La Cenerentola, Opera Queensland

Concert Hall, QPAC

April 29th, 2026

Five Star Opera and a hilarious twisted Cinderella tale unlike any other

Dr Gemma Regan

Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) opened Opera Queensland’s Bel Canto Festival with an encore of their brilliant twisted version of Cinderella, brimming with the humour of a Pantomime yet with the operatic virtuosity more commonly heard at La Scala.

La Cenerentola is a Shakespearean-style comedy of farcical mistaken identity and love triangles, with the delicious score of Rossini performed by the mighty Queensland Symphony Orchestra, accompanied by the Opera Queensland Chorus under the skilful direction of Patrick Nolan.

The six main characters include the downtrodden Angeline, AKA Cinderella (Margarita Gritskova), and a Prince, Don Ramiro (Mert Süngü), who is willing to wed as soon as possible. Dandini, the Prince’s valet, played by Jeremy Kleeman, disguises himself as the Prince, acting like an Italian Stallion to root out his best match. 

Angelina’s ambitious and pompous step-father, Don Magnifico (James Roser), favours only his hideous step-daughters, Clorinda (Sarah Crane) and Tisbe (Hayley Sugars). Alidoro, the Prince’s tutor, becomes Angelina’s Fairy Godmother after disguising himself as a pauper in need of help, graciously given by the kind-hearted Angelina.

Co-Costume Designers Karen Cochet and Bianca Bulley have created overt, flowery outfits to match the set by Director Laura Hansford, with more flowers than Floriade! The antics of the grotesque sisters steal the show in their hilarious tight puce-pink dresses and blonde and ginger wigs piled high on their vividly painted heads. A drunk Don Magnifico encourages their repulsive behaviour as they vie for the attentions of ‘Princey Wincey’.

The funniest scene of many has the sisters shooting daggers at the beautiful, uninvited Angelina whilst dining at the banquet, reminiscent of Camilla and Fergie with Lady Di. When Angelina hands them each a flower, they act like petulant children, tossing it aside and trampling it under a putrid-pink heel.

As if the comedy was not enough, the ensemble’s operatic virtuosity was outstanding, with Gritskova’s silken voice powerful enough to shatter the windows of the new Glasshouse Theatre! Her dynamic tones are counterbalanced by Süngü’s brassy resonance, causing standing waves throughout the concert hall during their duets. As Don Magnifico sways drunkenly in fluffy pink slippers, Roser’s robust voice also contradicts his appearance, delightfully rich and as fruity as a barrel of cider.

Rossini’s dastardly tirade of Italian tongue twisters is outstanding, each masterfully delivered by the choristers with a flower-laden Libretto for the audience to follow.

Hidden in the pit are the musicians of the QSO delighting the audience with Rossini’s masterpiece under the direction of Conductor Richard Mills. The brass and woodwind sections shone like Cinderella’s slippers, enhancing the performance for such an enchanting production; it had to be rekindled, like all good fairytales!