STYLE OF SINGING AND FEATURES OF OPERA IN THE AGE OF ROMANTICISM

19th-century musical Romanticism brought revolutionary changes to opera, sub- stantially transforming the traditional canons of vocal performance. The deep emotional saturation of the works was combined with subtle individualisation of melodic lines, expanding the palette of artistic expressiveness. Romantic composers masterfully integrated folklore motifs into the classical opera structure, creating a unique synthesis of folk art and academic art. Richard Wagner’s innovative solutions in musical drama, the lyrical depth of Franz Schubert’s song cycles, the psychologism of Robert Schumann’s vocal works laid the foundation for modern opera art. The transformations touched upon the harmonic system, piano accompaniment, bel canto technique, forming a fundamentally new aesthetics of the musical performance. Romantic opera enriched the world culture with a unique combination of dramatic intensity, philosophical depth and technical perfection of performing skills.

ROMANTICISM, MUSIC, OPERA, VOCAL ART, EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION, RICHARD WAGNER, FRANZ SCHUBERT, ROBERT SCHUMANN, BALLAD, CHAMBER VOCAL MUSIC, HARMONY, DRAMA