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Artist
Opus Avantra
12+ albums
Progressive rockAvant-GardeAvant-Progitalian progressive rockRIO
about
A unique group in the Italian scene, Opus Avantra mixed together contemporary classical music with avantgarde and a light progressive rock inflience, giving an original result that's often considered too difficult to listen for straight prog rock ears. Their name was obtained from their three main interests, opera, avantgarde and traditional music. Formed in Veneto in 1973 around the nucleus of soprano Donella Del Monaco (the niece of famous tenor Mario Del Monaco), pianist-composer Alfredo Tisocco, philosopher Giorgio Bisotto and producer Renato Marengo, and aided in the years by many other musicians, the group released their first album in 1974, Opus Avantra - Donella Del Monaco (often referred to as Introspezione, from the title of the first track) on the collectible Trident label. Usually considered their most accessible work, the album is built on classical-inspired themes with complex arrangements and dominated by the nice soprano voice of singer Del Monaco and good flute playing, with just an instrumental track, Rituale. The band also had a good live activity promoting their album in Veneto and Rome. Donella Del Monaco was absent on the second album Lord Cromwell (plays suite for seven vices), that follows in the same style as the previous work, being replaced by an American chorus. Former Nuova Idea drummer Paolo Siani played on this album, that like the first one contains some interesting passages for the adventurous listeners. Both Alfredo Tisocco (along with Gr
