Cipollino (pronounced [tʃipolˈliːno]), or Little Onion as translated from the original, is a fictional character from Gianni Rodari's eponymous Tale of Cipollino (Italian: Il romanzo di Cipollino), also known under its 1957 renamed title Adventures of Cipollino (Italian: Le avventure di Cipollino), a children's tale about political oppression. He also appeared before the publication of the book in the children's magazine Il Pioniere of which Rodari was the editor.[1] Cipollino was popular in the Soviet Union, up to the point of being adapted as a ballet composed by Karen Khachaturian and choreographed by Henrich Mayorov,[2] originally staged in Taras Shevchenko National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine on November 8 1974.

Signor Tomato and Cipollino on a 1992 Russian stamp.

In a world inhabited by anthropomorphic produce, Cipollino fights the unjust treatment of his fellow vegetable townsfolk by the fruit royalty (Prince Lemon and the overly proud Lord Tomato) in the garden kingdom. The main theme is the struggle of the underclass against the powerful, good versus evil, and the importance of friendship in the face of difficulties.[3]

Adaptations edit

  • Chipollinos tavgadasavali, a Georgian TV film[4]
  • Cipollino, a 1961 Soyuzmultfilm film directed by Boris Dyozhkin, and then re-released in 1993 by Film Roman. The English version features characters played by Canadian voice actors.
  • Cipollino, Soviet film directed by Tamara Lisitsian

Voices edit

Russian edit

English edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Anne E. Duggan; Donald Haase; Helen J. Callow (12 February 2016). Folktales and Fairy Tales: Traditions and Texts from around the World. ABC-CLIO. p. 861. ISBN 978-1-61069-254-0.
  2. ^ Official Website of Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia
  3. ^ Ballet Theatre of Lancaster
  4. ^ Chipollinos tavgadasavali on IMDb. Retrieved 17 July 2010.

External links edit