Opera Dives Deep: Something Old, Something New
6:00PM, Monday, September 15, 2025

After countless rejections, librettist Jacopo Ferretti finally found a winner when he pitched an adaptation of La Cenerentola (Cinderella) to rising composer Gioachino Rossini. What followed was a whirlwind—forty-six days of feverish collaboration, borrowed arias, and bold departures from the familiar fairy tale script. Gone were the glass slipper and fairy godmother and, in their place, clever disguises and a sorcerous philosopher. The result? Cinderella—a comic opera that gleefully blends the traditional and the unexpected into something unmistakably Rossinian. Join us as we explore how this last-minute idea became one of opera’s most enchanting reinventions.

Guest Speaker

Dr. Andrew Granade


About Opera Dives Deep

New location, new time, new look! Please join us as we return to the historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Kansas City, now home to Kirk Family YMCA. This year, Opera Dives Deep will be held from 6:00–7:00 pm.

This series provides audiences with fresh insights from regional scholars and industry professionals to enrich appreciation and understanding of the operas in our season. Both established operagoers and curious newcomers alike are sure to make discoveries.

Opera Dives Deep is held at Kirk Family YMCA, Respect/Responsibility Room, 222 W 11th St., Kansas City, MO 64105.

Learn more about other Opera Dives Deep events.