XIX century in the history of European and Russian opera: points of intersection and differences

Abstract

The development of opera genre in Europe and Russia in the XIX century is of particular interest for the Chinese and Russian art historians. The subject of this article is the history of European and Russian opera in the XIX century. The object of this research is the works of the leading opera composers and the novelties introduced by each of them into the opera genre. The goal consists in examination of the following aspects of the topic: specificity of emergence of opera in Russia in the XVIII century, establishment of the national opera schools – Italian, French, German and their prominent representatives, as well as peculiarities of the Russian opera tradition of the XIX century. The novelty lies in determination of similarities and differences between the European and Russian opera in the XIX century from the perspective of of Chinese art history. The author's special contribution consists in the attempt to discuss the subject matter in the context of Chinese art historians who take interest in the peculiarities of opera of the XIX century. The acquired results demonstrate that the development of opera within the framework of the vocal and musical performance in the XIX century is a unique sociocultural phenomenon, which manifested through the system of spiritual values and spiritual life of the Russian and European nations.