“Winds Are Blowing” by Hanna Havrylets in the Theatrical Interpretation of the Chamber Choir "Kyiv"

Abstract

The author has characterized the demonstrative features of the choral theater genre and their embodiment in the performance of historical oratorio "Winds are blowing" by Ganna Havrylets by the Municipal Academic Chamber Choir "Kyiv". The author defines the affiliation of this play to the type of choral theater "History in the Faces", as 12 historical songs recorded by O. Koshyts during the Kuban expedition (1903-1905) were selected, processed and combined into a dramatic integrity by composer Ganna Gavrilets. They focus on pictures of the national liberation struggle of the Ukrainian people. The theatrical concept of staging in the communicative link is built: composer - conductor - arranger - director - spectator. It was found that in order to dynamize the performance the authors of concert-theatrical performance (conductor Mykola Hobdych, director Vasyl Vovkun) made structural changes (removed individual numbers, added the final instrumental number), enriched the timbre sound palette of the chamber choir with additional instruments (bandura, reed pipe or flute, percussion), which are used by choristers simultaneously with singing. Approaches to the theatrical performances with personification images and general choral scenes, alternating in the form of contrast of drama of the work were underlined. It is established that in the choral works of the cycle with personified imagery the emphasis was on more effective individual acting means (facial expressions, plastics, movements), in epic songs - on more static but symbolically filled mise-en-scène factors (graphic-spatial forms of stage arrangement of performers on stage). It is noted that the directors contributed to the better disclosure of the content of the play through the integrated use of the background (eg, costumes), mise-en-scène and acting means of theatrical choral performance. These artistic techniques also increased the spectacle, concert and stage representativeness and created a variety of acoustic effects.