Bright orchestration, an orientation toward tunefulness, and an innate sense of drama made a success of this, the first full-length ballet score by a British composer who has become a highly prolific composer for the dance. This suite from the score, devised by John Longstaff, is a very entertaining and satisfying orchestral work.

Feeney began working as a dance composer in Italy almost as soon as he ended his post-graduate studies with leading avant-garde composer Franco Donatoni. He first worked with the Northern Ballet Theatre (NBT), located in Manchester, England, in 1987 as new artistic director Christopher Gable started a policy of commissioning new ballets and scores. Gable saw the need for a version of Cinderella more suited for small company than Sergey Prokofiev's classic score. To further distinguish it, he turned to the Grimm version of the ancient legend, which has no glass slippers or pumpkin coach, instead having beautiful but ugly hearted stepsisters and the spirit of Cinderella's own dead mother as her magical helper.

The tunes are imaginative, but the orchestration is even more colorful. Longstaff's suite seems to represent the full score well. The numbers are: (1) "Harvest Dance" Before calamity befalls Cinderella's natural family, this ensemble dance has folk elements and bright brass with percussion. (2) "Woodcutter's Dance" Vigorous and cheerful, with "woody" percussion, friends try to cheer up Cinderella after the death of her brother and mother. (3) "Pas de trois" Guitar and harp set a stately tone in this sad dance as Cinderella is excluded from the Prince's coming-of-age festivities. (4) "Birds" Cute col legno and percussion effects play as the birds help Cinderella. (5) "The Red Ball" This is the Prince's neo-Baroque entrance number. (6) "Courtly Dances" A cold and haughty piece with striking metal percussion, this has more neo-Baroque elements. (7) "The Prince and the Drunken Father" His spirit broken by his new wife and stepdaughters, Cinderella's father has retreated into drink, signified by typical bassoon/clarinet business. It leads to a violent scene with the Prince. (8) Magical, shimmering textures characterize "Cinderella Prepares for the Ball." (9) "Pas de deux & Finale" A long number begins with Cinderella alone and frightened after the birds have exacted grisly revenge on the stepmother and stepsisters. But the music turns tender as the Prince recognizes her despite her humble, raggedy clothes. He wins her trust and the music surges to accompany their wedding.

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