A. Rudnytsky's Opera "Anna Yaroslavna - Queen of France" in the Historical Paradigm of the Director's Reading of the Work
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31318/0130-5298.2024.50.349631Keywords:
Antin Rudnytsky, opera "Anna Yaroslavna - Queen of France", director's interpretation, direction, scenography of the opera performance, artistic decision of the performance, image of the heroineAbstract
Relevance of the study. Ukraine’s current integration into the European cultural space intensifies the need to reassess national artistic heritage through contemporary theatrical approaches. Antin Rudnytskyi’s opera Anne of Kyiv – Queen of France represents a valuable historical-musical narrative that resonates with present-day sociocultural challenges. Investigating its directorial reinterpretation within the artistic paradigm of the 21st century responds to the growing public demand for meaningful representations of national history.
Main objective(s) and novelty. The novelty of the study lies in rethinking directorial strategies for staging a monumental historical opera of the late 1960s in alignment with the aesthetic and technological possibilities of the modern musical theatre. The aim is to define and substantiate the key components of the author’s directorial model, correlate it with the composer’s original vision, and demonstrate the potential of an innovative symbolic-interpretative approach.
Methodology (how the study was done). The research employs an interdisciplinary methodology combining musicological, theatre studies, and cultural analysis. Dramaturgical examination was used to compare narrative and conceptual elements of the opera with the director’s intention. Structural-scenography analysis revealed mechanisms for constructing the spatial-plastic concept of the performance. Comparative analysis enabled evaluating differences between historically accurate and postmodern approaches to staging historical operas. The practical modelling of directorial solutions allowed obtaining concrete results applicable to contemporary staging.
Findings and conclusions. The study identifies that the proposed directorial interpretation relies on a synthesis of traditional operatic techniques and symbolic scenography, emphasizing dynamic visual transitions that reflect the opera’s ideological evolution. The comparison with Rudnytskyi’s concept confirms adherence to the core dramaturgical principles, with selective reductions of mass choral and ballet scenes. The historical perspective—highlighting Anne of Kyiv’s influence on political and cultural transformation in France—serves as the axis of the directorial reading and reinforces the theme of moral responsibility and female leadership. Significance. The findings contribute to the development of contemporary Ukrainian opera staging practices, stimulate renewed interest in national historical subjects, and offer an applicable model for integrating traditional and innovative expressive means within modern musical theatre.
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