O. Kubkina

Historical Aspects of Dramaturgy in V. Bellini`s Opera «The Puritans»

The article discusses the opera «Puritans» by V. Bellini from the point of view of the regularities of the historical theater, which were defined in the works of French (V. Hugo, A. Stendhal) and Italian romantics (A. Manzoni and J. Bersche). In the dramatic processes of the opera, the influence of the historical concept of W. Scott is also traced. The libretto is based on genuine historical events that took place during the English revolution in the middle of the seventeenth century. The action is driven by social and religious conflicts – a split between the supporters of the Anglican Church, surrounded by the monarch and the Puritans, who asserted the ideals of democratic centralism, which are projected onto the psychological conflicts of the main characters, the symbolic level of drama, and correspond with the Risorgimento movement for freedom and independence of the country. The temporal and spatial coordinates (16th and 19th centuries, Scotland and Italy) are displayed in the vocal characteristics of the main characters (Arthur, Elvira, Richard, Henriette) and symphonic processes. In drama, the principle of accumulation of conflicting interactions prevails from the beginning to the end of the composition. The heroic-patriotic concept of the opera embodies the composer’s views on the future of his country, his ideal of a national hero. The author believes that the term “melodrama”, rooted in musicology in relation to the historical operas of Bellini, contradicts the essence of the artistic processes in the Bellini`s musical theatre. There is a need to form an objective assessment of these works.

Key words

historical theater, chronicle, faith, freedom, concept.

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