“Il Mio Tesoro” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Individual Features of Breath Control by Tenor Singers upon Performance of Vocalizations

Abstract

Mozart’s Aria “Il Mio Tesoro” presents a high example of vocal art, vividly reflecting the style
of bel canto as expressed in its combination of cantilena style and virtuosic sections. The latter
include vocalizations, which are regarded as a conglomeration of passages, sustained notes, and
mini-vocalizations of various types.
For the first time the features of breath control in the interpretation of the aria’s most complex
and extended vocalization in the light of its different redactions are studied. It is shown that the
idea of performing the virtuosic section of the aria in one breath is consistent with the text of the
piano-vocal score and lies at the basis of the quicker tempo indicated in the main edition. In this
regard, the work on coordination of breath control and voice mobility is of extreme importance for
a better reflection of Mozart’s style.
This study presents a system for identifying the various levels of breath control and
determining the quality of phrasing of expanded vocalization, which are based on the degree
of correspondence with the authorial text, both the verbal and the musical, as well as the
duration of the phonatory exhalation. It is shown that the duration of phonatory exhalations
during the performances of virtuosic vocalizations may vary within quite significant individual
limits (up to 23 seconds long). It is noted that the levels of breath control do not form static
formations: they can increase or decrease depending on the level of the performer’s training
and motivation.
Examination of this aria in its historical and theoretical contexts, combining the information
obtained with individual features of breath control – all of these play an important role in choosing
the optimal approach to the interpretation of its main technical spots. The results of the study
may serve as an informational and methodological guide for tenor singers when working on the
interpretation of the virtuosic sections of this aria and for classical vocal teachers who make use
of this aria to improve students’ vocal breathing, and may provide a basis for further study of
vocal technique.

Keywords: Aria, tenor, breath control, vocalization, interpretation, vocal phrasing.