“Savagely funny and right on the mark”
-The Advocate
“Extraordinarily talented.. the more you know about classical music the funnier you’ll find them, but even complete novices are likely to love it.”
- The Seattle Times
It was the spring of 1982. Queer folk were still often rejected by friends and family when they came out. They were still unable to adopt children and often lost custody of their own children in a divorce. They were at risk for losing jobs due to their sexual orientation. It would be months before the new “gay disease” was called AIDS. Lesbians met primarily at bars, sports activities or through feminist organizations.
The feminist movement was struggling to promote safety and equality for women and peace and justice around the world. Lesbians formed choruses in cities around the country, singing Freedom Songs from South Africa and Central America and “Women’s Music” about everything from domestic violence and reproductive rights to employment discrimination. LGBTQ rights were seen as secondary to the primary problems of sexism and racism, so lesbian choruses rarely sang about how homophobia affected our lives directly. In addition, singing overtly lesbian lyrics could be risky for some women.
The Seattle Women’s Ensemble, founded in 1980, performed at rallies, marches and in concert, providing gathering places for lesbians other than bars. The 18-voice chorus and its audience of flannel-shirted lesbians were passionate, dedicated and VERY SERIOUS. And they certainly did not sing opera!
Gay Pride Parade 1988
While planning for the spring 1982 concert, Ensemble director, Joan Simcoe, asked for individuals to prepare pieces that could be showcased and add interest to the program.
Enter Susan Nivert and Barb Glenn. Susan was an opera lover with a semi-trained coloratura soprano voice. Barb was best at folk tunes, knew nothing about opera, sang alto and loved writing parodies. Susan and Barb had just fallen in love a few months before and when Susan suggested that they write and perform a parody of an opera duet from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”, Barb leapt at the opportunity. What came of this collaboration was the Derivative Duo’s first song, “Coming Out Mozart” where Susan sings the word “dyke” on a high C. Three hundred flannel shirted women screamed their approval and an act was born.
"Coming Out Mozart" Performance at Gay Pride Parade 1982
The Derivative Duo wrote and performed parodies of opera, famous orchestral pieces and pop standards for the next 25 years, addressing such pressing topics as gays in the military, neurotic housecats, lesbian potlucks and how to come out to your mother.
In 1993, they released their first recording, “Opera for the Masses”, which was selected as one of the “Top Classical CDs of the Summer” by Melinda Bargreen of the Seattle Times. This resulted in a flurry of invitations to perform in concert and at music festivals around the country. The Duo’s second recording, “Mutiny at the Matinee”, released in 1996, was also well received. The Derivative Duo continued to perform across the United States and Canada until their retirement in 2006.