The genesis of the soubrette role in 17th-century European musical theatre: evolution and functions of secondary characters

The article examines certain aspects of the existence of the soubrette role in 17th-century Western European opera. The purpose of the study is to substantiate two types of prototypes that influenced the interpretation of the soubrette role in European opera of the 17th and early 18th centuries. The study shows that the soubrette role was primarily assigned to young singers with a high, light, bright, and virtuosic soprano. This was important, on the one hand, for performing the roles of maidservants and, on the other, corresponded to the elegance, playfulness, and mannered style characteristic of aristocratic female society of the period. The scientific novelty of the study lies in being the first in Russian musicology to analyze the principles underlying the musical embodiment of the soubrette in order to understand the similarities and differences in the interpretation of a similar character type in musical-theatrical productions in different European countries. The study identifies two sources that influenced the performance of soubrette roles in European opera: the traditions of ancient festivals dedicated to the mother goddess Rhea (Cybele) and the carnival performances of commedia dell’arte. Examining the genesis of the various elements that shape the interpretation of the soubrette role makes it possible to trace the transformation of the image in musical-theatrical practice, including in contemporary productions.