Cinderella begins in the home Cinderella shares with her father and stepsisters, who are anxiously preparing for the palace ball. A mysterious woman appears, revealing herself as Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother. She conjures the Fairies of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter to prepare an unsuspecting Cinderella for the ball, warning she must leave before the clock strikes midnight.

At the palace, the Prince is immediately enraptured by Cinderella, and the two fall in love as they dance through the night. When the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella flees, leaving behind one of her slippers. Upon discovering the slipper, the Prince vows to find her and sets off on a journey around the kingdom. When he arrives at Cinderella’s home the next day, her stepsisters attempt to fit into the slipper in vain, until the Prince finally discovers the woman he has been searching for.

Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s sweeping, expressive score—rich with lyrical melodies, whimsical flourishes, and dramatic contrasts—the story unfolds from humble beginnings to a sparkling royal celebration. Prokofiev’s music guides every step, from tender adagios to joyful crescendos, making the performance a feast for the ears as well as the eyes. Boston Ballet’s dancers embody the spirited Cinderella, her mischievous stepsisters, and the gracious Fairy Godmother with refined technique and vivid character, bringing out both the emotional warmth and playful wit of the choreography.

Prior to Ashton and Prokofiev’s collaboration, Marius Petipa choreographed a version of Cinderella for the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in 1893, set to music by Baron Boris Fitinhof-Schell. However, none of the original choreography survived.

The ballet was later revisited by Frederick Ashton, premiering December 23, 1948 at the Royal Opera House in London and performed by the Sadler’s Wells Ballet (now The Royal Ballet). Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s score, the ballet was Ashton’s first full-length work and quickly became one of his most celebrated creations.

Ashton joined the Vic-Wells (later the Sadler’s Wells and then the Royal) Ballet in 1933 and distinguished himself as a mime and character dancer in such roles as Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty, as well as the versatile choreographer of ballets that include Cinderella, Sylvia, Daphnis and Chloë, and the film Tales of Hoffmann (1951). He was the Royal Ballet’s principal choreographer from 1933 to 1970, during which time he also served as its associate director (1952–1963) and its director (1963–1970). Ashton was knighted in 1962, and in 1970, he retired from his administrative position in order to devote his time exclusively to choreography.