Inspiration for this work was also found in the small play for children "The Snow Queen" by Nicholay Checkhov [ru] based on the tale.

Historians are unsure of when the opera was composed, although it is thought to be after the death of Viardot's friend (and possibly her lover) Ivan Turgenev in 1883 as he did not write the libretto.

[2] The plot remains relatively faithful to Perrault's original fairy tale, but takes a much more lighthearted approach than the other operatic adaptations by Massenet, Rossini and Isouard.

Marie responds by asking who would clean the house and take care of the family if she was to leave (Si je n'y venais pas, qui donc le balairait?)

The sisters call Marie away while Baron comments that he isn't feeling well, explaining that he saw a van driving around that reminded him of the time before he was a baron, while he worked as a greengrocer (Hier je vis circuler une voiture immense) also noting a jail sentence 20 years ago, a past love name Gothon, and "vive la France!"

The sisters return after Baron's aria, explaining the invitation to the ball and encouraging their father to get ready (reprise of Je serai charmante.)

Staying relatively faithful to the original fairy-tale la Fee turns a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, lizards into footmen, and a rat into a coachman.

Marie's godmother reminds her to be back by midnight or the spell would break, while giving her slippers (not specified as glass in this adaptation) and a magic veil that will turn her rags into a beautiful gown.

In many performances of the opera, Viardot's vocal adaptations of Chopin Mazurkas are used, particularly La Fete (The Festival) which ironically talks about a village getting ready for a ball.

After the dance, the entire crowd leaves for the buffet, while Marie and the Prince have a moment alone (C'est moi, ne craignez rien!)

Although not performed frequently during the 20th century, in the past few years there have been several professional productions of Cendrillon, at the Caramoor International Music Festival as well as by the Lyric Opera of Los Angeles, both in 2004.

[11][12][13] Crankshaw's orchestration of Cendrillon is scored for a chamber orchestra of strings, woodwinds, brass, harp, piano and percussion[14] and is written largely in the genre of French operetta of the period.