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Silent movie of a migration voyage a century ago inspired Viola Dana ensemble to compose a soundtrack

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David CusworthThe West Australian
Send off for the 13,000km journey of the Regina d’Italia from Italy to Australia in 1924.
Camera IconSend off for the 13,000km journey of the Regina d’Italia from Italy to Australia in 1924.

A silent movie of a migration voyage a century ago inspired Viola Dana ensemble to compose a soundtrack for a screening on Friday during Fremantle Festival’s 10 Nights in Port 2021.

The title, Tracing Family – From Italy to Australia, is inspired by the 1924 film, Dall’ Italia All’ Australia (From Italy to Australia).

It follows the 13,000km journey of the Regina d’Italia (Queen of Italy) via Genoa, Messina, Sri Lanka and Mauritius bringing passengers to Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

“I was researching Australian silent films to score for Viola Dana,” composer and percussionist Pete Guazzelli said.

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Composer and percussionist Pete Guazzelli.
Camera IconComposer and percussionist Pete Guazzelli.

“I was very excited when I discovered Dall’ Italia All’ Australia. Not only does it include footage of Australia from the early era of film, but also provides an insight into the journey that many migrants, including my grandparents had made.”

Since 2009, Viola Dana have written and performed music for classic silent movies such as The General, Sherlock Jr and The High Sign, by “the Great Stone Face”, Hollywood pioneer and comedian Buster Keaton

But this one-night performance draws on material much closer to home as it follows the seven-week itinerary of Italian, Yugoslav, Greek, Arabic and Jewish passengers, with 79 disembarking in Fremantle on September 14, 1924.

Guazzelli also found a family connection.

“The film started me on my own journey of researching my history,” he said. “I was very surprised todiscover my paternal grandfather came to Perth in the same year and on the same boat that was featured in the film.

“My hope is that audiences that see the film will gain a new understanding and appreciation for those who undertook this odyssey to arrive in a new country of opportunity and challenges.”

Passengers aboard the 13,000km journey of the Regina d’Italia from Italy to Australia in 1924.
Camera IconPassengers aboard the 13,000km journey of the Regina d’Italia from Italy to Australia in 1924.

Viola Dana was an actress and friend of Keaton, and the name also reflects the lead instrument of the four-piece group, Kathy Potter’s viola.

Potter alternates with Guazzelli as composer.

“Pete’s music is really interesting because he underscores the emotion that the people may be going through migrating by boat,” she said. “So it’s like a meditation on that as well as the journey itself.

“For me the visual highlight is probably the striking scenes of the sea.

“I quite like the vision of the different boats on the harbours and I guess the changing landscape when the boat comes to each point.

“Actually it was a bit like an advertisement telling people, ‘Come to Australia’, because they made a highly visual way of telling the story.”

Tracing Family from Italy to Australia is at the WA Maritime Museum on Friday, July 16 at 7.30 pm. Tickets are $20 from https://tickets.oztix.com.au.

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