La Ventafocs
LES ARTS VOLANT - GIRA 2025
19 June to 20 July 2025
LA VENTAFOCS
Pauline ViardotChamber operetta in three acts
Libretto by the composer based upon
Charles Perrault’s Cendrillon ou la Petite Pantoufle de verre
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Cendrillon: nothing appears to be what it is at the touch of a magic wand.
Is it Perrault’s Cinderella and the glass slipper? Is it a pleasant reminder of Rossini’s Cenerentola? It is perhaps an operetta, given its pleasant and mundane atmosphere and the undeniable hedonistic spirit which runs through its three scenes, including waltzes and variety songs, mazurkas and polkas, music nostalgic for a time in which the age of atonality was already dawning.
Les Arts volant is a cultural project of Les Arts, in collaboration with different public administrations of the Region of Valencia, to bring opera to any corner of our geography, especially to small towns with little musical activity or where it would be complicated to carry out a performance due to the lack of technical means or facilities. The aim is to make the fascinating world of opera visible and itinerant, so that everybody can enjoy art and beauty almost at home.
The company travels in a large lorry prepared to transform into a stage on its arrival at the square of any town and, afterwards, a live opera is performed by singers of the Centre de Perfeccionament accompanied on the piano.
Creative Team
Stage Director
Joan Font
Set Designer
Manuel Zuriaga
Costume Designer
José María Adame
Lighting Designer
Nadia García
Cast
La Ventafocs
Rosa Dávila
El baró de Picornut
Josep Barberà
Armelina
Carmen Lázaro
Magalona
Iria Goti
El Príncep
Álvaro Diana
El comte de Barigol
Gonzalo Manglano
La Fada
Larisa Stefan / Saray García
Piano Ignacio
Aparisi
Producción del Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
Audio
Synopsis
The workers at a removal company shift packages and boxes from one
place to another. Suddenly, amongst some junk, the boss of the
company finds a book that grabs her attention: the fairy tale of
Cinderella. The others stop what they are doing and go over to leaf
through the book with her. This brings up memories, dreams and
fantasies from within them. Excited, they decide to take a break
and act out this tale, using their imagination and whatever they
find to hand as their wardrobe and props.
The famous story begins with the scene of Baró de Picornut at home, where he lives with his three daughters: Magalona and Armelina, who are conceited, and Ventafocs, a good-natured dreamer who works tirelessly attending to the family. The prince, disguised as a chamberlain at court, invites the family to a ball at the palace. Ventafocs, scorned by her father and sisters, remains alone at home while they leave to go to the ball. But the young lady is taken by surprise by the Fairy Godmother, who grants her dream of attending the ball travelling in a luxurious carriage by casting a spell that will break at midnight.
At the palace, the court chamberlain, count Barigol, decked out in the prince’s clothes, receives the family of Baró de Picornut. The sisters - Magalona and Armelina – make fools of themselves competing to conquer his heart. Ventafocs appears. The guests are fascinated by her extraordinary beauty. The ball and various activities unfold. The prince, who everyone thinks is the chamberlain, courts Ventafocs enraptured. It is time for a kiss, but it is almost midnight and Ventafocs rushes away, leaving one of her shoes behind. The prince begins his search for the mysterious lady he has fallen in love with. When he arrives at the baron’s house, he is delighted to find that the shoe only fits one person, Ventafocs.
The famous story begins with the scene of Baró de Picornut at home, where he lives with his three daughters: Magalona and Armelina, who are conceited, and Ventafocs, a good-natured dreamer who works tirelessly attending to the family. The prince, disguised as a chamberlain at court, invites the family to a ball at the palace. Ventafocs, scorned by her father and sisters, remains alone at home while they leave to go to the ball. But the young lady is taken by surprise by the Fairy Godmother, who grants her dream of attending the ball travelling in a luxurious carriage by casting a spell that will break at midnight.
At the palace, the court chamberlain, count Barigol, decked out in the prince’s clothes, receives the family of Baró de Picornut. The sisters - Magalona and Armelina – make fools of themselves competing to conquer his heart. Ventafocs appears. The guests are fascinated by her extraordinary beauty. The ball and various activities unfold. The prince, who everyone thinks is the chamberlain, courts Ventafocs enraptured. It is time for a kiss, but it is almost midnight and Ventafocs rushes away, leaving one of her shoes behind. The prince begins his search for the mysterious lady he has fallen in love with. When he arrives at the baron’s house, he is delighted to find that the shoe only fits one person, Ventafocs.
