Opera offers endless opportunities for parody. The Derivative Duo approached their work in various ways, spoofing the mood, sound, lyrics or the story of the aria/opera to create a self-contained piece with a character (or two) and a plotline. If a concept came first, they would peruse the repertoire for a piece that would allow them to tell the story.
Generally, stories are told by a protagonist, in the first person. Some require the breakneck wordplay of a patter song (often Mozart) while other characters, pouring their hearts out in some tragic tale, need an aria with tears in every note.
Opera has survived for centuries, not only because of the music, but because of the universal themes and characters. The search for love, beauty, acceptance, respect, and success as well as feelings of loss, anxiety, loneliness, anger, joy and ecstatic love are presented in opera either in dramatic or comedic form. The stories take place in an endless variety of subcultures: urban and rural, wealthy and servant classes, as well as in different times, countries and languages. We watch and see aspects of our world reflected on the stage.
The Derivative Duo’s characters often live in a world inhabited by lesbians, gay men, their families and their cats. While some of their crises are superficially unique to LGBT people, most everyone has some secret that they fear will be revealed or that they want to share but don’t know how.
While many of the Duo’s plotlines address other issues, they still carry a lesbian or a woman’s sensibility, questioning sex roles, exploring what it feels like to be a woman at various times in life. This is always done with humor, generally with compassion and sometimes with a road map for a saner, kinder world.
Professional opera singers have performed pieces by the Derivative Duo and are welcome to do so, with permission. Contact information is available on this website.