The formation of the original repertory for the Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts as a historical mission of Kharkiv composers (1950–1960)

Statement of the problem. The Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts has been performing for more than 90 years. However, the original works composed for this orchestra have never been the subject of serious scientific interest. The relevance of the problem is determined by the necessity to generalize the previous generations of composers’, performers’ and teachers’ experience in the field of folk instrumental art, in particular, the training in the orchestra of folk instruments as a concert unit. Analysis of recent publications shows, that the study on folk instruments orchestral performance has not been reflected in national scientific journals for a long while, but currently this is considered as an up-to-date issue. The articles by N. Bashmakova and V. Kikas and Yu. Fedotov (2018), Z. Stelmashchuk (2014), K. Maidenberg-Todorova (2019), I. Fedun (2020) are confirming this statement. The main purpose of the article is to find basic principles of the original repertoire formation for the Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts related to the creative activities of Kharkiv composers in the 1950–1960s. For the first time, the historical mission played by Kharkiv composers in the original repertoire formation of the Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts is determined. The concept of the article is based on the interdisciplinary interaction of historiographical, holistic, genre-stylistic and performing methods of researching, as well as a phenomenological approach to the analysis of the individual style of a composer based on the example of the particular works. Results and conclusions. The selected works by O. Steblyanko, D. Klebanov, V. Borisov, B. Alekseev, I. Kovach, P. Haydamaka and V. Podgorny included in the concert program of the creative project of 2021 have been analyzed due to their compositional, intonation and dramaturgical structure. The compositions that have been arranged for the folk instruments orchestra from the scores of symphony orchestra or ones instrumented from the compositions for accordion, domra ensemble, domra accompanied by piano were identified. According to the results of analysis, the creative approach of the composers of Slobozhanshchina in the 1950s–1960s was based on the thematic development of folklore material (song and dance prototypes) or the creation of the original themes, which are as close as possible to the folk samples. Having created large forms for domra and balalaika, Kharkiv composers fulfilled a historical mission in the formation of the original repertoire and, correspondingly, genre and stylistic priorities of the Folk Instruments Orchestra of KhNUA named after I. P. Kotlyarevsky. Due to the arrangements of these works for the folk instruments orchestra, a high academic status of playing folk instruments was demonstrated. It is necessary to emphasize the genre and stylistic orientation of these works on the Western European tradition. Along with the traditional forms of processing and arrangement, the folk instrumental art received the entire genre palette of European music, from miniatures to suites and concerts (in terms of timbre and texture capabilities of the folk instruments). On this way we see the keys to the academic status of the folk instruments orchestra. The prospects for further development of the theme. On the basis of the formed original repertoire at a certain historical moment it is possible to substantiate other leading principles of the orchestra as a concert and educational unit: the combination of an orchestra performer’s training, the formation of his professional skills with the ensemble’s concert activity; the introduction of academic approaches in the training of the folk instruments performers, conductors etc.

Psychological and emotional complex of piano accompanist as a reflection of the PROFESSION EVOLUTION

Background. The article studies the accompanist culture as an artistic phenomenon. The accompanist art development processes at the given stage are distinguished by an intensive search for renewal of the content and means of musical expression, coupled with discoveries in composition practices, which puts forward new performance requirements. Scientific novelty is pre-determined by the tasks of detecting the historical origin of the organization of the “backgroundrelief” type in musical structures, specifying the stages of their development. Tracing back the origins of the art of accompanying allows us to reveal a variety of relationship models between the solo singing and accompanying function, which co-exist in various forms in modern artistic practices, thereby depicting the main professional qualities and skills of a piano accompanist. The purpose of this article is to discover the genesis of the types of accompanist art, their historical development, as well as to determine the components that form the basis of the professional activity of the accompanist and to identify major personal qualities characteristic to this profession. It should be noted that the issue of accompanist art is currently only passing the way of scientific comprehension, and we can distinguish a certain historical dynamics: from methodological developments to comprehending the role of an accompanist as an equal member of the ensemble, teacher and creator of original interpretations of compositions. Results of the research. The phenomenon of accompanist art is considered in the paper in terms of its connection with the general history of music. The history of accompaniment and the work of an accompanist should be recognized and studied, since the nature and role of the accompaniment depend on the era, nationality of music and its style. Concertmastering is one of those professions where the duties and modes of action are not clearly expressed, leaving the professional with the right to choose. A striking distinctive feature is the individual path of improvement and the final “bar” of mastery, determined by the traits of the character and personal aspirations of each accompanist. The article discusses the issue of the specific musical and psychological abilities of a concertmaster, which ensure compliance with professional requirements. Conclusions. The development of a theoretical concept of accompanist art will allow this profession to acquire the necessary completeness of permanent features and will open up new prospects for further study of methodological, practical and artistic aspects.

Creative principles of Mykola Manoilo’s vocal pedagogy

Statement of the problem. The article is devoted to the outstanding figure of vocal art of Slobozhanshchyna Mykola Fedorovych Manoilo (1927–1998), the opera singer, who was awarded the title of “People’s Artist of the USSR” (1976) for impeccable performance of baritone parts of the classical repertoire on the stage of Kharkiv Theatre of Opera and Ballet, as well as of the chamber repertoire compiled of Ukrainian folk songs and works by Ukrainian composers. Based on his own experience of studying in the class of solo singing of M. Manoilo (1988), the author of the article offers the experience of scientific and methodological generalization of creative principles of vocal pedagogy of the teacher, while emphasizing the role of Manoilo as a unique singer. The relevance of the topic and its practical significance are stipulated by the urgent need of vocal pedagogy to form a tradition of scientific reflection on the specialization of the vocalist, the representation of classical guidelines and methods in the modern dimension, establishing creative contacts of different generations. The purpose of the article is to reveal the pedagogical principles by M. Manoilo as an outstanding representative of the Kharkiv vocal school, genealogy and dominant features of his performing creative work. Analysis of recent research and publications. The creative figure of M. Manoilo has not yet received serious coverage in the domestic musicology yet. Existing sources are brief biographic descriptions in reference books and encyclopaedias, the anthology “Ukrainian singers in the memoirs of contemporaries, compiler I. Lysenko (2003), or mentions of his name in books on the artistic life of Kharkiv (O. Chepalov, 2012; Tsurkan, 2013). The methodology contains a number of interrelated approaches to the study of the phenomenon of the singer’s artistic personality: historiographical, biographical, performing, and phenomenological. Presentation of basic research material. M. Manoilo inherited the principles of vocal pedagogy from P. Golubev, who taught at the Kharkiv Conservatory (1930–1953) and was the successor of the classical school of Italian bel canto singing, as a student of F. Bugamelli, which was involved by I. Slatin in teaching vocals at the Kharkiv Music College (1901–1918). The creative principles of the artist-interpreter M. Manoilo are a compendium of his mastery: ● orientation on the generally accepted standard of sounding of a voice (bel canto); ● persistent search for individual reading of the role on the path of constant musical and intellectual self-growth; ● word culture; ● unity of sound-forming technology and artistic and aesthetic principles of a musical work, due to its genre and stylistic nature; ● psychological authenticity (own experience of “entering” the image and its “living-through”) and the singer’s ability for self-analysis; ● mental and psychological signs of artistic personality – great persistence and strength of character, the desire to reach the highest point (acme) of creative self-representation. The “denominator” of M. Manoilo’s performing skills is the style – the performer’s orientation for the accuracy of the composer’s text. The results obtained. The principles of M. Manoilo’s vocal pedagogy were based on the basis of generalization of own scenic experience as a system of generally acquired and personality-oriented principles: – sound culture (uniformity of construction of the singing range; flexibility, strength, flight of voice, use of mixed register, rounding, covering); sound word culture; attention to diction; – author-centrism of the singer’s interpretation of the vocal-stage image; – high artistic taste, which is formed through the education of musicality, diverse repertoire, and a sense of performance drama; – high artistic taste, which is formed through the education of musicality, diverse repertoire, and a sense of performance drama; – trust in intuition, which the singer should constantly “check” with his/her own intellect according to the composer’s text. Conclusions. As the heir of the Italian tradition of singing, in all genres of performance M. Manoilo represented such qualities as: proper breathing (free passage of all resonator zones), beautifully designed, high-quality singing tone, theatrical voice, which was overlapping the sound of the orchestra, sonority, flight, equality of the whole range. From the domestic singing paradigm one should add to Manoilo’s artistic portfolio the following: ● recitative-speech cut of vocal intonation (melodic nature of singing is enriched by the relief of declamatory vocalization); ● clear diction of the word being sung to reach the minds and hearts of listeners and establish a dialogue with the author; ● cordocentrism – a particularly intense intra-emotional tone of performance as a personification of the Ukrainian “philosophy of the heart” (Н. Skovoroda); ● integrative type of performing thinking – the unity of poetic-intonation and stage-artistic image of the singer. If a super-goal of music is, according to Aristotle, the entelechy, then singing technique is a way to achieve it. Such was the universal basis of M. Manoilo’s requirements of to himself, as well as to the students of his solo singing class

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS of Eugene Goossens’s Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra

Statement of the problem. The study of the process of development of the concert style of oboe performance is a relevant area of modern musicology, as evidenced, in particular, by the scientific activity of the International Double Reed Society (IDRS) and works of other researchers on the history of the instrument and its repertoire starting with the second half of the 20 century (Bate, 1975; Bartalozzi, 1967; Reeves & Hooper, 1985; Goossens & Roxburgh, 2001). The concept of “concert oboe” is actualized by V. Martynova (2018, 2019) on the basis of the performance art of the 19th – 20th centuries. As for works for oboe of the early 20th century, in particular by E. Goossens, there are a few studies devoted to the development of modern style of the concert oboe (Del Mar, 1984; Lopez-Pelaez-Casellas & Garcia-Herrera, 2019) and to E. Goossens’s Concerto (Woodworth, 2016). This determines the scientific novelty of this research, which involves genre-style and performance analysis of the Concerto. The purpose of this study is to identify typical genre-stylistic and performance characteristics of E. Goossens’s composition in the context of the development of the concert style of oboe performance. The research methodology is based, first, on the genre and style approach, which is traditional for musicology, in particular, on research on the code of reflexivity (Shapovalova, 2006), and pastoral genre in music (Shapovalova, Chernyavska, Govorukhina & Nikolaievska, 2021). Another methodological dimension is related to the positions of analytical interpretology and principles of performance analysis (Nikolaievska, 2020), which focus on such elements as form-creation, performance dramaturgy, performance poetics. Results and conclusions. The typical genre and stylistic features of E. Goossens’composition refer to the traditions of the romantic concerto (onemovement structure; the presence of a symphonic model of the genre; the use of initial intonation as the main sound symbol of the work; the absence of a single tonal centre; reflexivity; the involvement of pastoral colour as an established image of the instrument). From the viewpoint of performance poetics we have marked the overcoming of the formality of rondeau nature by the continuity of performance form-creation; the presence of such difficulties requiring high performance skills of an oboist as playing of whole-tone scale, high notes and extreme sounds of the registers, polyrhythmic structures, the abundance of virtuoso passages in the composition, the variety of articulation techniques, fast-frequency vibrato, etc., which is crucial in the process of development of the concert style of oboe performance in the early 20th century.

Ukrainian carillon arrangements as an instance of the cultural transmission and adaptation

The development of carillon art in Ukraine is studied. The distribution of carillons in Ukraine is considered. The issue of creating a national carillon repertoire is investigated. The interactions between the Western European instrument and the Ukrainian national music are analysed. Possibilities in reflecting the peculiarities of Ukrainian folk song by means of carillon texture are shown. Analogies are made between the texture of the carillon and the ways of playing typical instruments of Ukrainian folklore. Methods of combining Ukrainian and Western musical vocabulary, laid down by M. V. Lysenko, are used: a list of Ukrainian folk genres that can be compared with European genres included in the European musical lexicon is given. The structure of the Ukrainian national repertoire for the carillon is outlined and a plan of the corresponding manual is given. The significance of the development of Ukrainian carillon art for the world musical practice is analysed.

І. Stravinsky’s orchestral writing of Neo-Classical and serial (late) periods: comparative analysis

Statement of the problem. Neo-Classical and serial (late) periods of I. Stravinsky’s creativity are marked by the shifts in his musical language, which found their reflection in his orchestral writing. “Universals” of style and genre (term of Savenko (2001: 105–163) retain their relevancy. Constant principles of orchestral writing (multi-figure composition, combinatorics and plastique) are used in different combinations. Analysis of recent research and publications. While there are numerous studies devoted to I. Stravinsky’s Neo-Classical and serial (late) periods, no works have composer’s orchestral thinking and orchestral writing as an object of special examination. Thus, scarce studies regarding aspects of composer’s orchestration become even more valuable: about orchestral texture (Schnittke, 1967; Schnittke, 1973, Savenko, 2001; Kashyrtsev, 2020), or interpretation of timbres (Savenko, 2001; Savenko, 2011, Kashyrtsev, 2020), or interconnection of orchestral and harmonically-modal thinking (Gurkov, 1987), or editions (Timofeev, 2014; Timofeev, 2019). The purpose of this article is an examination of specifics of I. Stravinsky’s orchestral writing from the standpoint of peculiarity of application of constant principles of orchestral writing (multi-figure composition, combinatorics and plastique) in the ballet “Jeu de cartes” and the Variations (Aldous Huxley in Memoriam). The novelty of the article is caused by: 1)reveal of beforementioned principles; 2) examination of their existence in evolutionary perspective; 3) bringing attention to relevant problems of orchestration in I. Stravinsky’s works of Neo-Classical and late periods of creativity; 4) formulation of original scholarly definition of the term “orchestral writing”. Methods. In this article stylistic method is used – to study evolutionary processes of composer’s style in dialectic unity of constant and innovative; functional – to examine specifics of functional organisation of orchestral texture; comparative – to reveal different ways in which constant principles of orchestral writing are used on different stages of composer’s evolution. Results and Conclusions. Constant principles of orchestral writing (multifigure composition, combinatorics and plastique), which have already emerged in the primary period, are present in the works of Neo-Classical and late periods in different configurations of their relations. In the ballet “Jeu de cartes” multi-figure composition loses its role in comparison to the early works and is applied hidden due to: 1) motive variants (with the motives being stressed by timbre, texture or register); 2) textural complementarity (which means that multiple figures are used in timbrally-textural algorithm); 3) creation of “protracted” melody, in which the role of motivic “formula” is reduced (which is typical for I. Stravinsky’s Neo-Classical period). At the same time, continuity emerging in Neo-Classical works meets the tendency towards discretion due to influence of such principles as combinatorics and plastique, which retain their relevancy, being realised in different variants in the conditions of functional “clarity” of a texture, as it is a trait of composer’s Neo-Classical musical idiom. The orchestral writing of the Variations (Aldous Huxley in Memoriam) is defined by the principle of combinatorics with the usage of plastique. Serial technique contributed to its reveal. At the same time, the role of multi-figure composition is reduced to a bare minimum, which was caused by rejection of melodic “formularity”.

KEY ASPECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONDUCTING PERFORMANCE IN CHINA

Statement of the problem. Conducting performance in China is still a poorly explored area of the national musical art, which makes it necessary to deeply comprehend its main aspects and determine the originality of this important area of the country’s musical culture. This study is aimed at identifying the influence of the dynamics of historical development in China in the 20th century on the development of a conductor’s profession in the country. The recent researches and publications study the specifics of the conductor’s gesture (M. Mannone, I. Poggi, B. Silvey, L. Reizabal), personal conducting activities of the brightest representatives of this profession in different countries (C. Bongiovanni, J.-C. Branger, J. Orrego Salas, M. Walter and others). However no work mentions the activities of Chinese conductors. This profession is practically not studied among its Chinese representatives, too. Methodology of this research includes the study of scientific works devoted to various aspects of European conducting (R. Komurdzhi, Lee En Zhong, B. Smirnov, O. Tremzina), to the outstanding conductors (S. Bongiovanni, J.-C. Branger, J. Orrego Salas, M. Walter), general problems of connection of conducting with exact sciences (M. Mannone), and, especially, the history of the development of a new type of symphony orchestra in China (Hon-Lun Yang & M. Saffle, Mingyen Lee). Hence, it calls for an integrated approach, which includes historical-typological, comparative, genrestyle and dialectic methods. Results and Conclusions. Active involvement of European music has been taking place in China relatively recently – since the 1920s. In this way, the problems of creating a national conducting school and a symphonic culture of performance in the country became especially acute. The history of the development of the symphony orchestra and conductor’s performance of Chinese musical art of the twentieth century can be imagined as a single culture process that is constantly moving in the same vein encompassing all countries and continents. During the 20th century a new profession of musician-conductor of a new type of orchestra was formed in China, which combined instruments of the European symphony orchestra and national instruments. The formation of national symphonic schools in China is also linked to specific historical events: the modernization of Chinese music, the foreign education of many Chinese musicians, the influence of communist ideology (“exemplary performances”), on the one hand, and Western capitalist (Hong Kong orchestras), on the other. The specificity of the activity of the conductor of a new type of symphony orchestra is directly related to various changes in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the orchestra, special features for use of both individual instruments of the symphony orchestra and whole sections, and to technical capabilities of national and European instruments.

Heroic pastoral and its national-style reception IN THE CANTATA “YELLOW RIVER” BY XIAN XINGHAI

The statement of the problem. The cantata “Yellow River” (黄河) is one of the most expressive works in Chinese musical art. The article offers interpretation of the cantata in the light of national Chinese pastoral symbolism. Created in 1939 by Xian Xinghai (冼星) and based on the text of a poem by Guang Weizhan (光未然), the cantata is still of great interest to the researchers. The poetic text of the cantata tells about hard struggle of the Chinese people against the Japanese invaders during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Ukrainian listeners are faced with misunderstanding of the musical language and cultural norms of Chinese mentality. The artistic concept of pastoral genre as a harmonious communication between man and nature makes it possible to interpret the ethno-national language of this work in the system of European values. Rather, we can talk about a historical and cultural parallel corresponding to the “dialogue of cultures” as a leading trend in contemporary art and not about stylization. Heroism of European Baroque and Classicism was closely associated with the image of a person fighting for the social ideals (and even dying for them), while the pastoral emphasized images of nature, which served as excellent “scenery” for human actions. The relevance of the article increases interest in the problem of human communication in the globalized oecumene, in particular, in the composer’s interpretation of the cantata genre semantics in relation to a concept of “heroic man” and idea of pantheism as a philosophy of a pastoral man. The purpose of the article is to identify the established dominants of the Chinese national language in the cantata “Yellow River” by Xian Xinghai in the context of pastoral genre symbolism. Number of scientific publications investigate this piece, yet none of them addresses the issue of cantata genre semantics as a national reception of heroic pastoral. Thus, Shang Bei’s dissertation revealed the principle of constructing the Yellow River piano concerto, borrowed from the thematism of the cantata (the second section of the dissertation is devoted to the cantata itself, and the third – to the concerto). Xiangtang Hong’s (2009) dissertation explores the history of the cantata, its verbal text, Western European influences. Analysis of recent research and publications. Cantata as a genre and form of European music embodies a certain ideal of cultural identity through musical and poetic means. “The Yellow River” is no exception. The composition consists of 8 parts. There are parts where there is a tutti chorus (I, IV, VII, VIII), its female composition (IV), male duet (V), solo tenor (I), solo baritone (II), solo soprano (II), solo soprano (VI), solo pipa and the reader’s part (all parts except V), uniting all movements. The cantata uses a paired orchestral composition, but with three trumpets and solo parts for Chinese folk instruments – pipa, two sanshinas – large (bass) and small (soprano). There is a large percussion section (including seven Chinese folk instruments), harp and classical string section. The article emphasizes the role of the reader, who personifies Poet and becomes one of the most expressive timbre-dynamic lines of the music piece. The reader’s part not only reveals the patriotic idea of the work, but also contributes to the development of its form as a unifying element. This technique found in drama productions and modern cinematography made musical genre closer to the performance. Each movement is a “live scene” depicting extremely tragic times for China, when people proved the invincibility of their spirit. The poetic text makes it possible to distinguish two dramatic dimensions in the cantata: the one in which the Poet (the image of the Author) speaks of what has already happened and the second one glorifies the current events “here and now”. Each movement of the cantata portraits the changing image of the Yellow River, the waters of which can be calm, stormy, dark and transparent. The work is filled with national stylistics embedded in melodic-rhythmic and modal structures. Each movement of the cantata has several themes united by the idea of glorifying the native land and its people in different dimensions: lyrical contemplation (pastoral), stories about tragic times (narration) and singing about people (ode). Conclusions. One of the innovative principles of musical thinking is the shift from heterophony inherent in the Chinese folk song tradition to homophonicharmonic and polyphony. This proves the influence of Western European musical thinking. For example, the attraction to chromaticism, completely alien to Chinese music, at some stages of the dramatic development of the cantata becomes one of the stylistic features of its harmonious language. This is how the first part of “The Song of Boatmen on the Yellow River” begins – with a massive, brilliant chromatic descent. Thus, first of all, the hidden or the absent becomes paramount. The article notes the technique of timbre mixes of folk and symphonic instruments, which signals a professional work oncthematicism based on genrestylistic synthesis. The genre features of pastoral are revealed in the composer’s tendency towards sound-imaging symbolism associated with images of nature, which are equivalent to heroic images. In general, the interpretation of cantata as a heroic pastoral coincides with the early (baroque) stage of the genre in Europe (oratorio by G. F. Handel), which formed a complex of invariant elements in musical language, emphasizing genre semantics (the image of the “shepherd”). The work exposes the national features of the Chinese pastoral – a collective hero (people), heroic pathos, pantheism as a philosophy of love for nature, a lyrical and contemplative worldview.

The instrumental concerto: classification ISSUES

Statement of the problem. The question of classification of instrumental concertos is considered in the paper. It is emphasized that the problem still remains one of the most controversial in musicology. It was noted that there were many attempts to classify the concertos but they are incomplete due to some factors. The main obstacle is a particular flexibility of the concerto resulting in many forms, structures, and forms of performance. In case when a researcher focuses on the analysis of certain characteristics of concertos (cadence, musical form, interpretation of the soloist’s part, concertos of one composer, etc.), the question of classification is out of date. Instead, while covering the evolution of a concerto in general, the need to systematize the latest emerges. Thus, the significance of the concerto’s changes in different historical and socio-cultural conditions and the unequal interpretation of the concept of “genre classification” can be the obstacles, which make the classification process difficult. Among methods used, the following can be outlined: comparative, systematic, structural-functional, and historical approaches have been used to reveal the interaction between the soloists and the orchestra in different historical contexts and to follow up changes in different elements’ interactions. The purpose of the research paper is to offer a cross functional concerto’s classification as well as to reveal the role of the orchestra as a unifying criteria in it. The results obtained prove that the proposed classification of concertos is based on their categorization as the formation of hierarchical relationships between the most of structural elements. All criteria for classifying have been divided into two groups: conceptual (genre features, presence of singer parties, type of interaction, stylistic epoch, “purity of the genre”) and constructive (number of soloists and orchestras, choice of solo instrument, instrumental composition of the orchestra, typical or atypical music forms). All these elements are arranged in a hierarchy, the consequence of subordination levels is explained, multilevel connections between separate components are established. The conclusion was drawn that there is an adequate order of all criteria that allows us to offer a cross functional concerto’s classification. The orchestra plays a key role in it. Six periods of particularly intense correlation between the evolution of the instrumental concerto and the transformations of the orchestra have been disclosed

Development of the dance-rock opera genre in the creative content of ‘Mykhailo Vodianoi’ Academic Theatre of Musical Comedy, Odesa

Background. Staging of rock opera began in Ukraine simultaneously in theaters of drama, opera and musical comedy in the mid-80s. The first drama and ballet performances were based on the works of Russian authors. From 1986 to 1993 Kharkiv Theater of Musical Comedy made stage production of rock operas based on the works of Alexander Zhurbin, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alexey Rybnikov leaders of its repertoire policy. Since the 2000s, Odessa Theater of Musical Comedy has staged a dance-rock opera as a new modification of stage play with rock opera. The relevance of the article. Stage performances of dance-rock operas have not yet been sufficiently studied in Ukraine. Such Ukrainian musicologists as Olga Verkhovenko, Iryna Palkina, Halyna Filkevych fragmentarily have studied genre features and performance forms of dance-rock operas. In addition, some periodicals have covered these productions in their critical reviews. Methods. The work is based on a typological method, which made it possible to classify performances as a rock opera genre. The biographical method has also been applied to determine the artistic influences on the choreographer Heorhii Kovtun. The comparative method made it possible to separate the dancerock opera from other productions related to the genre of rock opera, as well as from apologetic performances that exploit already invented forms. When analyzing the performances, some elements of the reconstruction method were used. Results of the study. Odessa Musical Comedy Theater presented four performances in the genre of dance-rock opera, three of which were staged by Heorhii Kovtun. The first (and most successful) production with a new performance approach was the play “Romeo and Juliet” based on Shakespeare’s tragedy with music and libretto by Yevhen Lapeiko (Odessa). A new type of leading performers (selected at casting) appeared in the play. The type of rock opera artist represented by Kyryl Turychenko is characterized by freedom from musical comedy clichés. A pop singer with appropriate acting, athletic and dance training, he could sing when falling, climbing a two-story stage tower, or during a dynamic dance. Scenography by Stanislav Zaitsev showed a tendency towards brevity, constructiveness and simultaneous development of action in three stage dimensions. Other productions of Heorhii Kovtun – “The Canterville Ghost” and “Silicon Silly Woman.net” based on the works of Russian authors D. Rubin, A. Ivanov, O. Pantykin and K. Rubinsky developed rock opera principles invented by the choreographer rather than deepened them. The director of “The Canterville Ghost” did not quite clearly indicate the vector of the main idea. This led to the breakup of stage action into spectacular theatrical attractions with pyrotechnics and impressive stage design transformations. In fact, it is still not clear what the director was trying to recreate – a melodrama, a comedy with elements of satire or Guignol. The play “Tristan and Isolde” based on the works of the Ukrainian composer Alexander Nezhigai and playwright Serhii Piskuriov was staged by the theater director Vladimir Savinov. His ignorance of musical theater specifics contributed to the vocally and musically weak performance. Most of the action in the stage production was organized by the choreography of Anatolii Bedichev. Contrary to expectations, V. Savinov’s performance was also significantly inferior to Н. Kovtun’s performances in relation to libretto adaptation, stage design and tempo-rhythm of the performance. All rock-dance opera performances were aimed at teenage and youth audiences. Conclusions. Unlike rock operas of the previous decades, the production proposed by choreographer H. Kovtun is characterized by a synthesis of modern choreography, spectacular show, performance universalism and dynamс crowd scenes. As a choreographer, he did not pay much attention to the actors’ work on the characters. Vocally the singers gravitated towards the pop style (using microphones). Unlike earlier productions of rock operas in Ukrainian theater (with phonograms or symphonic jazz instrumentation of the theater orchestra), the troupe of Odessa Musical Comedy Theater performed rock operas with combined accompaniment (studio phonogram, theater orchestra, rock band). Further study of the multiple issues identified in the article requires a deep analysis of the repertoire, types of rock opera in the theater of musical comedy in Ukraine and the distinctive vocal and acting performance features.