Der Sieg der Form über Substanz: Difference between revisions

In a wrenching<ref>''Intended'' to be wrenching, but described as “clanking and discordant, redolent of a fist-fight among ironmonger’s apprentices” by noted critic Ingeborg Von Kleine-Scheidegg.</ref> aria ''Sono Condannato a Essere un Esperto in Materia'',<ref>"I am condemned to be a [[subject matter expert]]"</ref> Iolande, cast adrift from the firm, drifts aimlessly around the canals of Venice clutching her [[Iron Mountain]] box, tearing out hanks of her hair and pondering whether there is any future to her life at all: ''O, diabolica calamità!''<ref>“O! hellish calamity!”</ref>.

At the same time [[Don Iolio]], locked in his father’s operations room, ineffectually rails against the stupidity of his father’s fashionable ideas (his song is ''Il mondo ha una merda per i cervelli''<ref>“The world has ordure for brains.”</ref>). He can only watch as the homunculus, without Iolande to prop it up, starts writing all kinds of contract notes on spices that don’t even exist. It is a disaster and drives [[Don Figaro]] to the brink of ruin. Finally, he comes to understand his folly (''O! Consulente di Gestione Scioccca!'' <ref>"Thou foolish [[management consultant]]!" </ref> and realising only Iolande can stop this blessed machine and save his family from total ruin, he sends out Don Figaro to find her.