Ingenue (stock character)
The term Ingenue (engl / frz, approximately: .. " Child of nature " ) refers to a specialized role in the theater, which mainly is used in English in the context of musicals and operas, sometimes with movies. In the terminology of the 19th century, the term corresponding to " youthful naive ". In musical theater, particularly opera, is also often called " soubrette " used but is slightly different in their meaning.
Famous Ingenues were, for example, Mary Martin, Doris Day and Judy Garland.
Characteristics
The Ingenue of the musical, with its well-defined characteristic is in the German drama something unusual, since there are no longer important subjects here. Since it is a stereotype in their character, their actions are often unpredictable.
She is young, pretty, innocent, naive, sweet, virginal, has something tantalizingly coy and sometimes touchingly funny. Likewise, it is characterized by little life experience and independence, which is why they often live with their father or a male father figure, rarely also with a mother figure. Is it a love relationship one, what often happens in the main or sub-plot, so one can assume that their partner is just as inexperienced and innocent as she was Is she in danger, this is usually more mental than physical. Often it is in its naivety the victim or target of the villain, they may even stops for the hero.
Typically, the figure of the Ingenue in musicals is sung by a high soprano. In the serious variant, it is the female protagonist (lead). In the comic version, usually as a supporting role, it tends often, but not always, to the silly.
Examples
Serious variant
- Micaela 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 )
Comic version
- Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939 )
- Ado Annie in Oklahoma! (1943 )
- Jemima in Cats (1981 )
More rarely it involves a male person as the title role in Candide.