Peculiarities of the mutual influence of Italian and Chinese musical theater tradition in historical development

Abstract

Statement of the problem. Despite the fact that the musical is one of the leading theatrical genres of American musical culture, no attempt has yet been made to identify its invariant parameters. The purpose of the study is to determine the main features of the genre invariant of the musical and its interpretation in the musical “Wicked” by S. Schwartz. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time S. Schwartz’s musical “Wicked” is considered from the point of view of embodying the features of the genre invariant. The follows methods were used in the study: structural and functional analysis, which helps to reveal the main components that make up the musical genre; genre-stylistic analysis – aimed at identifying a genre invariant; comparative analysis to juxtapose the features of the libretto and compositional and dramaturgical principles of the musical “Wicked” with the structure of the genre invariant. Research results. Based on the overview of the researches, we consider such invariant traits of the musical genre as: 1) a two-act structure with a more detailed first act and a shorter second act, because that the second act is aimed at the resolution and contains much less new material; 2)the presence of three key dramaturgical nodes – the finale of the first act, which brings with it a plot twist (or the development of the main character line), which should bring the audience back after the intermission; 3) the thematic unity of the musical, which is provided by repetitions of large musical fragments or whole numbers, which we propose to call the reprise system; 4) thematic unity at the micro level, which is ensured by the use of cross-cutting themes and leitmotifs; 5) the leading role of the duet as the main compositional