La Cenerentola is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, first performed on January 25, 1817, in Rome at the Teatro Valle. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti and is based on Charles Perrault's Cinderella fairy tale but without the supernatural elements, making it easier to stage. Instead of a wicked stepmother, the story features a stepfather, Don Magnifico, and the Fairy Godmother is replaced by Alidoro, a philosopher and tutor to the Prince. Cinderella is identified by a silver ring rather than a glass slipper. Rossini composed the opera in just three weeks, shortly after his success with The Barber of Seville. The opera quickly gained popularity in Italy and internationally, becoming a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. Major roles include Angelina (Cenerentola), Don Ramiro (Prince of Salerno), Dandini (valet), Don Magnifico (stepfather), and Alidoro (philosopher and tutor).
