Musical Nuance in "La Esclava Blanca"

In the telenovela “La Esclava Blanca,” music plays an extremely large role in the portrayal of main themes and in the presentation of emotion. The telenovela theme, in which the main titles and actors are presented, tells the story of the protagonist, Victoria, in the style of an African working song; it is done this way as to show the meshing of the white Victoria with the black family who raises her. The theme also includes an intense section where drums and chanting can be heard, normally accompanied by important and powerful scenes from past episodes. This portion of the theme can also be heard in critical parts in the plot, such as when Milagros, Victoria’s sister, is searching for poison in the river. The majority of these pivotal scenes are associated with the slaves on the Eden plantation, as they make moves to overthrow their masters and to support the anti-slavery movement. This may be why the music contains such extreme drumming and chanting as the sound of drums is usually correlated with rebellion and uprising. The theme of “La Esclava Blanca” sets the tone for the rest of the telenovela and tells the audience that the show will be filled with nonconformity and an ongoing struggle to escape from the bonds of prejudice and human slavery. 

 Another use of instrumental music to advance the plot of the story is the common melody that plays whenever the main couple of the telenovela, Miguel, and Victoria, are either talking in secret or are in close proximity to one another. The music is completely instrumental, comprised mostly of the swelling of string instruments, while a single flute plays the melody on top of it. The music invokes in the audience the same sense of passion that the two protagonists feel for each other. The viewer knows that an intense scene including the characters will follow if they hear this melody. The intensification of the strings within the music could be compared to the ocean, as the sea and the storyline of Victoria and Miguel are both unpredictable in nature. In this way, the melody of Victoria and Miguel conjures feelings of nostalgic love as the audience, along with the protagonists, have no idea if this will be the last time they will be able to share intimate moments. 

 Overall, the use of music in the “La Esclava Blanca” is incredibly strategic and well-placed as the audience is guided in their emotions by the strong and recurring notes that play consistently throughout the telenovela. It is rare to hear music that includes words, and as such it should be harder to engage the viewer with the story, however, the music supervisors in the production of the series make sure that the instrumentals are anything but boring. The viewer never has to wonder how a scene is meant to be perceived because the combination of music under dialogue and action is so perfect. In this way, “La Esclava Blanca” is the perfect example of a musically savvy telenovela.