Modern Vocal Interpretation of the Parts of "Don Giovanni": Stylistic Features and Technical Challenges

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to analyse modern approaches to vocal interpretation of the parts of W. A. Mozart’s opera ‘Don Giovanni’, to identify stylistic features of performance and technical challenges faced by opera singers in the context of modern performing practice. Research methodology. The study uses an interdisciplinary approach that combines methods of musicological analysis, vocal pedagogical practice, and stage interpretation. The basis is the structural-analytical method, with the help of which a detailed analysis of the part of Don Giovanni was carried out from the standpoint of musical form, texture, melody, and harmony. A comparative-interpretative method was also used to analyse the performers’ recordings, which allowed to identify individual and general trend features of interpretations. Scientific novelty. For the first time, a holistic analysis of modern interpretations of the Don Juan part has been carried out, with an emphasis on the technical difficulties inherent in the baritone texture, as well as stylistic transformations that occur under the influence of modern stage direction and changes in the vocal school; key interpretative trends of the early 21st century have been identified. Conclusions. As a result of the study, it was found that the modern interpretation of the Don Juan part is the result of a deep interaction between traditional singing technique and the latest approaches to the stage image. The greatest technical challenges remain control over dynamics, purity of intonation and flexibility of phrasing. At the same time, the interpretation depends on the individual style of the performer, which enriches the palette of stage solutions. Current interpretations differ significantly in stylistic approach: from classically balanced to expressively modernised, depending on the director’s plan and the concept of the production, which necessitates the need for performance flexibility and the ability to adapt technical techniques to stage dramaturgy. The main technical challenges include the need to maintain stable vocal support in conditions of active stage action, accurate intonation in complex ensemble episodes, working with the timbre palette to convey the character of the hero, as well as the ability to organically combine singing with acting. In addition, there is the challenge of maintaining stylistic compliance with the traditions of Mozartian performance in conditions of updated directorial interpretations. The performing interpretation of the part of Don Giovanni in the 21st century demonstrates a synthesis of academic heritage and modern artistic individuality, which, in turn, confirms the thesis about the evolutionary nature of opera art, where interpretation is a dynamic phenomenon that reflects the change in aesthetic guidelines in culture as a whole.