theguardian.com
ENO's 2025-26 Season Opens with a Contemporary "La Cenerentola
English National Opera (ENO) will open its 2025-26 season with a new production of Rossini's La Cenerentola, featuring a contemporary setting and a cast of debuting artists, marking a fresh approach to the classic fairytale.
- What is the most significant aspect of ENO's new production of La Cenerentola?
- ENO's production of La Cenerentola offers a contemporary reimagining of the classic fairytale, set in the present day but incorporating elements of magic and nods to the original story and the Disney adaptation. This is the first of five new productions in a season that includes 12 productions and concerts.
- How does this production address the challenges of staging Rossini's opera in a modern context?
- The production creatively adapts the story to a contemporary setting, replacing the fairy godmother with the Prince's tutor and the glass slipper with matching bracelets, referencing the original opera's censorship constraints in 1817. The stepsisters' roles are also reinterpreted, presenting them as needy and insecure rather than purely wicked.
- What are the potential impacts of this innovative production on the future of opera and its audience?
- This contemporary adaptation of a classic opera may attract a wider and younger audience, demonstrating opera's relevance to modern life. The creative choices made to update the story and use of the ENO Chorus in an innovative way showcase new perspectives on familiar works, potentially influencing future opera productions.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article presents a largely positive framing of the ENO's new production of La Cenerentola. The emphasis on the fresh, fun, and contemporary aspects, along with quotes highlighting the positive aspects of the production (e.g., "fresher take on the character", "moments of heart-stopping beauty"), creates a generally enthusiastic tone. However, the inclusion of challenges faced by ENO (funding cuts, staff losses) provides some balance, preventing an overly rosy picture. The headline, while not explicitly provided, would likely contribute to this framing. The inclusion of challenges faced by the ENO, however, provides a degree of balance, preventing the overall framing from being overwhelmingly positive.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and descriptive, although some terms like "sparkling comedy" and "heart-stopping beauty" are subjective and slightly positive. However, these are balanced by descriptions of challenges faced by the ENO. There is no overtly loaded or biased language detected.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the production's creative aspects and the artists' perspectives. While it mentions the ENO's financial difficulties, it doesn't delve deeply into the financial implications of the production or the wider context of arts funding in the UK. Also missing is a critical analysis of the production's artistic merit beyond the artists' self-assessments. The piece also lacks diverse perspectives beyond those involved in the production.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the challenges and rewards of translating an opera from Italian to English, showcasing the dedication to artistic precision and cultural adaptation. This indirectly relates to Quality Education by emphasizing the importance of linguistic skills, cultural understanding, and the commitment to artistic excellence in education and performance.