BETWEEN THE PAST AND THE FUTURE: ABOUT LU XUN'S ARTISTIC INNOVATIONS (BASED ON THE LITERARY ORIGINAL SOURCE OF SHI GUANGNAN'S OPERA «REGRET FOR THE PAST»)

Abstract

The article analyzes the work of the classic of Chinese literature, Lu Xun, an outstanding writer, publicist and public figure of the beginning of the XX century. Deep knowledge of the realities of his time is present in Lu Xun's compositions as the most important component of artistic consciousness. Central attention is paid to the analysis of the story «Regret for the Past. Juansheng's Notes» («Shang shi»), which served as the literary basis for the libretto of Shi Guangnan's opera «Regret for the Past». The authors of the libretto were playwrights Wang Quan and Han Wei. The work argues for the choice of the topic, analyzes the system of artistic images, socio-historical context, reveals the key style innovations of the writer Lu Xun. The cross-cutting problem of the research is the problem of assimilation of Western European compositional experience in Shi Guangnan's work. In this aspect, socio-political and artistic trends of the last third of the XX century in Chinese culture are studied; a panorama of genre varieties of Chinese opera of the 1980s is reproduced; the process of including Chinese chamber opera in the world musical space is analyzed. Based on the material of the opera «Regret for the Past», specific trends in the development of Chinese musical theater in the 1980s are studied at the level of plot, stage decision, acting, costume, musical language, instrumentation, and vocal techniques. It is noted that the main feature of the opera «Regret for the Past» is the combination of the principles of Western European opera and nationally colored melodies. It is emphasized that the opera «Regret for the Past» (1981), written during the «reforms and openness» policy, is extremely important for the history of Chinese opera. The article pays special attention to the analysis of the documentary side of Shi Guangnan's life and work. Despite the fact that the importance of this composer in the history of Chinese music is rated quite high, and his vocal compositions are still popular with listeners, it cannot be said that Shi Guangnan's work has been sufficiently studied in Chinese musicology. The analysis of scientific studies devoted to the composer reveals a number of contradictions in them, as well as excessive politicization of ideas about the composer's life and work.