The History —

The version of Cinderella made popular by Walt Disney, and that we are most familiar with, serves as the base of the ballet.

It was written by Charles Perrault. Cinderella, just like Perrault's other Disney-bound tale, The Sleeping Beauty, was one of eight stories in the book titled Histoires ou Contes du temps pass (Stories and Tales of the Past).

Prokofiev wrote the music for this ballet between 1940 and 1944. It came after his other great ballet score, Romeo & Juliet, written in the 1930s. Prokofiev's melodic invention is a great feature of the work, and the music is scored for a large orchestra. There are also three suites for orchestra which the composer authorised for use in concert. 

Many ballets have been choreographed on this tale, but one of the most frequently staged productions in modern times is Ben Stevenson’s interpretation, which first premiered in 1970.