Ballet Arizona Blog
  • Donate Now
  • Buy Tickets
  • Ballet AZ
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
  • All Articles
  • Company
  • Community
  • Leadership
  • Featured
  • SBAZ

25 Jan 2018

10 Things to Know About Cinderella

From horrible stepsisters, a fairy godmother, and a magical carriage, here are some fun facts about one of the most beloved fairy tales.

Ballet Arizona’s Cinderella. Photo by Alexander Izilaev.

  • The earliest known version of the Cinderella story dates back to the 1st Century BC and the story of Rhodopis, a tale about a Greek courtesan who marries the King of Egypt, recorded by the Greek historian Strabo.
  • The version of the Cinderella story we all know and love was published by Charles Perrault in 1697. Experts suggest Perrault simply updated old Cinderella folk tales from around the world for his ‘modern’ audience.
  • The earliest ballet version of Cinderella was by Louis Duport, a French dancer, choreographer, and ballet master, in Vienna in 1813.

Circa 1830. Etching by George Cruikshank as an illustration for Grimm’s “Aschenputtel.” Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

  • On December 17, 1893, Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, and Enrico Cecchetti presented their version of  Cinderella at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, with music by Baron Boris Fitinhoff-Schell, although his score was never published in any form.
  • The first noted world premiere of the ballet Cinderella was on November 21, 1945 by the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Russia with choreography by Rostisalv Zakharov.

Ballet Arizona’s Cinderella. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.

  • The score for Cinderella was composed by Sergei Prokofiev between 1940 and 1944. He stopped writing part way through to write his opera War & Peace.
  • Prokofiev’s score for Cinderella is one of his most popular and melodious compositions.
  • The Stepsisters and Stepmother are traditionally travesti roles, females roles played by men.

Robert Helpmann and Frederick Ashton as the Stepsisters in Cinderella © Donald Southern/ROH 1948

  • Ballet Arizona’s version of Cinderella features sets from Houston Ballet and choreography by our Artistic Director, Ib Andersen.
  • Ballet Arizona’s upcoming production of Cinderella will feature 20 brand new tutu’s, made in our very own costume shop!
2 replies
  1. Sandra Westcott
    Sandra Westcott says:
    Jan 25, 2018 at 9:01 PM

    Oh my, I do love Cinders, and also absolutely ♥ BAZ. I am in heaven, aka Phoenix AZ, spoiled and loving it. Please join us at this performance for Valentine’s Day, though actually any day is a great excuse. Imagine a total 100% standing ovation @ a matinée in December 2017 for ‘Nutcracker’. BAZ, do, please, take my breath away, again!

    Reply
  2. Susie Fowls
    Susie Fowls says:
    Jan 28, 2018 at 10:43 AM

    I love these blogs featuring historical facts about our ballets, as well as facts about the different aspects of our upcoming production….thanks to our blog staff for putting this together! This was most interesting!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

sixteen + 17 =

Subscribe to Our Blog

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

2835 E. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Main: 602-381-0184
Box Office: 602-381-1096
School: 602-381-0188

  • Donate Now
  • Buy Tickets

Return to main Ballet Arizona website

About

  • Board of Directors
  • Staff
  • Employment & Auditions
  • Contact

Multi-Media Center

  • Photo Gallery
  • Video
  • News & Press Releases
© 2023 Ballet Arizona, All rights reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Twitter
  • Rss
A Day in the Life of Company Dancer Katherine LoxtercampEducation & Community Engagement: Creative Aging
Scroll to top