Cipollino

This article is about the fictional character. For the variety of marble, see Cipollino marble. For other uses, see Cipollino (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Cipollina, Cipollini, or Cipolla.
Signor Tomato and Cipollino on a 1992 Russian stamp.

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.

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]

  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