House of Bernarda Alba: Performers' vocal interpretation of character (accent, volume, pitch, timing, pace, intonation, phrasing, emotional range, delivery of lines)

House of Bernarda Alba: Performers’ vocal interpretation of character (accent, volume, pitch, timing, pace, intonation, phrasing, emotional range, delivery of lines)

House of Bernarda Alba: Performers’ Vocal Interpretation of Character

Characterisation through Voice

  • Vocal interpretation is a crucial element of forming a believable character. In ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’, each character’s voice should distinctively express their personality, status, and emotions.
  • Bernarda’s voice should demonstrate her domineering and unyielding nature, possibly through a strong accent, authoritative volume, and a controlling pitch.
  • Adela’s vocal quality should reflect her youthful vigor, defiance and desperation. She might express these through a lighter pitch, a faster pace and an emotional range that fluctuates according to her feelings.
  • The phrases typical for Maria Josefa ought to convey her senility and her lost sense of reality and time, possibly by using disjointed phrasing and fluctuating volume.

Accent and Dialect

  • The Spanish accent with an Andalusian regional touch can deepen the sense of place and class in the play, further immersing the audience in Lorca’s world.
  • Maintaining an authentic accent consistently throughout the performance is crucial as it serves to strengthen the characters’ individual identities and relationships with the cultural setting of the play.

Volume, Pitch, Timing, Pace and Intonation

  • Volume and pitch manipulation help to convey emotions: high volume and pitch might indicate anger, excitement, or fear, while low ones can suggest boredom, fatigue, or submission.
  • Timing and pace impact the rhythm of the dialogue and movement of the scenes. Faster pace and hurried timing denote tension and anxiety, while a slower pace suggests calm, control, or melancholy.
  • Variations in intonation help to express the character’s mood, question, or statement. Flat intonation may reflect Bernarda’s strict control while fluctuating intonation might hint at Adela’s turbulent emotions.

Phrasing, Emotional Range, and Delivery

  • Phrasing can indicate a character’s thought process or state of mind. Unfinished sentences or stuttering might reveal a character’s anxiety, whereas full, articulated phrases hint at a commanding or stable character.
  • A wide emotional range is essential to portray the emotional extremes experienced by characters like Adela; a more monotone range would suit Bernarda, reflecting her unbending control.
  • Delivery of lines is critical to the story-telling: hurried lines might show panic or eagerness, whispers are for secrets or submissions, while loud, clear pronunciations can demonstrate dominance and authority.

Importance of Vocal Interpretation

  • An effective vocal interpretation adds depth to the characters, enhances the story’s dynamics, and enriches the overall performance.
  • It aids in realising Lorca’s intention to criticise the oppressive societal structure and draw audience empathy towards the tragic fate of Bernarda’s daughters.
  • Excellent vocal skills enable performers to resonate with the audience on an emotional scale, turning Lorca’s written text into a living, breathing drama on stage.