Ingenue (musical)
Ingenue ( English / French roughly "Naturkind") describes a role subject in the theater, which in German is mainly used in connection with musicals and operas , sometimes also with films. In the terminology of the 19th century, the term corresponds to the “youthful naive”. In music theater, especially operas, the term “ soubrette ” is often used, although its meaning differs somewhat.
Famous Ingenues were, for example, Mary Martin , Doris Day and Judy Garland .
Characteristic
The Ingenue of the musical, with its well-defined characteristic is in the German drama something unusual, as there is no here role compartments are more. Since their character is a stereotype , their actions are often predictable.
She is young, pretty, innocent, sweet, virginal, often naive, has something provocatively shy and sometimes something touchingly funny. She is also characterized by little life experience and independence, which is why she often lives with her father or a male father figure, rarely also with a mother figure. If she enters into a love affair, which often happens in the main or subplot, one can assume that her partner is just as inexperienced and innocent as she is.
If she is in danger, it is usually more psychological than physical. Often in her naivete she is the victim or the target of the villain , whom she may even think is the hero.
Usually in musicals the character of Ingenue is sung by a high soprano . In the serious variant, she is the female main character ( lead ). In the comic variant, mostly as a supporting role, she often, but not fundamentally, tends to be stupid.
Examples
Serious variant
- Micaëla in Carmen (1875)
- Magnolia in Show Boat (1927)
- Maria in West Side Story (1957)
- Joanna Barker in Sweeney Todd (1979)
- Cosette in Les Misérables (1980)
- Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera (1986)
Strange variant
- Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- Ado Annie in Oklahoma! (1943)
- Jemima in Cats (1981)
More rarely, it is a male person like the title role in Candide .
See also
- Role subjects in the theater
- The soubrette in classical opera
- Visual pleasure and narrative cinema
- All-American girl