It is difficult to understand why Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) chose to return to his native Russia after living in the West for nine years. After all, the country was in a state of dictatorship under Stalin. Artists and composers were not allowed to show too much individualism otherwise they would not be sure of their lives. Probably Prokofiev had underestimated the seriousness of this situation.
A certain naivety is therefore often attributed to him. His most beloved works are based on fairy tales for a reason. The ballet "Cinderella" was first performed in 1945 at the Bolshoi Theater Moscow. It was an immediate success. Writers have sometimes interpreted the story as a struggle between the classes; the ultimate happiness of Cinderella with integrity was tantamount to a victory for the proletariat. However, it seems that Prokofiev was inspired by nothing but Charles Perrault's fairy tale. The music of the ballet can be heard on this CD in an excellent performance with conductor Michail Jurowski and the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln. (CP) _more
