Prokofiev’s Cinderella: A Transformational Twist
Cinderella and Disney are inextricably woven together in most contemporary minds. Yet Disney’s adaptation, which is so brightly tattooed onto my own childhood, is only one of many versions of this story whose Origins of the Cinderella story date nearly 2,000 years earlier in ancient Greece.
Among the various authors inspired by the tale, Charles Perrault, on whom Disney drew heavily, also inspired a ballet by Sergei Prokofiev which he worked on during the worst years of WWII. Finally performed at the Bolshoi in 1945 Prokofiev’s version deviates significantly from a pivotal story-line of a single fairy godmother by adding a team of four seasonal fairies that turn the Cinderella story into the ultimate “makeover” trope and putting it squarely as the reigning standard for every similar effort from My Fair Lady to Queer-Eye.
Spring Fairy presents Cinderella with fancy fabric for her fancy dress. Summer, Autumn and Winter fairies contribute to her transformation with mice, a pumpkin and a sparkly crown (releasing as singles: August 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th.
Currently in development: an animated short film featuring these fairies with illustrator Evan Heasman @Soju_Shots and voice-over artist Shelly Shenoy. Produced and directed by Dustin Gledhill.