A. Krylova

Music Theatre in the Light of Technology Development: to the Question of Genre Features of Radio Opera

The article deals with the problem of the influence of technology on musical art on the example of an opera. The invention of radio, TV, computer had an impact on the field of art, and, indirectly, on the spiritual world of man. The research object of the article is radio technologies, and the subject is the radio opera as an independent genre variety, developed in the process of technological development. The author traces the formation of musical radio genres from radio drama and adaptation to the conditions of the ether of previously created operas, until the appearance of specially written operatic works for radio. Specific examples show how the process of forming specific features of a radio opera from the simple compression in time of a musical performance belonging to the sphere of chamber music to the development of specific resources was shown. The peculiarities of the libretto are considered, such features as chroniality are distinguished. The least are based on a rapid change of scenes and events, predominance of the dialog structure of the text, reliance on the spoken language, structural simplicity of the whole, reader participation, diversified use of environmental noise. The desire to create a “theater of sounds”, audiovisual decorations, leads to a significant expansion of the sound material of radio opera, which is promoted by the wide use of various kinds of technical sound devices. Their use allows us to speak about the new level of documentary nature inherent in this genre variety, the widening of the spectrum of voice receptions, not limited to melodized recitation and singing, but including multiple new methods of voice extraction – from whisper to scream, as well as the techniques of voice makeup implemented through technical means of sound recording.

Key words

opera, radio opera, music radio genres, sound synthesis.

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