Posted on 09/03/2005 5:34:02 PM PDT by sitetest
An opera company has been banned from performing Sergei Prokofiev's Cinderella after setting the classic children's story in a brothel.
The Latvian National Opera performed its Cinderella ballet only twice, after complaints from Prokofiev's estate.
"There was a huge gap between the original music and the new story," said Noelle Mann, curator of the Sergei Prokofiev Archive.
But the opera company said it was "a very beautiful and sincere story".
Based on the classic fairytale, Prokofiev wrote the ballet Cinderella in the 1940s.
The new Latvian National Opera (LNO) adaptation was performed in Riga before being cancelled.
It set the story in a brothel, with Cinderella working as a maid, her step-sisters as call girls and her stepmother as the brothel madam.
His family is seriously annoyed by the fact that the LNO had not asked for authorisation Noelle Mann, Sergei Prokofiev Archive curator Ms Mann said the company failed to ask the Sergei Prokofiev Foundation, which represents the composer's estate, for permission to use his music.
"His family is seriously annoyed by the fact that the LNO had not asked for authorisation, which is a legal requirement," she said.
"They only found out about the opera by accident on the internet. New productions are using unauthorised Prokofiev work far too often."
'New vision'
She added that the composer originally wrote the Cinderella ballet "with a storyline in mind".
"When a new production goes that far from the original there is a huge gap between the music and story," Ms Mann added.
"Prokofiev's family feels very strongly that if you are going to present a new storyline, you should employ one of the many talented new composers to write new music for you."
An LNO spokeswoman said: "LNO respects the opinion of the Prokofiev Foundation, therefore considering the situation booking of tickets for the future performances will not be taking place until an agreement is going to be achieved.
"The management of the LNO is willing to continue the dialogue with the Prokofiev Foundation to find a compromise in this situation so that the audience is not deprived of seeing this beautiful ballet again."
Is this better or worse than the hip-hopization of one of Mozart's operas?
This sounds like something that might come out of Hollywierd these days.
Here is the thread that discussed the "hip-hop" version of Così fan tutte:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1466037/posts
Classical Music Ping List ping!
This is a moderate volume ping list, from several times per week to one or even two a day. If you want on or off, let me know via FR mail.
Thanks!
Tell Tschikovsky the news.
The Cinderella story goes back to Aincient times. It's not tied to any particular era. They do stuff like this with Shakespeare all the time as well. No big deal.
Interesting. I saw "The Magic Flute" in a Native American adaptation once.
Miserable stepmother, miserable madam, what's the difference? /sarcasm
Like the composer's family, I am "seriously annoyed" by these efforts to drag great works through the mud.
But thanks for the ping: nothing like getting seriously annoyed first thing on a Sunday morning!!
Now THAT'S creativity we can live with!
Dear GadareneDemoniac,
"But thanks for the ping: nothing like getting seriously annoyed first thing on a Sunday morning!!"
My apologies. I found the idea annoying, too.
When I post an article on Saturday or Sunday, I'll try to select ones that are less annoying. ;-)
sitetest
I think I saw that on Skinamax when I was 12.
How can this be any worse than "Cinderfella" with Jerry Lewis.
Dear Borges,
"The Cinderella story goes back to Aincient times. It's not tied to any particular era. They do stuff like this with Shakespeare all the time as well. No big deal."
Well, it's one thing to want to re-tell the story with one's own storyline, that's fine. The Prokofiev family agrees with that. In fact, they point out that the composer wrote his ballet with a particular storyline in mind.
They just think that Prokofiev's telling of the story should not be so utterly changed, while using his music:
"Prokofiev's family feels very strongly that if you are going to present a new storyline, you should employ one of the many talented new composers to write new music for you."
I think I have to agree with them.
If these folks want a work telling the story of Cinderella in a brothel, let them hire folks to write new music for it.
sitetest
No need to apologize! I was trying to be funny toooo early in the morning!
Let's just hope that they never do a San Francisco adaptation of it. Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. :=)
LOL!
I find the jerking around of times and places of operas and plays infantile and a little desperate.
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