Drawing on my research into Leitmotifs and the Role of Music in Storytelling, I set out to compose a distinctive musical theme for the antagonist, Aurelia. Rather than following the conventional Hollywood approach—where antagonists are frequently characterised by dramatic and musically tense leitmotifs, such as John Williams’ Imperial March for Darth Vader—I aimed for a more nuanced and psychologically complex musical representation. The relationship between Altaluna and Aurelia does not conform to a binary opposition, as exemplified by the dynamic between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Star Wars. Instead, their connection is rooted in a shared history, familial bonds, and emotional complexity. Despite the tensions and conflicts within the narrative, their relationship is underscored by a deep, albeit fraught, love.
This thematic complexity led me to incorporate La Bella Lavanderina, an Italian children’s nursery rhyme, as Aurelia’s leitmotif. This choice was particularly significant for two reasons. First, the song is already embedded within the short story itself, reinforcing its narrative function. Second, it represents a piece of shared cultural memory between Aurelia and Altaluna, as they learned it together in childhood from their mother. By transforming this familiar lullaby into a leitmotif, I sought to musically convey the profound connection between the two sisters while simultaneously subverting audience expectations.
Lullabies and nursery rhymes are rarely associated with thriller or macabre storytelling, making their use in such a context particularly unsettling. This subversion is reminiscent of the use of seemingly innocent melodies in psychological thrillers, such as Zartan’s whistling of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009). The juxtaposition of the gentle, nostalgic quality of La Bella Lavanderina with the darker themes of the story enhances the eerie atmosphere, creating a psychological dissonance for the listener.
Given that the narrative explores themes of unease, moral ambiguity, and deeply personal conflicts, I sought a musical motif that would accentuate these elements. By repurposing a familiar childhood melody within a thriller context, the leitmotif functions not only as an aural marker of Aurelia’s character but also as an auditory representation of the unsettling emotional undercurrents defining the sisters’ relationship. This approach aligns with my broader investigation into music’s capacity to evoke emotion and subvert audience expectations, thereby reinforcing the psychological depth of the story.
To realise this concept, I composed three variations of the first eighteen notes of La Bella Lavanderina using a Viola MIDI in Logic Pro:
- Major mode – incorporating tremolo, staccato, and legato techniques.
- Minor mode – incorporating tremolo, staccato, and legato techniques.
- Multimodal approach – incorporating tremolo, staccato, and pizzicato techniques.
Upon further analysis, the third example emerged as the most compelling, primarily due to the interplay of both major and minor modes. The harmonic tension between these modes produced a more musically ambiguous and psychologically intriguing leitmotif. This version best encapsulates the emotional complexity of Aurelia’s character and will serve as the foundation for further development.