Opera style in the context of the problems of contemporary vocal interpretation of early Italian opera

The article is devoted to the problems connected with a historical approach to a vocal interpretation of early Italian opera. Stylistic principles that had formed in vocal music by the turn of the Renaissance and Baroque are seen as the basis of forming an opera style. The central problem of the opera style is a balance between word and music, which was gradually developing within opera schools of the first part of seicento. Through an affect of a vocal party the opera style influences the stylistics and performance technology.