The opera “Mulan psalm” by Guan Xia in the modern musical culture of China

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify and systematize a complex of historical, cultural and musical factors that caused the great popularity of the opera “Mulan Psalm” in China and the interest in this work of viewers from many countries on different continents.
 The methodology combines elements of the musicological complex (music-historical, music-performance methods) with historical, cultural and comparative methods, which allows us to analyze and compare the ancient text with the opera libretto, characterize the main means of expression used by the composer, define the historical and cultural background on which the opera was created, and describe the specifics of the opera’s portrayal of the main character, around whose fate the entire plot of the work is built.
 The results. Even the initial analysis of the opera by the prominent contemporary artist Guan Xia shows the multivariate interpretation of the image of the main character — one of the most famous characters of the ancient folk epic, as well as the possibility of finding hidden meaning in this masterpiece of modern Chinese opera, because with each new viewing or with each new production of “Mulan Psalm” and new actors performing the main roles, in particular, the three leading singers performing the role of Mulan, different facets of this heroine and the deeper meaning of the opera, which quickly crossed national borders and gained universal significance due to the involvement of its authors, directors and performers in the values that are eternally important to humanity, are revealed: patriotism, sacrifice for the sake of the homeland, and at the same time, sincere love, natural feelings, love for family, brothers in arms, and a loved one. Almost all of the characters are endowed with all of these traits, as there are virtually no negative characters in the opera, since the image of the enemy as such, as well as the enemy army, is not individualized but presented as a common evil that the characters fight and defeat.
 The practical significance of the article consists in understanding the significance of the opera “Mulan Psalm” in the operatic art of modern China and identifying the prospects of presenting the best achievements of Chinese artists in this genre on the world academic concert stage.