The first version of this opera premiered in the Teatro Odescalchi [it] in Rome on 13 April 1922, at that time, it is often claimed, entitled La bella addormentata nel bosco, an assertion denied by Giangiorgio Satragni.

[1] It was a version written for the Italian marionettist Vittorio Podrecca [it], who was director of a marionette company called Teatro dei Piccoli (Theater for Children).

The cast included Graziella Gazzera Valle (Princess), Magda Piccarolo (Blue Fairy, Nightingale), Angelina Rossetti (Spindle, Duchess, Cat), Maria Benedetti (Queen, Cuckoo, Old lady), Vincenzo Capponi (Prince, Jester) and Egisto Busacchi (King, Woodcutter, Ambassador).

[citation needed] La bella addormentata nel bosco (version 1922) is scored for the following instruments:[5] flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, triangle, drum, cymbals, bell, handbells, celesta, harpsichord, strings.

King/Woodcutter: Richard Haan Queen/Duchess: Denisa Slepkovská Princess: Janas Valásková Prince: Guillermo Dominguez Blue fairy/Nightingale: Adriana Kohutkova Old lady/Green fairy: Ivana Czaková Cuckoo/Cat: Dagmar Pecková Frog/Spindle: Henrietta Lednárová Jester: Igor Pasek Ambassador: Ján Durco