The classic fairy tale of Cinderella is being revitalized by the Townsend Opera at the Gallo Center for the Arts on April 19 and 21.
Adding a brand new twist to the production, the evil stepmother is replaced with a washed out mobster stepfather and the typical glass slipper for a sparkling bracelet. This version of the story strives to appeal to the younger audiences.
Matthew Buckman, Executive Director of the Townsend Opera gives the performance some background.
“Cinderella came forward as a natural love story that can be told anywhere, but the stepsisters and the godfather translate well into pop culture with the Jersey Shore vibe,” Buckman said.
“That led us to place the story in current-day Brooklyn with ‘trashy’ step sisters and a run-down businessman.”
Transforming a legendary tale into a new, exciting story can be a burden for many opera companies. However, the Townsend Opera does an amazing job turning these tales around.
“As a company we are always looking for ways to bring opera into the 20th century,” Buckman said. “So we look for operas that have a human story, a story whose meaning remains regardless of the setting, and we look to set those productions in modern times.”
“The stories translate well to modern-day themes, and the audience can better engage with them,” Buckman said.
Opera Remix within Townsend Opera has brought classic art and modern culture to a happy medium that all ages can enjoy.
A company that has prided themselves on “blurring the artificial lines between genres of music, exploring how opera can engage within musical styles of today’s world and truly become a 21st century art form” is bringing attributes to the community that should be taken advantage of.
Cinderella is only one of the cutting-edge productions Opera Remix has to offer.
The performances of Cinderella can be seen on April 19 at 7:30 p.m. and April 21 at 2:00 p.m. at the Mary Stuart Rogers Theater at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto, CA.
Tickets available online at galloarts.org starting at $10.