Notre Dame de Namur University Presents Rare Version of Cinderella December 7 & 9
For Immediate Release (12/03/2018)
Belmont, Calif.— Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) presents a rarely seen version of Cinderella on Friday and Sunday, December 7 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the NDNU Theatre. Admission is free.
The NDNU production is based on the chamber opera version of Cinderella that premiered in a Paris salon in 1904. The opera of Cinderella was composed by Pauline Viardot, a French singer, composer, and educator. Combining songs and arias from previous versions of Cinderella, the NDNU production tells a slightly different story from the Disney movie of the fairytale.
“The biggest difference in Viardot’s version of Cinderella is that the prince wants to find a woman who will love him for himself, not just for his money or his title,” explains Debra Lambert, who directs the Department of Musical and Vocal Arts at NDNU. “The prince and his chamberlain change roles in order to achieve this. Happy ending, of course. It’s a charming chamber opera.”
The opera features the multitalented NDNU alum Jenny Matteucci as stage director, choreographer, and costumer. Lambert and Daniel Lockert, professor of collaborative piano at NDNU, share music director duties at the piano and keyboards. The cast features guest artists as well as current students.
ABOUT NDNU
Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) is a Catholic, not-for-profit, coeducational institution serving approximately 1,500 students from diverse backgrounds. Established in 1851 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, NDNU is the third-oldest college in California and the first authorized to grant the baccalaureate degree to women. NDNU maintains a strong commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement. The university is fully accredited and offers a rich variety of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and teacher credential programs. The historic campus is located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit www.ndnu.edu.