Ashton’s adaptation of Cinderella received its premiere on 23rd December 1948 with Royal
Ballet dancers Moira Shearer and Michael Somes in the lead roles. The production was
received rapturously with Ashton’s reworking of Charles Perrault’s famous rags-to-riches
story proving a compelling showcase for the choreographer’s musicality and the beauty of
Sergey Prokofiev’s transcendent score.
Cinderella made a welcome return to the stage in 2023 after an absence of over 10 years in
a new production with an award-winning creative team steeped in the magic of theatre, film,
dance and opera, bringing new atmosphere to Cinderella’s ethereal world of fairy
godmothers and pumpkin carriages. Set design is by Tom Pye (My Neighbour Totoro,
Olivier award for Best Set Design), costume designs by Alexandra Byrne (Elizabeth: The
Golden Age, Academy Award for Best Costume Design), lighting design by David Finn
(Brokeback Mountain), video design by Finn Ross (Les Miserables, Frozen) and illusions by
Chris Fisher (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child).
Cinderella is a co-production between The Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada.