Solomiia Krushelnytska as a Performer of the First Subject Group in the “Loreley” and “La Wally” Operas by Alfredo Catalani

Author

Bohdanova-Dashak Iryna

a Ph.D. in Art Studies, a research fellow at the Musicology and Ethnomusicology Department of M. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv, Ukraine).

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9608-0169

Solomiia Krushelnytska as a Performer
of the First Subject Group in the “Loreley” and “La Wally” Operas by Alfredo Catalani

Abstract

The history of Solomiia Krushelnytska’s performance of the first subject group in the “Loreley” and “La Wally” operas by Italian composer Alfredo Catalani is studied in the article. S. Krushelnytska is one of the leading performers of operas by composers of the “young Italian school” (“giovanescuola”). It is defined, that S. Krushelnytska’s genius for singing and acting has helped to preserve and popularise the operatic heritage of Alfredo Catalani, known as one of the key representatives of the “giovanescuola”. S. Krushelnytska’s performing skills are exceptional and have met the composer’s requirements for the vocal and acting embodiment of the parts in both his operas. During Catalani’s lifetime, the roles of Loreley and Wally have been performed by such outstanding singers as H. Darklée and V. Ferni-Germano. S. Krushelnytska has taken part in performances of these operas after the composer’s death owing to the efforts of the famous conductor A. Toscanini, who is a close friend and admirer of Catalani’s works.

A brief history of the creation of “Loreley” and “La Wally” is submitted. The vocal and dramaturgical features of the parts of the main characters in both operas are described. It is indicated that the roles of Loreley and La Wally have been a constant and exceptionally successful part of S. Krushelnytska’s repertoire during her tours to Argentina with the Italian opera company in 1906–1913. Catalani’s operatic masterpieces have got the second life and remained a part of the world opera repertoire forever owing to S. Krushelnytska’s talent and charisma.

Keywords

Italian opera, “young school”, staging, vocal part, libretto, interpretation.

References

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