You have all probably heard this aria though many attending the show probably didn't know its source. It was played during one of the best scenes in a wonderful movie: The Shawshank Redemption.
Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding: "I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are better left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can't be expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a grey place dares to dream. It was as if some beautiful bird had flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free."
Now I could tell you what they were singing about, but that would spoil the fun. If you must know, go looking for Mozart's "Le Nozzi di Figaro" (The Marriage of Figaro) and the aria "Sull'aria" - A Little Song On The breeze. It is enough to say that it is a comedy and all the men and women from nobility on down are all tangled up about who loves whom, where and when with farcial chasings about in the moonlight all while Figaro is just trying to get married and bundled up in the bed he was measuring in the Act 1 opening for his about to be grateful and affectionate bride.
This results in an even more remarkable piece of music in the Finale of Act 2, "Conoscete, signor Figaro", that starts as a duet, turns into a trio, then a quartet until it ends as an octet. It represented a record in terms of sustained music in opera at the time (almost ten minutes), and is a testament to Mozart's genius.
Now we all know what can go wrong when you are planning a wedding, not to mention the trouble people can get into when he loves she, but she loves another he, who rejects her for an alternate she, who really has eyes only for the original he not to mention hes and hes and shes and shes (Ain't love strange?).
So the subject is romance, marriage, things not being what they seem, beauty in unexpected places, and all the tangles that go with when you Take This Tune - A Little Song on the Breeze.
8 comments:
Jamie, this is a wonderful meme! And of course the Shawshank Redemption is a great movie and the story by one of the great writers, stephen King! I have something in mind if I can find it on YouTube I'll be back to sign Mr. Linky... :)
Jamie, I didn't realize that you wanted us to write about the video you posted. I thought we could post a video of any tune and write about it. My bad!
You can actually write about anything you want. The idea is to take a leap from the idea of Mozart, Figaro, marriage, and things getting all mixed up. From there you can go where it takes you. It's a theme not a mandate. :-)
When I saw this prompt, my first thought was "Huh?" But then I read the quote, and I knew what I wanted to post.
I've seen the movie but didn't find it as memorable as you all -- on the other hand, Mozart is Mozart, so I was able to find something to say. And thank you for the clip -- it inspires me to take off my opera binders and be a little more adventurous!
My interpretation of this was VERY loose, but I tried. It's the best I could do when I'm down in my back. I love the meme, girl, and even if I don't participate every week I'll think about it.
Thank you all for taking part this week. Look forward to more of the same and hope you are enjoying the challenge.
This is really a very good meme idea. There are so many ways to interpret the prompts.
Post a Comment