Cendrillon

Act I
Pandolfe, a weak-minded commoner, is sorry he left the country to marry the Countess de la Haltière, especially as his daughter Lucette is rejected by her stepfamily who call her Cendrillon. Resorting to a great many artifices, the ambitious countess prepares her two daughters Noémie and Dorothée to attend the king’s ball. Left alone, Cendrillon thinks about the ball with regret and tidies up the house before falling asleep in the hearth. Her godmother the Fairy appears and bids her elves to produce a sky-colored gown and a full carriage. Upon awakening, metamorphosed Cendrillon leaves for the ball with the promise to return before midnight. Her enchanted slippers will make her unrecognizable to her family.

Act II
At the king’s palace everything is ready for the ball but the courtiers, doctors and ministers cannot relieve the gloomy Prince Charming who despairs to find love. As dances succeed each other for the prince to choose a bride, Cendrillon enters. They fall in love at first sight. But at the stroke of midnight Cendrillon runs away.

Act III
Back home, Cendrillon is sorry she lost one of her slippers in her flight. Her stepsisters and stepmother arrive shortly thereafter, enraged that the ball was curtailed by the departure of the unknown girl whom they slander. Cendrillon is upset. Although Pandolfe found the strength to drive away the three harpies and promised Cendrillon to take her to his country home, she decides to flee to the fairies’ Oak. Under the Oak, the elves and spirits gathered around the Fairy disperse as Cendrillon and Prince Charming arrive from different directions. They both entreat the Fairy to meet again. They recognize each other’s voices but cannot see one another. The Fairy allows them to embrace before plunging them into a magic slumber.

Act IV
Several months have elapsed and Cendrillon emerges from a long sleep punctuated with visions. She wonders whether she has dreamt everything, which her father confirms. But a call from the street comforts her: the herald summons all the kingdom’s maidens to try on the lost slipper. The maidens assemble in the court of honor at the palace. The faint Prince is brought back to life by Cendrillon’s arrival. Pandolfe is stupefied by their reunion while Madame de la Haltière shows boisterous merriment.