Opus Avantra is an Italian band which combines different genres. It is sometimes classified as Italian progressive rock and avant-prog. The band is on the Nurse With Wound list, and have released a

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...

Biography

The Opus Avantra were formed in Veneto in 1973 by a group composed of

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

Donella Del Monaco, the niece of the tenor Mario Del Monaco (concept, voice and text), pianist-composer Alfredo Tisocco (direction ensemble, music, piano and keyboards ), the

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Giorgio Bisotto (ideologist and inspirer) and

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

Renato Marengo. With the collaboration of many guest musicians, they released their first album in 1974, ''Opus Avantra - Donella Del Monaco'' (better known as Introspezione, the title of the first track) for the Trident label and the following year Lord Cromwell Plays Suite For Seven Vices (Artis Records label). The name is divided into three parts and is derived from their main interests: OPUS ( opera) AVAN ( avantgarde) and TRA ( tradition). The name sums up the group's ideology that intends to become a movement of avant-garde music, however, has its roots in the study and recovery of tradition: innovation, that is, considered to be essential as a contemporary language, can not be opposed to the tradition, but rather stems from its review and reinterpretation current. Opus Avantra in overcoming the various "genres" and "styles" music is inspired by the fields of

symphonic A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning com ...

pop and from ethnic music, the song as well as from contemporary jazz, from

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

and from the

alea Alea or ALEA may refer to: Places * Alea (Arcadia), a town of ancient Arcadia, Greece, located near the modern town in Argolis * Alea (Thessaly), a town of ancient Thessaly, Greece * Alea, Arcadia, a village in the municipal unit Tegea, Arcadia, ...

and searching for a common thread, however, a sense of "rock in opposition". The Opus Avantra this sense was a precursor of movements borderline or fusion. The Opus Avantra's albums from Introspezione to

Strata In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...

are now regularly reprinted in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

(Japanese label Strange Days) and the success that these issues have received over the years in this country has suggested the three founders (Donella Del Monaco, Alfredo Tisocco and Giorgio Bisotto) to organize a tour in the East. The group, after a preview in Bucharest, Romania (the theater Arcub March 20) made its debut in Tokyo at the famous City Club April 12, 2008. The new ensemble is formed by: Donella Del Monaco (vocals), Alfredo Tisocco (keyboards), George Bisotto (Magister Tenebrarum), Mauro Hammer (flutes), Valerio Galla (drums) The Opus String Ensemble (two violins, viola, cello electrified). Have made all the songs of Introspezione, and a selection of songs from the other three albums, Lord Cromwell (1975),

(1989) and Lyrics (1995).

Concept album

Their 1975 record '' Lord Cromwell Plays Suite For Seven Vices'' is a

about the Seven Deadly Sins, each track being a musical representation of a particular vice. It was performed live in Japan in 2008.

Formation

The band's singer, Donella Del Monaco, is the niece of Mario Del Monaco. The composer and keyboardist is Alfredo Tisocco, who has also had a solo career At some point, Paolo Siani from the band Italian progressive rock group Nuova Idea was a member.

Discography

Studio albums

*1974 - '' Introspezione'' *1975 - '' Lord Cromwell Plays Suite For Seven Vices'' *1989 - ''

'' *1995 - '' Lyrics'' *2003 - '' Venetia Et Anima''

Live albums

*2003 - ''Live Concert Excerpts''

Collections

*2002 - ''Opus Magnum'' (4CD collection including solo work by Alfredo Tisocco) *2003 - ''Omega'' (4CD collection including solo work by Alfredo Tisocco)

Singles

*1974 - ''Il pavone/Ah doleur'' *1975 - ''Allemanda/Flowers on Pride''

References

{{Authority control Italian progressive rock groups