As we all would have expected . . .

. . . La Cenerentola had a happy ending:

Sad no longer among the cinders, ah!
No more I'll sob alone -- No!
Like a song, a dream, a winter's
Tale, my sorrows all are flown.

Going into it, I didn’t realize it was going to be a comedy. And, actually, it was quite funny. The only thing that bothered me was how, at the end, the prince was trying to protect her from her cruel family but she wouldn’t allow him to do this. I like how the version Ever After ends – with the step-family having to work just like Cinderella. Maybe it’s just this ingrained sense of justice that God instills within each of us – we like to see the wicked punished and the good people rewarded. (And, yes, to anyone who’s wondering, I’m glad God had mercy on me even though I’m a sinner and, for the record, as a Christian, I should probably be happy that Cinderella forgave her mean, evil family.)

One thing I really liked about this version of Cinderella was the fact that, when Cinderella fell in love with the prince she didn’t realize he was a prince. In fact, she thought he was merely a servant (because the prince and his servant has swapped roles). At the ball, the “prince” (who was really the servant) told her he wanted to marry her and she said “no” because her heart belonged to another. When the pretend-prince responded in anguish, she said, “I’m in love with your servant,” who of course was the real prince. And, would you know it, the real prince was hiding behind a pillar during this conversation and overheard everything. Cinderella’s confession caused him to leap for joy and, of course, immediately burst out into song. Remember, this is opera we’re talking about. They sing about everything.

In conclusion, I must say that I really enjoyed La Cenerentola.

Hey – Have a Happy Thanksgiving and . . . relish your little break from the blogsphere. :-)