Traditional and innovative elements in G. C. Menotti’s opera «Help, Help, the Globolinks!»

Statement of the problem. The second half of the 20th century was marked by avant-garde art and radical innovation. During this period, musical directions such as serialism, sonorism, musique concrte, and others emerged. Despite its traditional nature, the opera genre was also influenced by these modern trends. However, not all composers engaged with experimentation in equally radical ways. In this context, Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera «Help, Help, the Globolinks!» serves as an example of a balanced combination of traditional and innovative approaches. Recent research and publications. In Ukrainian musicology, the work by Gian Carlo Menotti remains underexplored; «Help, Help, the Globolinks!» has never been the subject of a separate analytical study. Foreign publications tend to focus on other works by Menotti. The stylistic aspects of this opera have not been the subject of in-depth analysis in either Ukrainian or international academic discourse, which emphasizes the relevance of this research topic. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of the study is to define the specific interaction between innovative and traditional elements in the musical language of «Help, Help, the Globolinks!» and to explore its place within the context of 20th century American operatic culture. This is the first study in Ukrainian musicology to analyze Menotti’s opera from the standpoint of interaction between acoustic and electronic means, dramaturgical structure, vocal characteristics, and stylistic contrasts. The research is based on general scientific methods (induction, systematization) and specific methods of musicological analysis. Research results. The opera is structured around the contrast between two worlds: the human world (expressed through post-Romantic, verismo, and expressionist stylistics) and the alien world (represented through electronic sounds). The electronic episodes – including sinusoidal glissandi, distorted speech, and noises – are recorded on magnetic tapes (marked in the score as Tapes 1–37) and must be played at designated moments in the performance. The vocal parts of the human characters reflect a wide stylistic spectrum – from the operatic arias by G.. Puccini to A. Schoenberg’s «Pierrot Lunaire». Conclusion. Menotti’s opera demonstrates an organic synthesis of traditional European stylistics and moderate innovations. «Help, Help, the Globolinks!» reveals the composer’s aim to combine experimentation with accessibility, reflecting the American model of cultural communication. Its artistic value lies in the ability to address contemporary issues within an emotionally resonant and comprehensible musical space.