Blind Date with Alter Egos (1995, 6')

for sop, alto, ten, bass and piano four-hands. Text in English by Mary Krell-Oishi.
Commissioned and premiered by The New York Festival of Song, New York 1996.

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Blind Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROGRAM NOTES

In an age in which interpersonal exchanges, whether of words or of body fluids, are equally dangerous, irony (if nothing else because it turns people off) seems to be one of the few feasible approaches left for safe sex. Blind Date with Alter Egos is an example of what people may REALLY have in mind on a blind date, beyond the usual formalities.

I realize now that the composition of the piece was influenced by two musical worlds, which also mirror, incidentally, my own two worlds (since I am an Italian who lives in New York): the Italian Opera Buffa and the American Musical. The work could indeed be described in terms of overture, duet, aria, tutti etc., and I suspect that, lasting around six minutes, it is one of the most condensed "operas" ever written. (Wagner, I guess, was never much of an influence). It was commissioned and premiered by The New York Festival of Song, and it is scored for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass and piano four-hands.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

SUSI (Soprano):
Attractive teen, sure of herself, confident, thoughtful of other's feelings.

SUSAN (Alto):
Susi's alter ego. Says what Susi wishes she could say, is apparent only to audience.

HANK (Tenor):
Arrogant, sure of himself, but for no apparent reason.
He is every girl's nightmare of a blind date.

HENRY (Bass): Hank's alter ego. Even worse than Hank.

 

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