by César Moreno, HUSI 2021
I took the course “Ukrainian for Reading Knowledge” at the Harvard Ukrainian Summer Institute to explore and develop a deep insight into the Ukrainian language. My aims have been fulfilled. The course has a wide spectrum of classmates from different academic backgrounds, with their own academic and personal story that motivates them to explore the Ukrainian language. The diversity of the group, as well as the instruction, allowed me to face different angles of Ukraine, learn a lot of new vocabulary, and take a real inside look at different texts.
My academic and professional interest in the course is to approach studies and material on Ukrainian opera. Specialized literature in English on Ukrainian opera is rather limited, with few books and articles published on this subject. Therefore, I think is interesting to explore this topic through Ukrainian sources and eventually share my findings with the world.
I am an opera scholar and producer. I have personally explored the development of Mexican opera from its beginning in times of New Spain through all the independent periods of Mexico to the latest premieres. In addition, I am always interested in the exploration of operatic practices out of some of the main operatic countries, e.g. France, Italy, Austria, among others. Opera as a social phenomenon tells a lot about a country, its history, its artistic practices, its international relations, its management, its promotion, and many other aspects. The wide purview of the course Ukrainian for Reading Knowledge gives me a good panorama of contemporary Ukraine, in media, cultural practices, politics, and other fields. Therefore, I can now approach different texts which will help me to investigate and understand the development of opera in Ukraine.
Completing this course opens multiple paths for future learning. For example, I can explore Ukrainian baroque composers such as Dmitry Bortniansky and his life and work in Italy and Saint Petersburg, I can also dig into the early Ukrainian operatic practices in the 18th century in the cities of Liuboml and Lviv. The 19th century provides a rich niche for studies. It is possible to analyze the development of operatic composers such as Peter Petrovich Sokalsky and Mykola Lysenko, the presence of international composers in Ukraine like Luigi Ricci or Stanislaw Moniuszko, the rise of Odesa and Kyiv as operatic hubs. Another course of study is the development of Ukrainian opera during Soviet times, which includes the editions of scores of Ukrainian composers. The history of Ukrainian operatic singers and operatic artists is another path, which includes, but certainly is not limited to, a study of the life and influences of figures like Solomiya Krushelnytska, who worked with Puccini and sang next to other figures like Caruso or Tita Ruffo; this study of contemporary singers shall span early music to the latest works; and definitely, a mention to Oksana Lyniv must be there, the first female conductor at the prestigious Bayreuth Festival in Germany. All these are ideas for research, to create articles and books. There is an abundance of material through which to discover the role of Ukrainian artists and their operatic traditions within the international operatic panorama.
As for myself, I will start with the 19th century. An exploration of opera composition and production during this period shall give interesting information about the development of new links between Ukraine and other countries. I have approached the studies of 19th-century opera in central Europe, northern Europe, the USA, Mexico, and the rest of Latin America. I know that opera was crucial during this period, and it was often seen as a symbol of modernity and internationalization. The investments in opera were huge; I well know how significant it was in Mexico, and how Egypt commissioned a new opera, Aida, for the opening of its brand-new theatre. Now, I would like to dive deep into these developments in Ukraine: the influences of Italian, Polish, and Russian artists on Ukrainian composers, the creation of new libretti for these works, the selection of topics, and the production of those works This, might, eventually, lead me to produce work, which I would do happily. Now, as an idea, I would like to stage Mykola Lysenko’s Taras Bulba, which is a fine work but very unknown outside Ukraine. There is just one recording of the highlights of this title, and on YouTube we can find only non-commercial full recordings in audio and video. I hope to one day obtain the score and work on its production.
In conclusion, the course at HUSI offered a broad perspective on Ukrainian studies, contemporary Ukrainian vocabulary, and the approach of Ukrainian media to the Ukrainian news as well as international topics. My classmates helped illuminate Ukraine from different approaches. I am really thankful for the opportunity to be part of this course, which I am sure will help me in my academic and professional interests.
Two final words. I suggest two operas (linked below) for those wishing to explore the Ukrainian tradition. The first one is Dmitry Bortniansky’s Alcide and the second one is Mykola Lysenko’s Taras Bulba. Alcide gives a nice glimpse into the 18th-century operatic practices, which was very well globalized. Bortniansky, a Ukrainian-born composer, used text originally written by a Roman poet who was working in Vienna. Bortniansky premiered his Alcide in Italy when he was completing his studies under the famous Baldasarre Galuppi. Operatic traditions in 18th century imply a flux of artists, music, and text, and Bortniansky is a good example of them. Lysenko’s work illustrates the development of nationalism and the exploration of incorporating local traits into the large scale of the operatic genre.
Bortniansky’s Alcide (a recording from 2018 at the Festival LvivMozArt)
Lysenko’s Taras Bulba (a recording from 2001 at Ukrainian National Opera)