The Unlikely Duet

DIONYSOS
I received a blow from your eyes
the unlikely grey of your eyes
unlikely colour of your voice

OPERA SINGER
Unlikely hurricane grounding all the planes
breaking my desire to fly to Tokyo

DIONYSOS
It is to sing, the unlikely
marriage of music and words

OPERA SINGER
How can he read
the unspoken
I keep inside?

DIONYSOS
The absolute is unlikely

OPERA SINGER AND DIONYSOS
The rough harmony of the
unwell assorted

OPERA SINGER
I received a blow from your eyes
the unlikely green of your eyes

DIONYSOS
Unlikely passion of the voice

OPERA SINGER
The passion in your voice
scaring me so
silencing all my fear
nothing is clear
anymore

DIONYSOS
Unlikely shape of each snowflake
hopelessly melt in your hands

OPERA SINGER
Is life always ephemeral
and volatile?

DIONYSOS
Certainly

OPERA SINGER AND DIONYSOS
Hydrogen and oxygen
was it really obvious?
hazard or necessity?

OPERA SINGER
Nothing prepared for us

DIONYSOS
But us

OPERA SINGER
Us?

OPERA SINGER AND DIONYSOS
No certitude we will not fail
no guarantee
a positive maybe

OPERA SINGER
Unfailing welcome to your voice

DIONYSOS
Give me your voice and I'll feel strong
arrogant bet, but let's try

OPERA SINGER AND DIONYSOS
The voices bond us
do you know what it is?

All the friends, the ghosts, the workers join them now.

THE FRIEND, THEN ALL
Yes we know what it is
we all know what it is
yes we know what it is, what it is
yes

The Unlikely Duet (unreleased cover)
Words by	Muriel Teodori
Music by	Steve Nieve
Performed by	Elvis Costello, Julie Leibowitch, Steve Nieve, The Brodsky Quartet & Ned Rothenberg
Note	The Unlikely Duet was sung by Elvis (as Dionysos) and Julie Leibowitch (as the Opera Singer) in the 2000-06-09 performance of Welcome To The Voice. The studio recording of the opera released in 2007 features Elvis in a different role, so he does not perform this song. In the studio recording, the role of Dionysos was sung by Sting and the role of the Opera Singer by Barbara Bonney.