The opera.

• Author: de Assis, Joaquim Maria Machado
• Position: Latitudes - Excerpt

"Life is an opera, and grand opera at that. The tenor and the baritone contend for the soprano, in the presence of the bass and the supporting cast, unless it's the soprano and the contralto contending for the tenor, in the presence of the same bass and the same supporting cast. There are numerous choruses and ballets, the orchestration is excellent...."

"But, my dear Marcolini ..."

"What ...?"

And, after taking a sip of liqueur, he set his glass down, and expounded the history of creation for me: here is a resume of what he said.

God is the poet. The music is by Satan, a young and very promising composer, who was trained in the heavenly conservatory. A rival of Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel, he resented the preference they enjoyed in the distribution of the prizes. It could also be that the over-sweet and mystical style of these other pupils was abhorrent to his essentially tragic genius. He plotted a rebellion which was discovered in time, and he was expelled from the conservatory. And that would have been that, if God had not written an opera libretto, which he had given up, being of the opinion that this type of recreation was inappropriate to His eternity. Satan took the manuscript with him to hell. With the aim of showing that he was better than the others--and perhaps of seeking a reconciliation with heaven--he composed the score, and as soon as he had finished it took it to the Heavenly Father.

"Lord, I have not forgotten the lessons I have learned," he said. "Here is the score, listen to it, have it played, and if you think it worthy of the heavenly heights, admit me with it to sit at your feet ..."

"No," replied the Lord, "I don't want to hear a thing."

"But, Lord ..."

"Not a thing, not a thing!"

Satan went on pleading, with no greater success, until God, tired and full of mercy, gave His consent for the opera to be performed, but outside heaven. He created a special theater, this planet, and invented a whole company, with all the principal and minor roles, the choruses and the dancers.

"Come and listen to some of the rehearsals!"

"No, I don't want to know about it. I've done enough, composing the libretto; I'll consent to sharing the royalties with you."

This refusal was perhaps unfortunate; the result was some awkward passages which a previous run-through and friendly collaboration might have avoided. And indeed, there are places where the words go one way, and the music another. There are people who maintain that that is...