass, woodwinds and strings, playing a royal score to complement the nature of the performance.
Ellie Steinmetz is a senior vocal major and performer in the opera.
She said, “Basically, you have every single area of the college’s arts department. This excludes this visual arts, however they are often involved in production.”
What’s especially interesting about the show is the fact that it is a double-casted show. Each performance date will have a different cast, which creates a dynamic experience for the audience and performers.
The lead roles of the first night’s performance will be completely different from the second night’s, changing the show’s interpretation and sentiment.
For example, the two stepsisters for Friday’s performance are much friendlier to each other and even stick up for one another. This is in contrast to the stepsisters for Saturday night, who are much more aggressive toward each other.
To get the full experience, it’s necessary to see the show twice.
The Hillman Opera is a long-running opera company at Fredonia that has been around for over 60 years.
Steinmetz said of the company, “To have a long-running opera company is really impressive. It’s a very special thing to Fredonia.”
A lot of what makes the Hillman Opera so special comes from the fact that the production is comprised mostly of undergraduates.
Opening night is Friday, Nov. 15 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Additional showings include Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 17 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets for the opera are $12 for students and $25 for the general public.
Ticket sales go to the Hillman Opera Memorial Music Association, which then goes to music scholarships.
Sponsors for the show include Gugino and Ryel Financial.