Formed in Veneto in 1973 around the nucleus of soprano Donella Del Monaco (the niece of famous tenor Mario Del Monaco), pianist-composer Alfredo Tisocco, philosopher Giorgio Bisotto and producer Renato Marengo, and aided in the years by many other musicians, the group released their first album in 1974, Opus Avantra - Donella Del Monaco (often referred to as Introspezione, from the title of the first track) on the collectible Trident label.
Usually considered their most accessible work, the album is built on classical-inspired themes with complex arrangements and dominated by the nice soprano voice of singer Del Monaco and good flute playing, with just an instrumental track, Rituale. The band also had a good live activity promoting their album in Veneto and Rome.
Donella Del Monaco was absent on the second album Lord Cromwell (plays suite for seven vices), that follows in the same style as the previous work, being replaced by an American chorus. Former Nuova Idea drummer Paolo Siani played on this album, that like the first one contains some interesting passages for the adventurous listeners.
Both Alfredo Tisocco (along with Gruppo Italiano di Danza Libera in 1975's Katharsis) and Donella Del Monaco (with 12 canzoni da battello in 1977 and Schoenberg Kabarett in 1978) also released individual albums in the same vein, and the duo reunited under the name Opus Avantra for a third album in 1989, Strata, and a CD-only fourth release in 1995, Lyrics.
2008 saw the reunion of Opus Avantra with Donella Del Monaco, Alfredo Tisocco and Giorgio Bisotto, for concerts in Romania and Japan, based on material from all their albums. The line-up also features Valerio Galla (drumes and percussion), Mauro Martello (flute), Anca Elena Botezatu (violin), Ioana Ionescu (violin), Alexandra Butnaru (viola), Violeta Loredana Dumitru (cello), and the show was directly produced by the reborn Cramps, with lights, sound and scenes made by Alan Walter Bedin.
The Tokyo concert was used for the DVD Viaggio immaginario/Live in Tokyo 2008.
Flowers On Pride
Opus Avantra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pride is a fever...
I cry and you kill me
I work and you kill me
You'll be the best
You'll be the best
You'll die alone
I cry and you kill me
Pride is a fever... Pride is a fever
The lyrics of Opus Avantra's song Flowers On Pride are very dark and intense, and touch on themes of pride, death, and the vicious cycle of life. The repetition of the phrase "pride is a fever" throughout the song emphasizes the destructive nature of pride, and how it can consume and ruin even the best of us. The lines "I cry and you kill me, I work and you kill me" convey a sense of hopelessness and despair, as if the singer feels trapped in a cycle of suffering with no escape.
The repeated phrase "you'll be the best, you'll die alone" is particularly poignant, as it illustrates the price some people are willing to pay for success and achievement, even if it means ending up alone at the end of their life. The repetition of the lines "I cry and you kill me, I work and you kill me" at the end of the song reinforces the idea that pride is a fever that can ultimately destroy us.
Overall, the lyrics to Flowers On Pride are powerful and thought-provoking, and really make the listener reflect on their own relationship with pride, success, and mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
Pride is a fever
The feeling of pride can be all consuming and overwhelming like a fever
Pride is a fever...
Reiteration of the previous line, emphasizing the idea
I cry and you kill me
Expressing vulnerability and pain, feeling as though they are being destroyed by someone else
I work and you kill me
Even when putting in effort and trying their best, the same person or force is still tearing them down
You'll be the best
Even if they strive for greatness, they are being told they will never be good enough
You'll die alone
Despite any accomplishments or attempts, they are still doomed to isolation and loneliness
I cry and you kill me
Reiteration of the vulnerability and pain they feel
I work and you kill me
Reiteration of the feeling of trying and failing despite their efforts
Pride is a fever... Pride is a fever
Once again emphasizing the idea that pride can be overwhelming and all-consuming to an individual
Contributed by Skyler M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.