In the warm comfort of our Parisian hotel room, the day’s photos are downloading on to the laptop. The music channel is humming tunes on French television. Then I hear a voice, a phrase, a melody. The sounds intrigue me. I glance up at the screen.
Who is this? is often my way of berating Mr G’s esoteric taste in music. This time, I quickly follow it with an affirmation. He’s good.
Good is hardly the adjective to describe the emotion and passion that the song arouses in me. I quickly make a note of the name of the artist. He is Florent Mothe and the song L’assasymphonie is from Mozart l’Opéra Rock, the French musical that tells the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in song and dance. The lavish rock opera is a popular spectacle from producers Dove Atilla and Albert Cohen. I must look for the CD on our usual pilgrimage to the Virgin Megastore at the Carrousel du Louvre.
Florent Mothe plays the role of Mozart’s arch enemy Antonio Salieri. The song tells of the haunting fixation with finishing his Requiem, an obsession that easily translates into sleepless nights, passions and forceful determinations – elements of which I know very well.
Or it could be that I like handsome dark-haired men in eyeliner and costume.
Every trip to Paris has a theme song in my mind, a soundtrack that instantly triggers snapshots of travel. L’assasymphonie has become the latest addition to the playlist of memories.
