This dissertation is devoted to studying «Butterfly. Path of a Poet», musical drama of metamorphosis by Shan Bo (2005) as a myth of Chinese national opera in the context of generalisation of Eurasian experience. I have singled out the characteristics of a modern myth of Chinese national opera based on methodology of comparative study of myths functioning in opera as well as using intro- and extramythological and onomastic approaches (developed by O. Roshchenko).
I have established that starting from the «Gray-Haired Girl» Chinese opera went from a democratic interpretation of the genre to an elitist national musical drama of metamorphosis and an opera myth.
I have proved the following facts based on the intromythological analysis: paradigmatic role in the development of the plot of Shan Bo`s opera myth is played by plots and images of cultural heroes inherited from Chinese mythology as well as mythological themes; medieval philosophical parable of Chuang Tzu; the legend of the Butterfly Lovers; reinterpretation of traditions of Kun Opera and the Beijing Opera, films based on legendary plots. Using extramithological analysis I have established European prototypes of characters from Chinese musical drama of metamorphosis, divided into disguised (Shakespeare`s and Tristan`s plot parallels, mythologems and ideas of opera origin, such as search for paradise, sacred marriages, dualism of the world, holidays, sacrifices, redemptions and temptations, metamorphoses, Liebestod; mythologems in images of the Tramp and the Bride) as well as explicit prototypes, mentioned in the author`s remark („Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo, following which Chinese opera takes the route of „musical novel”, „lesen drama”). Westernisation contributed to the fact that the principle of organising Chinese national musical drama of metamorphosis acquired intertextuality.
Based on the principles of general and comparative mythoporology, the specific features of the national Chinese operatic myth, presented in the musical drama of the reincarnations of San Boo „Butterfly”, have been established. The methodology of mythology (unity of ontological, mythological semantic, onomatological methods of analysis) and comparative mythoperolology (intro and extemphiological types of analysis), is specified on the establishment of genre-stylistic features, mythology, features of unification and specifications (due to historical, topographical and mental conditions) of the national Chinese opera The myth embodied in the „Butterflyˮ of San Boh, contributed to its definition as the actual infinity of content in the context of world operability.
The work identifies the correspondence of the national Chinese operatic myth to the general properties of this phenomenon, namely: the creation of a national picture of the world, the sacralization of the chronotomy of musical action, the basis of the development of the totality of the mythology, the operation of the magic expanded name, the synthesis of genre-stylistic models and myths that specifically answer ancient syncretism. As a result of the analysis of the Chinese national operatic myth, the central position of mythology was confirmed as a doctrine of the universal unity of opera and myth. It is noted that the Chinese national opera myth, presented at San Boto's Butterfly, appears as evidence of the ability of its authors to reproduce in a miooperological chronotype of the opera a homogeneous national picture of the world, giving it a climaxing role in the development of Chinese operatic art inspired by the experience of the European and national opera; the maturity of the general level of development of the national musical culture, the achievement of the musical art of the Classical Middle Kingdom, which determines the prospects of its introduction to the context of world art culture. Thanks to the methodological foundations of comparative mythopoeology, the establishment of the features of the national Chinese operatic myth was based on the intro – and extra-mythological types of analysis tested for the purpose of studying European pre-images. The synthesis of features of European poetic opera, opera as drama, act opera, chamber opera, vocal cycle of libretto and music, novels, traditions of Shanyuequi and Hunmeysi national theatres, the Beijing Opera, cycle of libretto and music is interpreted as an analogue of mythological syncretism (concept developed by O. Roshchenko). Properties of the personal drama contribute to the interpretation of Chinese national opera as a myth.
