Vocal Paradigm of Oleksandr Diachenko in the Context of the Ukrainian Tenor Tradition

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to theoretically substantiate the vocal paradigm of Professor Oleksandr Diachenko within the context of the evolution of the national tenor tradition. The author reveals the logic behind the reinterpretation of bel canto canons, through which a rigorous technological foundation is transformed into a plastic system for embodying complex psychological images. The article details Diachenko’s performance archetype – the “thinker-tenor” – who views vocalisation as an act of intellectual and spiritual self-expression. The methodology combines a systems approach with musical-performance analysis to explicate the technological specifics of the artist’s work. Hermeneutic interpretation of the semantic levels of his performed roles, in synergy with a historical-comparative alignment of Italian and Ukrainian models, clearly outlines the distinctive features of the singer’s individual style. Significant scholarly weight is given to the interview with O. Diachenko (28 March 2026): the “first-hand” instructions captured therein transform the performer’s subjective experience into a legitimate object of scientific generalisation. The scientific novelty of the research is determined by the introduction of a comprehensive analysis of O. Diachenko’s vocal system into scholarly discourse. The concept of “acoustic positioning” is refined through the introduction of the author’s metaphor, “a temple in the larynx”, which reveals the specific coordination of breathing and phonation. The article expands the understanding of the mechanisms for adapting the Italian manner to the psychological dominants of the Ukrainian tenor tradition, offering a new vision of the “thinker-tenor” in the opera house. Conclusions. The Vocal Paradigm of Oleksandr Diachenko is a dynamic structure where technique serves as a flexible tool, opening space for intellectual interpretation. According to O. Diachenko, the leading factor in the stability of the vocal apparatus, is a specific delay of the inhalation phase (“prodykh”), which ensures exemplary legato and tonal mobility across various stylistic layers. The artist’s pedagogical strategy, built on a hierarchy of instrumental, intellectual, and psychophysical levels, shifts the vector of responsibility toward the student’s self-awareness. The transition from external technical showmanship to internal substantive depth establishes the priority of individuality as the measure of performance quality.