The libretto of Cinderella by Peter Maxwell Davies.
Cinderella is a light-hearted pantomime opera based on the traditional story, with a few new twists by the composer. The first performances of ‘Cinderella’ were given by children in Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands who were non-specialist and had shown no unusual interest in, or aptitude for music. All vocal parts are written within the range of children’s normal unbroken voices, although the three Ugly Sisters can be played by older boys singing an octave lower than written. Eleven solo parts plus chorus and parts for descant, treble and tenor recorders, trumpet, percussion, piano and string quintet with optional viola. 60 mins.