F. LISZT’S PARAPHRASE ‘REMINISCENCE OF “LA JUIVE”’: EXPERIENCE OF DRAMATURGICAL COMPARISON

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to determine the musical-dramaturgical features of Franz Liszt’s paraphrase. The research methodology includes a historical approach, comparative method, and a combination of musicological analysis methods (composition-structural, genre-stylistic, dramaturgical, and interpretative). The scientific novelty of the article lies in revealing the dramaturgical aspects of the paraphrase «Memories of ‘La Juive’» and introducing it into scholarly discourse. The article highlights the fundamental dramaturgical elements of Fromental Halévy’s opera «La Juive» and the dramaturgical functions of its main characters. A comprehensive analysis of Liszt’s paraphrase based on Halévy’s opera is conducted. The literary poem’s dramaturgy is characterized, and its features in Liszt’s work are identified. The composition of the paraphrase is analyzed, including its overall structure (introduction, three sections, finale) and the structure of each section. Thematic material borrowed from the opera is identified (Bronia’s curse theme from Act III finale, introduction to Act V, the Christian festive chorus theme from Act V, and Eudoxia’s «Bolero» from Act III). The intonational affinity between themes is emphasized, and their developmental methods are explored. Notably, thematic arcs between sections contribute to unifying the overall composition (the motif of mortal judgment and the curse theme; the theme of a nationwide celebration). Liszt’s reinterpretation of operatic characters and the repositioning of dramatic accents significantly enhance Eudoxia’s central role. The creation of artistic images in the paraphrase is analyzed, highlighting virtuosity as an expressive tool. Through a comprehensive analysis, it is established that Liszt based his paraphrase on one of the dramaturgical lines from «La Juive,» specifically related to female characters. Cardinal Brogni appears in the paraphrase as an embodiment of Christian law. The author of the article proposes various interpretations of resolving the dramaturgical conflict in Liszt’s paraphrase, considering two libretto versions by E. Scriba and 19th-century opera productions.