The study is devoted to the problem of synthesis of music and dance in the art of the second half of the XX – early XXI century. The synthesis of music and dance in art is characterized as an art historical and theoretical problem. The conceptual and terminological apparatus of the study is outlined. The historiographical base of the dissertation is systematized into four groups according to chronological and problematic criteria. The historical peculiarities of the development of the synthesis of arts are clarified and the essential characteristics of the latter in primitive times, as well as in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and Romanticism are revealed. The interrelation of the arts of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and its peculiarities in the early twenty-first century are considered.
The article highlights possible ways of synthesizing music and dance with different types of art and establishes that music is able to interact with spatial (architecture, painting), temporal (literature), and spatio-temporal (theater, cinema) art forms. Dance is capable of synthesizing with spatial (architecture, painting, sculpture, graphics, decorative arts), temporal (literature), and spatio-temporal (theater) arts. The result of the synthesis of music and spatial arts is the creation of multimedia installations. The synthesis of dance with architecture involves the use of space as a canvas for dance. The synthesis of dance and painting involves the creation of appropriate performances. The synthesis of music and dance with literature results in a libretto for a ballet or opera.
The genesis and peculiarities of the synthesis of music and dance are considered. It is argued that the synthesis of music and dance has a long history, which originated in primitive times and ancient civilizations. The emergence of ballet, which united the presented art forms in a stylized and formalized manner, characterized by technically complex choreography set to classical music, was of great importance for the synthesis of music and dance. The essence of the synthesis of the arts of music and dance in the years of modernism and its peculiarities in postmodern times is demonstrated.
The article analyzes the relationship between music and dance on the example of ballet and opera. It is established that music and dance are most vividly combined in a ballet performance, which demonstrates the relationship between choreography and musicality, where dance movements harmonize with the rhythm, melody and dynamic shades of music created specifically for the performance. Having analyzed the most striking ballet examples («Giselle», «Don Quixote», «Swan Lake», «Bayaderka», «Sleeping Beauty», «The Nutcracker», «The Rite of Spring», «Romeo and Juliet», «Cinderella», «The Midsummer Night’s Dream»), it was found that the latter closely combine music and dance. The ballet scenes demonstrate a complex dance technique that fully corresponds to the musical variations, which ensures a coherent and synchronized storyline of the performance. The way in which dance movement is integrated into the general framework of the production, where music and drama are central, is reflected in opera performances, namely: «The Marriage of Figaro», «Don Giovanni», «The Magic Flute», «Rigoletto», «La Traviata», «Aida», «Carmen», «Madama Butterfly», «Turandot». It is proved that the dance scenes in these operas not only interact with the musical accompaniment, but also visually complement and enhance the storyline of the performance.
The specifics of the synthesis of music and dance on the contemporary Chinese stage are revealed. It has been found that innovative computer technologies have become part of art, in particular dance performances. The latter synthesize not only music and dance, but also innovative technologies, among which the first place belongs to projection mapping, motion capture technology and interactive multimedia. The article analyzes the contemporary Chinese dance productions «Echoes of Eternity» and «Reboot» and proves that the synthesis of music and dance is enhanced by the use of an LED screen, which acts as a background for the performances, as well as through motion capture technology, the essence of which is that the dancers' movements are transformed into real-time animation that interacts with the image on the screen, creating a seamless synthesis not only between the physical and digital worlds, but also between the art of music and dance. In addition, the synthesis of music and dance in the proposed productions is that the choreography is synchronized with a modernized musical score that responds to the movements of the dancers.
