Emotions as a Phenomenon of Vocal and Opera Music

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of emotions as one of the leading patterns of creation of the vocal score of the singer-actor, the communicative intermediary between the composer, the librettist, the singer-actor and the listener-viewer. Opera as a synthetic art unites together music, poetry, production, scenography, the art of face-paint and costumes. By means of melody, its rhythmical and intonational texture builds up and ciphers those emotions which the singer must arouse from the listener-viewer. Frequently composers in the piano-vocal scores of their operas have provided descriptions of the stage settings, as well as nuances of stage motion and plastic, in order to bring out emotional colors to a greater degree by means of pantomime. In such situations it is important to research the means of operatic expression not merely from the point of view of musicology or theater studies. The phenomenon of opera requires study in a direct connection with psychology, physiology and sociology of culture. The authors of the article update the concept of the emotional score of the vocal parts of the operatic composition presenting a completed form from the positions of psycho-physiology of emotions and emphasizing the importance of its examination. The vocal part of Herman from Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades is chosen as the object of studies.

Keywords: emotions, phenomenon of vocal art, functions of emotions, emotional score of imagery, psychophysiology of vocal performance, Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades