If Music Be the Food of Love

The ancient Curse prepares to strike one final time. It stands poised to  destroy ELENA Bianchi and her family, yet she is at least somewhat  aware of its presence and prepared to resist. She knows that a dreadful  pain is rapidly approaching, but with that pain will come hope, and only  through pain can they destroy the Curse, once and for all.   Meanwhile, Elena reflects upon life with her husband, GIOVANNI, and  anticipates reading his memoirs when she gets home. Of course, she is  already familiar with the story, and it is also clear that she knows far  more than his narrative will reveal.

Disgraced by a Mafia scandal, pianist Giovanni (John) Bianchi, flees the USA and stays with his Aunt SOFIA in Italy. There he meets violinist Elena, and they bond as they perform Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata. Elena brings Giovanni into the world of sadomasochistic kink and later introduces him to her lesbian lover, ANGELA, who becomes their mentor.

A few months later the two musicians are living together. Both obtain teaching positions in a parochial school, and all goes well initially. However, Elena experiences dissociative episodes and expresses fears that all they have will soon be destroyed by some “outside force.” This prompts Angela to bring her and Giovanni to SERENA, a psychic. The latter makes a number of prophetic statements and insists that this time their love will succeed, even though they “have failed many times” in the past.

Giovanni returns to the USA to visit relatives, and his Uncle SAL gives him a satchel with compositions written by Giovanni’s father. Little does he imagine where these musical works will lead him.