Rossini’s La Cenerentola – Opera Company of North Carolina – Raleigh Observer

Clever details abound in ‘La Cenerentola’

RALEIGH – Opera fans dream of the rare production in which all elements function as one. That dream is made reality in the Opera Company of North Carolina’s “La Cenerentola.”

There’s so much that’s excellent in this staging of Rossini’s Cinderella story that it’s hard to know where to start. Certainly the keystone is director James Marvel’s cleverly detailed concept, each scene filled with myriad hilarious touches yet never crossing into campy silliness, an affliction prevalent in so many Rossini productions. Marvel keeps the focus on human inter action, allowing Rossini’s astute renderings of greed, arrogance, forgiveness and love to shine through.

The confident singer-actors do full justice to their roles and are willing to perform whatever Marvel throws at them, from weaving themselves into a human chain to crawling on the floor. They project such joy in performing that the production whizzes along despite its nearly three-hour duration.

– Roy C. Dicks, Correspondent, Raleigh Observer