w16635
| Title | Dolce Volta, La : a burlesque |
| Contributors |
Derek Ball (composer) Derek Ball (author) John Mitchell (author) |
| Composition date | 2006 |
| Duration (mins) | 35 |
| Category | opera theatre |
| Instrumentation | T B / 2 Cl Tu |
| Commissioned by | |
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| First performed | |
| Notes | |
| Programme Note | This little chamber opera, in the form of a burlesque, deals with ECT (electro-convulsive therapy) and its invention in the 1930s by the Italians Cerletti and Bini. It represents little Bini as a tenor who is able to sing 2 notes, and big Cerletti as a bass with a larger repertoire of 3 notes. The music uses well-known Italian models: the familiar and much-loved atonal tarantella, the bel canto, the can belto, the aria, the capriccio, the capuccino, pasta, antipasta, neither for nor against pasta, etc. The action is framed by an early 1960s restaurant scene in Rome, the story being told in a series of flashbacks. Much of it is based on hard historical fact, some harder than others. Of course, necessarily, there must be something of the speculative, and, ascertainably, some of the hard historical fact is completely made up - but always with a kernel of truth to it, some kernels harder than others. The writers are under no illusion as to the probability of offending absolutely everyone! In particular among the no-go areas, we will never again be safe in Italy, or the Antivivisection Society. As for the 'Società d'Antivivisection d'Italia', well ... |
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