Of Twins and Opera
by Elena
There were a boy and a girl who loved opera very much and were always fighting because they felt superior to each other.
Girl/boy talking to each other:
- You would never understand Violetta Valerie as she is a proper lady with all the lady feelings and the love only ladies can feel.
- You would never understand Violetta Valerie because she was written by a male composer.
- You would never understand opera as it is too delicate and refined for a simple boy’s mind.
- You would never understand opera as it is basically created by men and men alone.
- You would never understand, never understand…
They were twins and often forgot which was which.
Girl and boy: When I was a little boy, my mother dressed me in my first tuxedo and took me to the opera for the very first time. Verdi's 'La Traviata'! When Maria Talvera played her role as Violetta Valerie, she took her deathbed aria to hights I have never heard since that night! God possesed her. In that moment, there, at the Met, I wanted to be that beauty, to create such magnificent suffering! I rose out of my chair, I walked down the aisle towards her, I reached my arm out to touch her. I wanted to be the heavenly soprano dramatico! Bravissimo, bravissimo! Maria lives through her voice on stage. That is passion! Next to Maria I am nothing.
One day they made a wish to exchange bodies to try to live as each other.
Girl/boy:
- I wish I could be a girl so no one would ever laugh at me when I go to the theatre as it is such a girl thing to do.
- I wish I could be a boy so I could find a job in theatre and direct my own operas as it is such a boy thing to do.
- I wish I could be a girl so some rich man would fall in love with me and buy me tickets to all the shows I want.
- I wish I could be a boy so my salary would be higher and I wouldn’t have to depend on anyone else to buy me tickets.
- I wish I could be a girl so I could be a diva and play Violetta Valerie in Traviata.
- I wish I could be a boy so I could organize new three tenors group with my boy singer pals.
- I wish I wish I wish…
One day, their wish magically came true. But no one, not even themselves noticed the difference, because it turned out they both lived inside of a curious head of someone who loved opera very much.
Head: I wish I could be violetta and alfredo at the same time. I wish I could build an opera house and be a director, a patron and a prima donna. I wish I didn’t have to choose.
Poem:
My inner whale lives in my inner well
Sings its songs
Muffled by stone walls and muddy waters
My inner whale
Wails about the coldness of waves in its well
But if you ask me
How it is
Or how I am
I’ll say
We’re swell
Girl/boy talking to each other:
- You would never understand Violetta Valerie as she is a proper lady with all the lady feelings and the love only ladies can feel.
- You would never understand Violetta Valerie because she was written by a male composer.
- You would never understand opera as it is too delicate and refined for a simple boy’s mind.
- You would never understand opera as it is basically created by men and men alone.
- You would never understand, never understand…
They were twins and often forgot which was which.
Girl and boy: When I was a little boy, my mother dressed me in my first tuxedo and took me to the opera for the very first time. Verdi's 'La Traviata'! When Maria Talvera played her role as Violetta Valerie, she took her deathbed aria to hights I have never heard since that night! God possesed her. In that moment, there, at the Met, I wanted to be that beauty, to create such magnificent suffering! I rose out of my chair, I walked down the aisle towards her, I reached my arm out to touch her. I wanted to be the heavenly soprano dramatico! Bravissimo, bravissimo! Maria lives through her voice on stage. That is passion! Next to Maria I am nothing.
One day they made a wish to exchange bodies to try to live as each other.
Girl/boy:
- I wish I could be a girl so no one would ever laugh at me when I go to the theatre as it is such a girl thing to do.
- I wish I could be a boy so I could find a job in theatre and direct my own operas as it is such a boy thing to do.
- I wish I could be a girl so some rich man would fall in love with me and buy me tickets to all the shows I want.
- I wish I could be a boy so my salary would be higher and I wouldn’t have to depend on anyone else to buy me tickets.
- I wish I could be a girl so I could be a diva and play Violetta Valerie in Traviata.
- I wish I could be a boy so I could organize new three tenors group with my boy singer pals.
- I wish I wish I wish…
One day, their wish magically came true. But no one, not even themselves noticed the difference, because it turned out they both lived inside of a curious head of someone who loved opera very much.
Head: I wish I could be violetta and alfredo at the same time. I wish I could build an opera house and be a director, a patron and a prima donna. I wish I didn’t have to choose.
Poem:
My inner whale lives in my inner well
Sings its songs
Muffled by stone walls and muddy waters
My inner whale
Wails about the coldness of waves in its well
But if you ask me
How it is
Or how I am
I’ll say
We’re swell