Ratmansky, the world's most sought-after choreographer and master of narrative ballet, fills every measure of Prokofiev's cinematic score as he recounts Cinderella's rise from poverty to success. Cinderella is a story about building a new future from the ashes of the past. Cinderella, defined by her unhappy childhood, discovers hope for a new tomorrow. Prokofiev composed his ballet at the beginning of World War II, and the score is charged with equal parts sorrow and fantasy... After listening to the melancholy overture, it is clear that this is no romantic comedy.