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.
Ira
Opus Avantra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
when I'll be won (and)... alone
pending on a thread of light already faded
that another dirty war will turn off...
A dead leaf does not hurt nature
I'm walking on the thorns of my skin
but your presence still gives me a little pleasure
when you close your eyes... and I regret my loves
I'll not steal excuses to the true love
thirsty and wide awake I wanted those hours
that you would deny for some cruel game
Yes... you would cover me when it cold
and... dark.
The lyrics of Opus Avantra's song "Ira" depict a sorrowful and pensive mindset of an individual who is alone and yearning for love. The singer longs for a romantic partner who can soothe their pain and help them forget their past loves. The first line is almost like a prophecy, where the singer believes that their partner will become an angelic vision once they are won over. The singer, on the other hand, is walking on the thorns of their own skin, indicating that they are in a state of mental anguish.
The following lines convey the feeling of hopelessness and despair that the singer grapples with. They are waiting on a "thread of light" that has already faded, indicating that they are waiting for something that may never come. Furthermore, another "dirty war" is looming in the background, indicating that the singer is surrounded by conflict and unrest. Despite this, the singer does not steal any excuses for true love and desires those hours that their partner denied them.
The closing lines of the song provide a glimmer of hope, as the singer says that their partner would cover them when it is "cold and dark". This suggests that the singer is not entirely alone and that there is someone out there for them who can provide comfort in their time of need.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll become an angelic vision
You will transform into a beautiful and divine image
when I'll be won (and)... alone
when I am victorious but still remaining solitary
pending on a thread of light already faded
waiting for a faint ray of hope that is already dimming
that another dirty war will turn off...
but there is a fear that any future conflict could extinguish it
A dead leaf does not hurt nature
the loss of something dead does not damage the natural world
I'm walking on the thorns of my skin
my physical and emotional being is causing me pain
but your presence still gives me a little pleasure
however, just being with you still brings me some joy
when you close your eyes... and I regret my loves
when you fall asleep, I feel remorse for past relationships
I'll not steal excuses to the true love
I will not make excuses for my true love
thirsty and wide awake I wanted those hours
longing and restless, I desired those moments
that you would deny for some cruel game
but you would refuse me for some cruel reason
Yes... you would cover me when it cold
however, you would still protect me in the cold
and... dark.
and in times of darkness
Contributed by Nolan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.