Традиции отечественного музыкального театра в культуре русской эмиграции на Дальнем Востоке

Abstract

The article focuses on the problem of preserving local music theatre traditions in the culture of the eastern branch of Russian emigration in China, which has not yet been researched enough in modern art history. The author reveals the uniqueness of local music theatre in the territory of a neighboring state, where the foreign non-European culture played the role of “storage,” which made it possible to preserve the traditions of the pre-revolutionary Russian musical theatre in an unchanged form. Based on the materials of the Harbin periodicals, the author identifies several directions within the activities of Far Eastern emigrants in the sphere of musical theatre. These activities aimed at preserving the traditions and achievements of national culture and art. Among them were maintaining connections with the compatriot colleagues abroad and in Soviet Russia, honoring the recognized authorities of national performing arts, criticizing the experience of the Soviet musical theatre, as well as cultivating the national repertoire. The Great Patriotic War helped Russian emigrants in China focus on the true aspects of the local music theatre traditions: the artistic heritage, the achievements of outstanding representatives of the performing arts, and bringing up young followers of the traditions.