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FULL THE SECRETARY TURNED CEO (Danyal Dhondy) London 2013 Dionysios Kyropoulos, Charlie Drummond, Alberto Prandini
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: The Secretary Turned CEO
- Composer: Dhondy Danyal
- Libretto: Becca Marriot Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: London, UK, Lucid Arts and Music
- Recorded: August 10 & 11, 2013
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Dionysios Kyropoulos, Charlie Drummond, Alberto Prandini
- Conductor: Danyal Dhondy
- Orchestra:
- Stage Director: Anna Gregory
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Tête à Tête
- Date Published: 2013
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: nosubs
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
The Secretary Turned CEO is a radical refurbishment of La serva padrona, Pergolesi’s seminal comic intermezzo of 1733. With a contemporary, guitar-based soundscape built on his bassi continui, and a farcical power struggle transposed to a contemporary business workplace, it is a sardonic satire on the meritocratic society and the value of hard work.
Genesis
Becca and I had previously worked on our own modernised productions of Pergolesi’sLa Serva Padrona when we met. With an Uberto (Henry) in common, we joined forces. Here was a vibrant, punchy comedy with a rich vein of satire. A modern audience deserves it served up the same way as the original: sharp colloquial language, musically accessible, highlighting relevant social concerns, spiked with a touch of scandal. (Danyal Dhondy)
Synopsis
Set in the offices of Soft Sheets Inc., world leader in premium toilet roll: comfort and luxury #nochafing.
Henry, the CEO, is a busy and important man. He needs a frothy cappuccino in the morning, andhe needs it brought promptly by his secretary. What else does he pay her for, after all?
Serena is Henry’s long-‐suffering secretary and PA. Actually, she does most of the work in the office, but no-‐one seems to realise. Henry is lucky that jobs are so scarce these days; otherwise, she’d be long gone.
There’s also an intern in the Soft Sheets offices, here on an EU work-‐placement scheme. Serena can’t see what he adds to the company, but Henry sees something he likes in the kid.