Cinderella (Rossini's 'La Cenerentola')

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis brings Rossini's Cinderella (La Cenerentola) to the Loretto-Hilton Center this summer, with performances on June 5, 10, 12, 20, 25, and 27, 2027. It's part of their 2027 Festival Season, and this particular production marks 50 years of partnership between the company and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, who'll be in the pit for every show.

Rossini's comic opera swaps the glass slippers and fairy godmothers for quick wit and a softhearted heroine named Angelina. Her empathy catches the eye of the prince's tutor, who's searching for the right bride for his royal charge. From there, it's a familiar kind of fairytale—clever disguises, unexpected turns, and a bracelet that guides Prince Ramiro to true love—told with the kind of fast-moving, colorful energy that works for audiences of all ages. The production runs 2 hours and 50 minutes with one 25-minute intermission. It's sung in English with English captions projected, so you can follow the story without having to keep an eye on a program.

Behind the scenes, Michael Shell directs and Gemma New conducts, with the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra providing the music. Cinderella is one of four mainstays in the 2027 season: Sondheim's A Little Night Music, Verdi's La traviata, and the world premiere Safe Haven by Tobias Picker and Aryeh Lev Stollman. The company was founded in 1976 with the goal of making opera accessible and inclusive through storytelling that reflects the St. Louis community, and this season keeps that in view, running from a Sondheim musical to a new world premiere.

Tickets range from $25 to $149, and with six performance dates spread across June, there's plenty of room to find a night that works for you. The Loretto-Hilton Center is the home for the whole run.