Educating the Actor Singer in the Opera Studio of Lviv M. V. Lysenko State Conservatory
Authors: Kucher L.I. 
Published: June 2019

Background. Western Ukraine’s cultural musical life had its own paths of development. The fi rst musical school began working in this region in September 1903. The issue of creating a specialized musical educational institution with native-language teaching was repeatedly highlighted in Lviv newspapers in XIX and early XX centuries. Nevertheless, most musicians were forced to obtain knowledge either on their own or in Polish, German and Czech educational establishments. Composer S. Liudkevich was the most ardent fi ghter for foundation of a Ukrainian conservatory in Lviv. He became one of the fathers of professional musical education not only in Lviv, but in Western Ukraine as a whole. Yet, Lviv’s fi rst educational institution – the Higher Musical Institute – was created other than a standard conservatory of Russian Imperial Musical Society with quite a perfect educational system – it was closer to West European establishments on a parallel basis attended by secondary and higher school students, who studied only musical disciplines in the conservatory. A. Vakhnyanin (who taught theory and history of music) has become the fi rst Director of Lviv Higher Musical Institute with O. Bandrovs’ka and L. Ulukhanova teaching solo singing. In the year of 1912, after the death of M. Lysenko, the Higher Musical Institute was given his name. Lviv’s M. Lysenko Higher Musical Institute gained authority and prominence by constantly improving its educational system. Together with the conservatory of Polish Musical Society and K. Shimanovski conservatory, it became one of those educational establishments, on which basis M. Lysenko Lviv State Conservatory was created upon the reunion of West European lands. As of today, it is among our country’s leading musical universities. Vocals faculty exists since the day of Lviv conservatory’s foundation. In this period, they prepared numerous singers for opera and operetta theaters, philharmonic halls, teachers of secondary and higher schools. Having been founded in 1959, the opera studio functions as a training subdivision of the conservatory, being the source of professional growth for outstanding representatives of national vocal arts and opera conductors. The studio’s fi nancial position has been troubled for many years – there is no own premises and full-time soloists. And yet, teachers’ dedication has always allowed the studio to work so as to serve the basis for practical training of the vocals faculty students. The studio was offi cially opened on November 16, 1959 in M. Zan’kovetska Theater. A year later, on November 16, 1960, the premiere performance of “Zaporozhets za Dunayem” opera by S. Gulak-Artemovsky took place (conductor M. Lobaniv, director V. Shevchenko, assistant conductor – 4th year student S. Turchak). The entire faculty worked on the performance – vocals students enthusiastically participated in ballet scenes, their teachers sang leading parts together with students, teaching the mastery lesson to their mentees onstage. But it was emphasized in 1960 annual report by the Director of Lviv State Conservatory professor M. Kolesa that, with opera studio’s certain achievements, there also was a weak point, and namely the absence of creative and organizational contact between solo singing and opera training departments. In autumn 1963, Lviv opera studio performed in Kyiv at the Republican conference dedicated to education of actor singers, representing fragments from “Taras Bulba” (M. Lysenko) and “La traviata” (G. Verdi) performances. The conference stressed the necessity to alter the course of training – to educate actor singers, performer singers, rather than just “sound professional”. By the Order of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine of January 25, 1966, opera training department was founded in Lviv State Conservatory. The functions of the Head of department were vested in the associate professor of solo singing department V. Kobrzhitsky. In this period, absence of creative contacts between the two departments of the vocals faculty continues to be felt, with their teachers exchanging accusations. They do not show aspiration to do the common cause – to educate actor singers. In the beginning of academic year 1971-72, the department was joined by Ukraine’s Honored Artist conductor O. Gritsak, who already in his fi rst year of work showed himself as a talented manager. It was stated in the department’s annual report that working stability, which is defi nitely a positive factor, is not always typical for the students. The number of performances for students’ practical training is insuffi cient. The repertoire must have at least three performances, so that students could be involved in several parts for a multifaceted disclosure of their creative abilities. The department made the resolution to improve its operation by fundamentally altering its organizational principles and the methodology, for which purpose to replace the department’s management.