Cinderella

In Alma Deutscher’s take on the traditional fairy-tale, Cinderella is not just a pretty girl who wins the Prince because of her dainty foot. Cinderella is a talented composer, envied and oppressed by her stepmother, who runs an opera house, and by her stepsisters, both operatic would-be divas. Cinderella nevertheless triumphs because of her talent: Cinderella and the Prince, a poet, will find one another, just as a poem finds its melody.

“an opera of astounding wit, craft, and musical beauty… A smart producer would mount Cinderella on Broadway. In addition to its comedic force, its score puts recent musicals to shame, whether from the Disney franchise or Andrew Lloyd Webber.” (The New Criterion, 2018).

“A young talent’s sensational burst to prominence... The once-in-a-lifetime opera-going event that had audiences standing and cheering.” Opera Today, 2017.

“When the orchestral version of Cinderella premiered in Vienna, Alma Deutscher became an instant shooting star. Cinderella is exhilarating, enchantingly moving, and spiced with finely ground comedy, and it was deservedly honoured with a standing ovation.” Orpheus Magazine (2021).

“In a time of doubt and suspicion, hate and war-mongering, to find a voice as original and as uplifting as Alma Deutscher’s, is more than a gift – it is hope. And the little child will lead them? Indeed. Alma’s original rendition of the classic fairy tale in music and song, is a chord to resound in our lives day after day.” Lois Silverstein, Opera Wire, 2017

“Alma Deutscher’s opera sparkles with original ideas… [This] amazing girl who wrote this amazingly good opera. From the inventory of music history emerge remarkable inspirations, which characterize the psychology of the characters.” (Ljubisa Tosic, Der Standard, 2016)

“In concentrated form, Deutscher hosts a firework of her catchiest ear-worms, and the twelve-year-old is a highly gifted melodist. Her cantilenas… convey bottomless grief or overflowing yearning. Supported by accomplished orchestral writing, this Cinderella shines through an effective sequence of arias, duets, ensembles and speech scenes. To sum up, the State Opera has done well to secure this Cinderella, because it is not just an attraction for the Wunderkind-arena, but a good opera in itself.” (Wiener Zeitung, Christoph Irrgeher, 2018)