Cinderella | Birmingham Royal Ballet | Grand Ballet | Full HD
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Act I
Cinderella, a young woman whose domineering step-mother forces her to act
as a servant in her own home, helps her step-mother and two step-sisters to
prepare for the Spring Ball, at which it is rumoured that the Prince will
choose his bride-to-be. As the two step-sisters work together to produce a
new shawl, they get into an argument over who will wear it, and end up
tearing it in two through their bickering. The pair storm off, while the
step-mother orders Cinderella to clear up the remnants and finish her
chores, as her father returns home from business. Since her father's
remarriage, Cinderella has had to sleep by the kitchen fireplace, leaving
her nothing to wear but rags covered in ashes. Her father has never moved
past the grief of his first wife's death, and though he is concerned for his
daughter, he is just as much under the step-mother's control as Cinderella
herself is. Their brief peace is interrupted, however, as the mother and
sisters reenter and begin ordering them about. During supper, a beggar woman
turns up, asking for shelter. The sisters and mother try to chase her off,
but Cinderella offers her a place by the kitchen fire and an old pair of
slippers. The beggar thanks her for her kindness and departs, leaving the
preparations for the ball to resume. After choosing dresses and a quick
dancing lesson, the family finally sets off for the night with the father
reluctantly in tow, leaving Cinderella behind. Although lonely at first, she
cheers herself up by dancing with her broom, imagining the Prince himself
has asked her for a dance. She is surprised, however, when the beggar woman
appears out of nowhere, wishing to return the slippers with her thanks. To
Cinderella's amazement, the shoes have been transformed into dancing
slippers of glass. The beggar woman throws off her disguise and reveals
herself as Cinderella's fairy godmother, come to grant her wish of going to
the ball. Summoning the fairies of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter for
assistance, she turns Cinderella's rags into a beautiful dress, a pumpkin
and mice into a carriage and horses, and grasshoppers and dragonflies into a
retinue of footmen. As she is about to leave, however, the fairy godmother
warns her that the magic will only last until midnight, at which time the
spell will break, and everything will revert to its original form. Only the
glass slippers will remain as a gift for her kindness. She then summons
twelve dwarfs, who will appear to repeat her message if she has not left by
midnight. With this warning in mind, Cinderella departs for the
ball.
Act II
The Spring Ball is in full swing, with guests arriving from all over the
kingdom and beyond to dance and pay respect to the Prince. The two
step-sisters attempt to win favour with the royal court by showing off their
dancing skills, but have less than successful results, much to their
mother's dismay. The Prince then joins the celebrations, but finding state
events such as the Spring Ball dull, and being reluctant to enter a marriage
without love, he declines any offers for a dance, particularly in the case
of the obnoxious step-sisters. At this point, Cinderella arrives at the
palace, transformed beyond recognition into a beautifully dressed princess.
The Prince, along with everyone else, is entranced by her beauty and charm,
and for the first time, he asks for a dance. As the evening passes, the two
become inseparable; Cinderella quickly becomes beloved by the entire court
for her graciousness and charm, while the Prince is unusually enthusiastic
and cheery in her company. When refreshments are served, he gives her the
honour of taking one of three oranges, a delicacy imported to the kingdom
from a far-off land. Cinderella offers the other two oranges to her
step-sisters, who are so flattered by the attention that they do not
recognize the beautiful stranger as their sister. The Prince takes
Cinderella out to the royal gardens for an evening walk, where they dance
and proclaim the love blossoming between them.
