The Role of the Tenor in Giacomo Puccini’s Musical Theatre (Interpretive Models of the Rudolf Image in the Opera La Boheme)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the defining aspects of the artistic and figurative performance interpretation of the part of Rudolf in the opera La Boheme by G. Puccini – a lyrical hero embodied in the tenor timbre. The research methodology is based on the following methods: analytical (study of art and musicological literature on the subject); method of performance analysis (analysis of Rudolf’s part in the context of identifying genre and style features, characteristic musical and expressive means, and place in the drama of the performance); comparative method (comparison of interpretations of the role of Rudolf performed by prominent singers to determine the common and distinctive features of the image “reading”), empirical method (covering the author’s own experience of rehearsal and stage performance interpretation); method of generalisation (to substantiate the conclusions of the study). The scientific novelty of the publication lies in the proposed research angle: attention is focused on the image embodied in a certain vocal timbre, and an analysis of the panorama of performing interpretations of the tenor part, a landmark in the creative heritage of G. Puccini, is presented. Conclusions. G. Puccini managed to create a theatrical reality where the “individual” prevails over the “typical” and “characteristic”. The composer carefully considered the principles of revealing the inner world of the hero, his interaction with other characters and the surrounding reality. A special place in Puccini’s “musical theatre” is occupied by the role of the tenor, who realises the “lyrical principle” in the male character, which is important for the composer (young men in love, creative natures – people prone to emotional, spontaneous actions). An analysis of the interpretations of the composer’s iconic role of Rudolf performed by outstanding singers reveals the value of a performer’s interpretation based on a deep understanding of the author’s style and proves the importance of the emergence of a syncretic singer-actor who deeply understands the drama of the performance and the place of his or her role in the overall concept of the opera.