Ru
EnWang Hue
The opera “Cang Yuan” by Xu Zhanhai – Liu Hui as reflection of the Russian and Chinese history realities
The article is based on the first consideration in Russian musicology of the artistic con-cept of the littleknown opera “Cang Yuan” (1995), one of the most notable phenomena in the Chinese musical theatre of the 20th century. Its authors, composerrs Xu Zhanhai and Liu Hui, librettist Yang Deron, are presented; the high recognition of opera in China is noted. The place of “Cang Yuan” in the history of modern Chinese classical opera of the 20th century is marked. Written on the basis of authentic historical events from the Russian and Chinese history of the 18th century about the return of the merchants to their historical homeland, the opera opus is analyzed from the standpoint of the genre of historical drama. In his ideological and philosophical plan, the “Russian theme” is particularly highlighted as a carrier of historical and political conflict: the images of Catherine II, Cossacks, and bells of the Orthodox Church are interpreted as a reflection of the idea of a cruel imperial power opposing the free love of the merchants. The ambiguity of the interpretation of the concept of Homeland is emphasized: close to the trade, associated with wide open spaces. Its embodiment is analyzed taking into account the implementation in the figurative-semantic field of the opera of one of the carriers of the national Chinese code – the phenomenon of shanhe (“mountains – rivers”), embodied in the images-symbols of the Volga River – the Tien Shan Mountains. The structure of the conflict reveals multilevelness, the presence of several dramatic levels with the predominance of inextricably linked lines of fate of the people of the Torguts, who are going to find a distant Homeland (Dzungaria), and the main character – Naren Gaova, who performs a sacrificial feat in the name of love and interests of her compatriots. The opera’s dramaturgy examines the versatility of the interpretation of the image of the Torgut people (heroics, lyrics, religious identity, way of life), as well as the layering of their characteristic thematic complex. Its structure emphasizes the features of Mongolian folklore (long-drawn songs, throat singing, prayer – Buddhist layer) and Russian – Romance stylistics. The presence of epic features is noted in the dramaturgy of the opera.
Key words
opera “Cang Yuan”, composers Xu Zhanhai and Liu Hui, historical drama with epic features, Russian and Chinese history, “Torgut campaign”, “Russian theme”.
For citation
Wang Hue. The opera “Cang Yuan” by Xu Zhanhai – Liu Hui as reflection of the Russian and Chinese history realities // South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2024. No. 1. Pp. 68-76.
