A performance coral requer que o regente faça uma série de escolhas técnicas e interpretativas. Um dos elementos a respeito dos quais o regente faz escolhas é a dicção do texto cantado, visto que a notação musical ocidental não especifica o exato instante de articulação, a duração ou a dinâmica de vogais e consoantes. Manuais de regência coral geralmente discutem a dicção em termos de uniformidade de pronúncia e clareza de enunciação, ou também de sua relação com a homogeneidade do timbre coral e/ou com uma linha legato. Entretanto, são poucos os escritos sobre regência coral que explicitam possíveis durações, dinâmicas e/ou instantes de articulação de vogais e consoantes, e ainda mais raros aqueles que exemplificam como tais escolhas podem contribuir para uma performance expressiva. Nas últimas décadas, houve um aumento de pesquisas sobre a expressividade na performance, contudo poucas mencionam que a maneira como o texto é pronunciado pode colaborar com a expressividade. Ademais, pouco se sabe sobre os efeitos expressivos da dicção em performances especificamente corais. Neste trabalho, estudamos as escolhas interpretativas de regentes quanto à dicção do texto em obras corais cantadas em alemão, visando a observar os efeitos dessas escolhas na expressividade da performance coral. Para isso, utilizamos um conjunto de métodos e técnicas que incluem estudos bibliográficos e estudos de caso, entrevistas, análises de partituras, assim como análises de gravações feitas com o software Sonic Visualiser. A primeira parte apresenta os pontos de partida da pesquisa, que se referem às questões de escolhas e de expressividade na performance. A segunda parte apresenta os estudos bibliográficos, que incluem uma análise de escritos sobre regência coral e também dados coletados nas entrevistas que fizemos com seis regentes. Nessa parte, discutimos a pronúncia do alemão para o canto, as sugestões de regentes quanto à dicção do texto (principalmente em relação à duração, à dinâmica e ao instante de articulação de vogais e consoantes), as relações entre a articulação do texto e a articulação musical, e as possibilidades expressivas da dicção. A terceira parte apresenta os estudos de caso, nos quais analisamos partituras e gravações de obras corais de J. S. Bach, F. Schubert e J. Brahms e descrevemos os efeitos de diferentes escolhas relativas à dicção. A quarta e última parte confronta os dados apresentados nos estudos bibliográficos e nos estudos de caso. Nela, discutimos as relações entre as gravações e a literatura pesquisada em termos das escolhas interpretativas relacionadas à dicção, da influência da articulação do texto sobre articulação musical, e do papel da dicção na expressividade da performance coral. Os resultados sugerem que, em situações específicas, a dicção pode ter um papel central na expressividade da performance, sendo eventualmente tão ou mais significativa que aspectos mais comumente analisados, como variações de andamento, portamento ou vibrato. Por fim, sugerimos dois elementos relacionados à dicção que podem contribuir para compreender a experiência de escuta de uma performance expressiva: um sentido de que os músicos são parte da música e um sentido de estar no momento presente. / Choral performance requires several interpretative and technical choices by the conductor. One of the elements about which the conductor makes choices is the diction of the sung text, since Western musical notation does not specify the precise instant of articulation, the duration or the dynamic of vowels and consonants. Choral conducting handbooks generally discuss diction in terms of uniformity of pronunciation and clearness of enunciation, or also in terms of its relationship with choral blend and/or with a legato line. However, few writings on choral conducting are explicit in relation to possible durations, dynamics and/or instants of articulation of vowels and consonants, and even rarer are those which exemplify how these choices may contribute to an expressive performance. In the last decades, researches on expressivity in music performance have increased, yet few of such researches mention that the way one pronounces a text may play a part in expressivity. Moreover, little is known about the effects of an expressive diction specifically in choral performances. In this research, I investigate conductors\' interpretative choices regarding text diction in choral music sung in German, aiming to identify the effects of these choices on the expressivity of choral performance. My research uses mixed methods and techniques, which include bibliographical studies, case studies, interviews, score analyses, as well as recording analyses made with the software Sonic Visualiser. The first part presents the research\'s starting points, which refer to questions on choices in performance and on expressivity in performance. The second part presents the bibliographical studies, which include an analysis of writings about choral conducting and data collected in the interviews I did with six conductors. In this part I discuss German diction for singing, conductor\'s suggestions with respect to text diction (especially as regards the duration, the dynamic and the instant of articulation of vowels and consonants), the relationships between text articulation and musical articulation, and the expressive possibilities of diction. The third part presents the case studies, in which I analyse scores and recordings of choral works by J. S. Bach, F. Schubert and J. Brahms, and describe the effects of different choices related to diction. The fourth and last part compares data presented in the bibliographical studies and in the case studies. In this final part, I discuss the relationships between the recordings and the researched literature in terms of the interpretative choices regarding text diction, the influence of text articulation on musical articulation, and the role of diction in the expressivity of choral performance. Results suggest that in particular situations text diction can play a central role in performance expressivity, eventually being as significant as (or perhaps even more than) aspects more commonly analysed in researches, such as variations in tempo, portamento or vibrato. Finally, I suggest two elements concerning text diction that may contribute to an understanding of the experience of listening to an expressive performance: a sense that the musicians are part of the music, as well as a sense of being in the present moment.

A performance coral requer que o regente faça uma série de escolhas técnicas e interpretativas. Um dos elementos a respeito dos quais o regente faz escolhas é a dicção do texto cantado, visto que a notação musical ocidental não especifica o exato instante de articulação, a duração ou a dinâmica de vogais e consoantes. Manuais de regência coral geralmente discutem a dicção em termos de uniformidade de pronúncia e clareza de enunciação, ou também de sua relação com a homogeneidade do timbre coral e/ou com uma linha legato. Entretanto, são poucos os escritos sobre regência coral que explicitam possíveis durações, dinâmicas e/ou instantes de articulação de vogais e consoantes, e ainda mais raros aqueles que exemplificam como tais escolhas podem contribuir para uma performance expressiva. Nas últimas décadas, houve um aumento de pesquisas sobre a expressividade na performance, contudo poucas mencionam que a maneira como o texto é pronunciado pode colaborar com a expressividade. Ademais, pouco se sabe sobre os efeitos expressivos da dicção em performances especificamente corais. Neste trabalho, estudamos as escolhas interpretativas de regentes quanto à dicção do texto em obras corais cantadas em alemão, visando a observar os efeitos dessas escolhas na expressividade da performance coral. Para isso, utilizamos um conjunto de métodos e técnicas que incluem estudos bibliográficos e estudos de caso, entrevistas, análises de partituras, assim como análises de gravações feitas com o software Sonic Visualiser. A primeira parte apresenta os pontos de partida da pesquisa, que se referem às questões de escolhas e de expressividade na performance. A segunda parte apresenta os estudos bibliográficos, que incluem uma análise de escritos sobre regência coral e também dados coletados nas entrevistas que fizemos com seis regentes. Nessa parte, discutimos a pronúncia do alemão para o canto, as sugestões de regentes quanto à dicção do texto (principalmente em relação à duração, à dinâmica e ao instante de articulação de vogais e consoantes), as relações entre a articulação do texto e a articulação musical, e as possibilidades expressivas da dicção. A terceira parte apresenta os estudos de caso, nos quais analisamos partituras e gravações de obras corais de J. S. Bach, F. Schubert e J. Brahms e descrevemos os efeitos de diferentes escolhas relativas à dicção. A quarta e última parte confronta os dados apresentados nos estudos bibliográficos e nos estudos de caso. Nela, discutimos as relações entre as gravações e a literatura pesquisada em termos das escolhas interpretativas relacionadas à dicção, da influência da articulação do texto sobre articulação musical, e do papel da dicção na expressividade da performance coral. Os resultados sugerem que, em situações específicas, a dicção pode ter um papel central na expressividade da performance, sendo eventualmente tão ou mais significativa que aspectos mais comumente analisados, como variações de andamento, portamento ou vibrato. Por fim, sugerimos dois elementos relacionados à dicção que podem contribuir para compreender a experiência de escuta de uma performance expressiva: um sentido de que os músicos são parte da música e um sentido de estar no momento presente. / Choral performance requires several interpretative and technical choices by the conductor. One of the elements about which the conductor makes choices is the diction of the sung text, since Western musical notation does not specify the precise instant of articulation, the duration or the dynamic of vowels and consonants. Choral conducting handbooks generally discuss diction in terms of uniformity of pronunciation and clearness of enunciation, or also in terms of its relationship with choral blend and/or with a legato line. However, few writings on choral conducting are explicit in relation to possible durations, dynamics and/or instants of articulation of vowels and consonants, and even rarer are those which exemplify how these choices may contribute to an expressive performance. In the last decades, researches on expressivity in music performance have increased, yet few of such researches mention that the way one pronounces a text may play a part in expressivity. Moreover, little is known about the effects of an expressive diction specifically in choral performances. In this research, I investigate conductors\' interpretative choices regarding text diction in choral music sung in German, aiming to identify the effects of these choices on the expressivity of choral performance. My research uses mixed methods and techniques, which include bibliographical studies, case studies, interviews, score analyses, as well as recording analyses made with the software Sonic Visualiser. The first part presents the research\'s starting points, which refer to questions on choices in performance and on expressivity in performance. The second part presents the bibliographical studies, which include an analysis of writings about choral conducting and data collected in the interviews I did with six conductors. In this part I discuss German diction for singing, conductor\'s suggestions with respect to text diction (especially as regards the duration, the dynamic and the instant of articulation of vowels and consonants), the relationships between text articulation and musical articulation, and the expressive possibilities of diction. The third part presents the case studies, in which I analyse scores and recordings of choral works by J. S. Bach, F. Schubert and J. Brahms, and describe the effects of different choices related to diction. The fourth and last part compares data presented in the bibliographical studies and in the case studies. In this final part, I discuss the relationships between the recordings and the researched literature in terms of the interpretative choices regarding text diction, the influence of text articulation on musical articulation, and the role of diction in the expressivity of choral performance. Results suggest that in particular situations text diction can play a central role in performance expressivity, eventually being as significant as (or perhaps even more than) aspects more commonly analysed in researches, such as variations in tempo, portamento or vibrato. Finally, I suggest two elements concerning text diction that may contribute to an understanding of the experience of listening to an expressive performance: a sense that the musicians are part of the music, as well as a sense of being in the present moment.

O presente estudo visou investigar a qualidade da execução instrumental por meio do excerto orquestral do Prélude à l´après-midi d´um faune, de Claude Debussy e sua relação com a ansiedade de performance musical de estudantes de flauta. O pressuposto teórico utilizado para a avaliação da qualidade da execução instrumental encontra-se baseado no Modelo de Processo de Avaliação da Execução Musical, de McPherson & Thompson (1998), enquanto que a ansiedade de performance musical está subsidiada pelo modelo tríplice, desenvolvido por Wilson & Roland (2002) e Valentine (2002), além da Teoria Cognitiva da Ansiedade, de Beck & Clark (1997). Para a metodologia, utilizou-se a abordagem mista de caráter semi experimental, cujos sujeitos são estudantes de flauta dos cursos de Bacharelado em Música de Instituições de Ensino Superior do Brasil. O procedimento semi experimental consistiu na realização de uma tarefa musical gravada em áudio, em situações de performance musical distintas, precedido pela coleta de dados por meio de instrumentos de autoavaliação psicológica e aferição de medidas fisiológicas, conforme protocolo de coleta de dados. Cinco flautistas profissionais avaliaram a qualidade da execução instrumental a partir das gravações e por meio de uma Escala de Avaliação para a Execução na Flauta, proposta no presente estudo. A análise de dados ocorreu em duas etapas: na qualitativa, analisou-se o conteúdo dos comentários dos avaliadores diante da execução dos estudantes de flauta; e na quantitativa, analisou-se, por estatística descritiva e não paramétrica, as associações entre a qualidade da execução instrumental, por intermédio das competências técnicas e interpretativas da flauta, e a ansiedade de performance musical. Os resultados apontaram uma relação direta e não proporcional, apresentando melhora da qualidade na execução instrumental no estudo individual e redução dos sintomas de ansiedade na audição. A afinação e o timbre foram as competências técnicas e interpretativas mais influenciadas negativamente pela ansiedade. No entanto, foi na acurácia rítmica que a maioria dos estudantes de flauta se mostrou menos proficiente. Por fim, a expertise musical e o conhecimento prévio do solo de flauta demonstraram relevância tanto na proficiência técnica e interpretativa no instrumento quanto na redução da ansiedade de performance musical. / This study aimed at investigating the quality of instrumental performance through the orchestral excerpt of Prélude à l´après-midi d´un faune by Claude Debussy and its relationship to music performance anxiety experienced by flute students. The theoretical premise employed in the assessment of the quality of instrumental performance is based on the Process Model of Assessing Music Performance by McPherson & Thompson (1998). For music performance anxiety, we used the triple model developed by Wilson & Roland (2002) and Valentine (2002), as well as Beck & Clark´s Cognitive Theory of Anxiety (1997). The methodology consisted of a mixed approach and semi-experimental in character directed at flute students enrolled in courses of Bachelor of Music at Brazilian universities. The semi-experimental procedure comprised in a musical task recorded in audio in different situations of musical performance preceded by data collection through the psychological instruments of self-evaluation and physiological measures according to the protocol of data collection. Five Brazilian professional flute players assessed the quality of instrumental performance from the recordings by means a Flute Performance Rating Scale, proposed for this study. Data analysis occurred in two steps. While the qualitative part analyzed the content of the assessors' comments to flute students, and the quantitative examined the correlation between the quality of musical performance through the technical and interpretative skills of flute playing and music performance anxiety by descriptive and non-parametric statistics. The results indicate a direct and non-proportional relationship, presenting an improvement in the quality of instrumental performance in the individual practicing session and a reduction of the music performance anxiety in the audition. Intonation and timbre were the technical and interpretative skills most negatively influenced by anxiety. However, most of the flute students were considered non-proficient in rhythmic accuracy by the judges. Finally, the level of musical expertise and previously knowledge of the orchestral excerpt were shown to be relevant both in the proficiency of flute playing and in the reduction of the experienced music performance anxiety. / El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la calidad de la ejecución instrumental a través del extracto orquestal de Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune de Claude Debussy y su relación con la ansiedad de actuación musical de los estudiantes de flauta. La presuposición teórica empleada en la evaluación de la calidad de la ejecución instrumental se basa en el Modelo de Proceso de Evaluación de la Ejecución Musical de McPherson y Thompson (1998), mientras que para la ansiedad de la actuación musical en el modelo triple desarrollado por Wilson & Roland (2002) y Valentine (2002), y la Teoría Cognitiva de la Ansiedad de Beck y Clark (1997). La metodología consistió en un enfoque mixto y de carácter semi-experimental, cuyos sujetos son estudiantes de flauta matriculados en cursos de Licenciatura en Música en universidades brasileñas. El procedimiento semi experimental consistió en la realización de una tarea musical grabada de audio bajo distintas situaciones de actuación musical, precedido por la recolección de datos a través de instrumentos de autoevaluación psicológica y evaluación de medidas fisiológicas cumpliendo con protocolo de recolección de datos. Cinco flautistas profesionales evaluaron la calidad de la ejecución instrumental de las grabaciones por medio de una Escala de Evaluación para la Ejecución en la Flauta, propuesto para este estudio. El análisis de datos se produjo en dos etapas: en la cualitativa analizó el contenido de los comentarios de los evaluadores a los estudiantes de flauta y en la cuantitativa se analizó por estadística descriptiva y no paramétrica la correlación entre la calidad de la ejecución instrumental por medio de las habilidades técnicas e interpretativas de la flauta y la ansiedad de la actuación musical. Los resultados revelan una relación directa y no proporcional, que presenta una mejora en la calidad de la ejecución instrumental en el estudio individual y la reducción de los síntomas de ansiedad en la audición. La entonación y el timbre fueron las habilidades técnicas e interpretativas más influenciadas negativamente por la ansiedad. La mayoría de los estudiantes de flauta fueron considerados no-competentes en precisión rítmica por los jueces. Por último, el nivel de la pericia musical y el conocimiento previo del extracto orquestal demostraron pertinencia en la habilidad técnica e interpretativa en el instrumento y para reducir la ansiedad en la actuación musical.

This thesis describes how I took part in a series of collaborations with dancers Danai Pappa and Katie Hall, musician George Williams and video artist Julie Kuzminska. To realise our collaborations, I built electronic sculptural instruments from junk using bricolage, the act of subversion, skip diving and appropriation. From an auto-ethnographic viewpoint, I explored how collaborations began, how relationships developed and how various levels of expertise across different disciplines were negotiated. I examined how the documentation of the performances related to, and could be realised as, video art in their own right. I investigated the themes of work, labour and effort that are used in the process of producing and documenting these works in order to better understand how to ‘create’. I analysed the gender dynamics that existed between my collaborators and myself, which led to the exploration of issues around interaction and intimacy, democratic roles and live art. The resulting works challenged gender stereotypes, the notion of what a musical instrument can be and how sound is produced through action/interaction. I found that reflective time was imperative; serendipity, constant awareness of one’s environment, community and intimate relationships greatly enhanced the success of the collaborations. Instruments became conduits and instigators with shifting implied genders based on their context or creative use. As well as sound being a product of movement, effort and interaction, I realised it was also an artefact of the instruments.

O presente estudo visou investigar a qualidade da execução instrumental por meio do excerto orquestral do Prélude à l´après-midi d´um faune, de Claude Debussy e sua relação com a ansiedade de performance musical de estudantes de flauta. O pressuposto teórico utilizado para a avaliação da qualidade da execução instrumental encontra-se baseado no Modelo de Processo de Avaliação da Execução Musical, de McPherson & Thompson (1998), enquanto que a ansiedade de performance musical está subsidiada pelo modelo tríplice, desenvolvido por Wilson & Roland (2002) e Valentine (2002), além da Teoria Cognitiva da Ansiedade, de Beck & Clark (1997). Para a metodologia, utilizou-se a abordagem mista de caráter semi experimental, cujos sujeitos são estudantes de flauta dos cursos de Bacharelado em Música de Instituições de Ensino Superior do Brasil. O procedimento semi experimental consistiu na realização de uma tarefa musical gravada em áudio, em situações de performance musical distintas, precedido pela coleta de dados por meio de instrumentos de autoavaliação psicológica e aferição de medidas fisiológicas, conforme protocolo de coleta de dados. Cinco flautistas profissionais avaliaram a qualidade da execução instrumental a partir das gravações e por meio de uma Escala de Avaliação para a Execução na Flauta, proposta no presente estudo. A análise de dados ocorreu em duas etapas: na qualitativa, analisou-se o conteúdo dos comentários dos avaliadores diante da execução dos estudantes de flauta; e na quantitativa, analisou-se, por estatística descritiva e não paramétrica, as associações entre a qualidade da execução instrumental, por intermédio das competências técnicas e interpretativas da flauta, e a ansiedade de performance musical. Os resultados apontaram uma relação direta e não proporcional, apresentando melhora da qualidade na execução instrumental no estudo individual e redução dos sintomas de ansiedade na audição. A afinação e o timbre foram as competências técnicas e interpretativas mais influenciadas negativamente pela ansiedade. No entanto, foi na acurácia rítmica que a maioria dos estudantes de flauta se mostrou menos proficiente. Por fim, a expertise musical e o conhecimento prévio do solo de flauta demonstraram relevância tanto na proficiência técnica e interpretativa no instrumento quanto na redução da ansiedade de performance musical. / This study aimed at investigating the quality of instrumental performance through the orchestral excerpt of Prélude à l´après-midi d´un faune by Claude Debussy and its relationship to music performance anxiety experienced by flute students. The theoretical premise employed in the assessment of the quality of instrumental performance is based on the Process Model of Assessing Music Performance by McPherson & Thompson (1998). For music performance anxiety, we used the triple model developed by Wilson & Roland (2002) and Valentine (2002), as well as Beck & Clark´s Cognitive Theory of Anxiety (1997). The methodology consisted of a mixed approach and semi-experimental in character directed at flute students enrolled in courses of Bachelor of Music at Brazilian universities. The semi-experimental procedure comprised in a musical task recorded in audio in different situations of musical performance preceded by data collection through the psychological instruments of self-evaluation and physiological measures according to the protocol of data collection. Five Brazilian professional flute players assessed the quality of instrumental performance from the recordings by means a Flute Performance Rating Scale, proposed for this study. Data analysis occurred in two steps. While the qualitative part analyzed the content of the assessors' comments to flute students, and the quantitative examined the correlation between the quality of musical performance through the technical and interpretative skills of flute playing and music performance anxiety by descriptive and non-parametric statistics. The results indicate a direct and non-proportional relationship, presenting an improvement in the quality of instrumental performance in the individual practicing session and a reduction of the music performance anxiety in the audition. Intonation and timbre were the technical and interpretative skills most negatively influenced by anxiety. However, most of the flute students were considered non-proficient in rhythmic accuracy by the judges. Finally, the level of musical expertise and previously knowledge of the orchestral excerpt were shown to be relevant both in the proficiency of flute playing and in the reduction of the experienced music performance anxiety. / El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la calidad de la ejecución instrumental a través del extracto orquestal de Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune de Claude Debussy y su relación con la ansiedad de actuación musical de los estudiantes de flauta. La presuposición teórica empleada en la evaluación de la calidad de la ejecución instrumental se basa en el Modelo de Proceso de Evaluación de la Ejecución Musical de McPherson y Thompson (1998), mientras que para la ansiedad de la actuación musical en el modelo triple desarrollado por Wilson & Roland (2002) y Valentine (2002), y la Teoría Cognitiva de la Ansiedad de Beck y Clark (1997). La metodología consistió en un enfoque mixto y de carácter semi-experimental, cuyos sujetos son estudiantes de flauta matriculados en cursos de Licenciatura en Música en universidades brasileñas. El procedimiento semi experimental consistió en la realización de una tarea musical grabada de audio bajo distintas situaciones de actuación musical, precedido por la recolección de datos a través de instrumentos de autoevaluación psicológica y evaluación de medidas fisiológicas cumpliendo con protocolo de recolección de datos. Cinco flautistas profesionales evaluaron la calidad de la ejecución instrumental de las grabaciones por medio de una Escala de Evaluación para la Ejecución en la Flauta, propuesto para este estudio. El análisis de datos se produjo en dos etapas: en la cualitativa analizó el contenido de los comentarios de los evaluadores a los estudiantes de flauta y en la cuantitativa se analizó por estadística descriptiva y no paramétrica la correlación entre la calidad de la ejecución instrumental por medio de las habilidades técnicas e interpretativas de la flauta y la ansiedad de la actuación musical. Los resultados revelan una relación directa y no proporcional, que presenta una mejora en la calidad de la ejecución instrumental en el estudio individual y la reducción de los síntomas de ansiedad en la audición. La entonación y el timbre fueron las habilidades técnicas e interpretativas más influenciadas negativamente por la ansiedad. La mayoría de los estudiantes de flauta fueron considerados no-competentes en precisión rítmica por los jueces. Por último, el nivel de la pericia musical y el conocimiento previo del extracto orquestal demostraron pertinencia en la habilidad técnica e interpretativa en el instrumento y para reducir la ansiedad en la actuación musical.

It is now broadly accepted that Vaughan Williams's music betrays a more complex relation to national influences than has traditionally been assumed. It is argued in this thesis that despite the trends towards revisionism that have characterized recent work, Vaughan Williams's interest in and engagement with English folk materials and cultures remains only partially understood. Offering contextual interpretation of materials newly available in the field, my work takes as its point of departure the critical neglect surrounding Vaughan Williams's contradictory compositional debut, in which he denounced the value of folk song in English art music in an article published alongside his song 'Linden Lea', subtitled 'A Dorset Folk Song'. Reconstructing the under-documented years of the composer's early career, it is demonstrated that Vaughan Williams's subsequent 'conversion' and lifelong attachment to folk song emerged as part of a broader concern with the intelligible and participatory quality of song and its performance by the human voice. As such, it is argued that the ways in which this composer theorized an idea of 'song' illuminate a powerful perspective from which to re-consider the propositions of his project for a national music. Locating Vaughan Williams's writings within contemporaneous cultural ideas and practices surrounding 'song', 'voice', and 'Englishness', this work brings such contexts into dialogue with readings of various of the composer's works, composed both before and after the First World War. It is demonstrated in this way that the rehabilitation of Vaughan Williams's music and reputation profitably proceeds by reconstructing a complex dialogue between his writings; between various cultural ideas and practices of English music; between the reception of his works by contemporaneous critics; and crucially, by considering the propositions of his music as explored through analysis. Ultimately, this thesis contends that Vaughan Williams's music often betrays a complex and self-conscious performance of cultural ideas of national identity, negotiating an optimistic or otherwise ambivalent relationship to an English musical tradition that is constructed and referenced through a particular idea of song.

Keywords music, immigration, asylum seekers in Czech republic, theatre, audience, medial mening, performance, xenofoby, globalization, postmodernism, cultural antropology, cultural and medial studies, semiotics Summary The aim of this thesis is describe and analyse a music, which cohere with refugees and the other forms of immigration in Czech republic. Concretely is about the music, which originate from Archa Theatre. This theatre is few years attending to the theme of immigration and refugees. The aim of this thesis is analyse the concept of "refugee music" created by Archa Theatre. In this music performance cooperate the asylum seekers and the czech and foreign professional artists altogether. I want to describe for what reason this music concept was created, how this artistically cooperation is proceeding, which meaning the particular musicians consider in this concept and which meaning of this music should be adress to audience. Simultaneously this music is set in the context of the complex artistic production with immigration themes of Archa Theatre. The another intention of this thesis is to show, which meanings of this music and the relative artistic production find the audience. I analyse in which way the audience is influenced with this production and also if is possible in this way to form the...

After the premiere of Don Giovanni in Prague, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte brought their opera to Vienna on May 7, 1788. One point of interest in the Viennese version of the score is the added duet “Per queste tue manine.” In this duet, the enraged Zerlina overpowers the bewildered servant Leporello with a handkerchief, a razor, and passion. She constrains the floundering fool and punishes him for his misconduct. In most modern performances, companies look no further than the Prague version of the score. Additionally, singers often portray Zerlina as either a mischievous temptress or a virginal peasant girl. Since modern opera companies often dismiss the Viennese score of Don Giovanni as insignificant and scholars often deem the role of Zerlina as simplistic, a holistic analysis of the role of Zerlina is needed. Viewing the interpretations of her character by Kristi Brown-Montesano and Wye Jamison Allanbrook through the lens of eighteenth-century gender politics and my own musical and literary interpretations results in a more complete understanding of the peasant girl. Through an analysis of the Viennese version of Zerlina’s character, I contend that Zerlina functions as a mirror-image foil to Don Giovanni. As Zerlina gains autonomy through the control of her own body, the Don loses his power over others and eventually his own life. This multi-dimensional understanding of Zerlina’s character is only possible if “Per queste tue manine” is taken into consideration.

As a popular historic work with constant and worldwide performances, the sexist and racist narratives disseminated by Giacomo Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly causes harmful social and political ramifications. Many scholars point to this opera specifically when discussing the fetishization of Asian females, and mention the title character as the quintessential example of damaging stereotypes. Thus, I conduct a postcolonial and feminist reading of Madama Butterfly, through analysis of the opera's libretto, the libretto sources, and the opera's score. I unravel the Orientalist assumptions that make up the foundation of the Butterfly narrative, and trace them as they make their way into Puccini's opera. I re-read Madama Butterfly as a metaphor for imperialism, and its effects on the colonized psyche. I examine Lieutenant Pinkerton and Butterfly's characters with specific attention to the power dynamics of their relationship in the context of colonization. I emphasize gender, race, and class tensions evident within the white male and white female gazes on the bodies of third world women of color. I present Puccini's musical choices in the operatic score as supplementary to my postcolonial-feminist reading. Puccini's use of pentatonic scales to evoke "Oriental" sounds, as well as his appropriation of Japanese folk tunes and "The Star Spangled Banner" into the score serve to supplement my basic contentions that Madama Butterfly is a product of Oriental discourse and a metaphor for imperialism and its effect on the colonized psyche.

<p>This work looks at the intersections of nature, race, and spirituality in Black communities primarily situated in the United States from the early 20th century to the present day. These communties stories are interpreted through the Black women that lived in them, and their stories denote that Black folks' relationship with and amongst nature could not be had without spiritual praxes in their day-to-day lives. </p>