THE ITALIAN OPERA AND „THE GOLDEN YOUTH”: NEW PHENOMENA IN THE ODESSA EVERYDAY THEATRICAL LIFE OF THE 1860s

Abstract

In the present article the Odessa Italian opera has been examined as an object of the influence of the “golden youth’s” value orientations and behaviour patterns that were being formed in the social and theatrical environment of that city in the 60s of the 19th century. The changes in the younger generation’s artistic tastes, selective divas’ image perception have been shown on the examples of its interaction with other spectators, performers, the entrepreneur, local police and administrative authorities. The crisis in the vocal and performing arts has been proven to be in close dependence with a total spiritual and social turning-point in the Russian Empire at the beginning of the era of democratic reforms.

Keywords

• Italian opera
• Odessa theatre
• “golden youth”
• prima donna’s image
• spiritual crisis