Rossini’s festive take on the classic Cinderella story contains a number of variations from the most widely-known version of the fairytale. The largest difference in Jacopo Ferretti’s libretto for the opera is the complete lack of magic. The story centers on the truly human experience of the title heroine, as she transforms from downtrodden black sheep of the family to adored princess through a combination of comedy, charm, and drama. In this retelling, even the prince is not a generic love interest, but a royal within the real-life locale of Salerno, Italy.