DE DEO Libretto by Donna Di Novelli
A New Opera, part of New York City Opera’s VOX Word First program May 15, 7:30pm, 2011 at Le Poisson Rouge, NYC.
SYNPOSIS:
When a young man from Brooklyn visits Italy in search of his origins, he begins a tour of not only his history, but the history of multitudes. A tour guide introduces him to the architecture of wheels built into the walls of Catholic churches across the European continent. Created for the deposit of illegitimate children, the wheels are the entrance to a widespread system of foundling institutions. He bears witness to how they turn and who, in turn, is caught in their gears. What begins as a search for identity, ends as a search for justice and the divine.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
PIETRO, a young bi-racial American, 20′s, with mysterious eyes, (tenor)
MATTEO, a young Italian priest ordained John (baritone)
BEATTRICE, a young peasant woman, (lyric soprano)
SHEPHERD, Beattrice’s father (bass)
JAILER, Beattrice’s jailer (bass)
THUG, a street hood, experienced. Knows the street value of a ‘Brooklyn’ logo. (baritone)
LOST AND FOUND CHORUS
