CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTIONS IN BRIGHT SHENG'S OPERA THE SONG OF MAJNUN

Abstract

The article is devoted to the opera The Song of Majnun by Bright Sheng, the modern American composer of Chinese origin. This one-act opera was composed in 1992 and premiered in Chicago. In Russian musicology, this work is being studied for the first time. The authors analyze the history of the creation of the opera, the plot, composition, dramaturgy, and the specifics of the musical style. They pay special attention to the search for cross-cultural connections - the interaction of elements of Eastern (Persian, Chinese, Tibetan) and Western European cultures. The libretto of the opera is based on the plot of an ancient Persian legend. The composition of the opera was influenced by the art of the Persian book miniature of the 13th century. For the musical themes of the main characters Majnun and Laila, folk songs of ethnic Tibetans from the Chinese province of Qinghai were used. Many opera melodies are composed with the use of pentatonic scale. The orchestration uses techniques typical for Beijing Opera Orchestra. Conclusions are drawn about the peculiarities of combining elements of Chinese folklore and European composing technique of the 20th century. The importance of the opera The Song of Majnun for the further work of Bright Sheng is noted.