mesto, infermo, il cor sen' giace, mĆ il suo mal cosƬ gli piace, che bramar pace non sa
( notes under cut )
had a clear vision for how the middle bit of "prigioniera hĆ² l'alma in pena" would be animated in my adaptation- grimoaldo with a different outfit, chained up in a void, imaginary rodelinda with her hands all over him. i didn't have a very clear idea of the outfit in question, though, aside from "solid black and with a limb or two outlined in metallic stuff." it was when i was looking at images of columbidae ( which i've come to associate with the guy for various reasons ) that my mental image really solidified- the colours are taken from the new guinea bronzewing.
i felt that the material- the mirror fragments- also ties to the overarching theme of reflections in this sequence. i'd talk more about it, but i feel like it's more easily conveyed visually. but basically: that phantom image of rodelinda i mentioned ultimately being a reflection of grimoaldo's desires, and the self-examination in the whole thing.
the specific placement of the mirror fragments on the sleeve are also an allusion to his historical counterpart's death from a ruptured vein in the arm :p
