Russian motives in the opera by Tang Jianping “The dawns here are quiet” (based on the interview with the composer)

The article is devoted to the study of the opera by the Chinese composer Tan Czyan’pin “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” (2015), created based on the famous Soviet story. The aim of this work is to analyze the deep integration of Russian musical elements into the score of a Chinese composer and to determine the artistic significance of this intercultural adaptation in the context of Chinese-Russian cultural dialogue. The relevance of the study is emphasized by the anniversary context of the production and the persistent interest in Russian culture in China. The methodology includes a detailed analysis of the opera’s musical score (leitmotifs, harmony, orchestration, vocal parts) and a study of Tan Czyan’pin’s authorial comments on the creative process, supplemented by critical reviews, including Russian ones. The results of the study demonstrate that Russian elements form the conceptual core of the work. The composer systematically uses characteristic techniques: the leitmotif of the accordion, stylization of the aesthetics of Russian classics (Tchaikovsky, “The Mighty Handful”), inclusion of Soviet war songs (“Hey, let’s go!”, “Kamarinskaya”, “Tropinka”, “Dorozhenka”, “Dubinushka”, “Katyusha”). These elements serve as a key instrument of musical dramaturgy: they reveal the characters’ personalities (the girls’ individualized arias, Vaskov’s monologue), enhance the emotional impact (the climax with Zhenya’s death) and form a lyrical-romantic structure against the backdrop of an epic military narrative. The analysis confirms the path of not mechanical borrowing, but deep creative stylization of Russian traditions. The main conclusion of the study is that Tan Czyan’pin’s opera is a successful example of cross-cultural synthesis. The recognition of the artistic merits of the music, noted by Russian critics, underlines the maturity of the composer’s approach. The work has become a significant event in Chinese musical theatre and a symbol of spiritual connection and mutual respect between the two cultures, demonstrating the potential for further deep creative interaction China and Russia.

1. / Liu, Ying (2019), “The Image of Ranka in the Opera The Dawns Here Are Quiet”, Journal of Xinghai Conservatory of Music, no. 1, pp. 129–138. (In Chinese).

2. / The Mariinsky Theatre showed the Chinese play “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”, Available at: https://rg.ru/2018/09/16/reg-szfo/vmariinskom-teatre-pokazali-kitajskij-spektakl-a-zori-zdes-tihie.html (Accessed 20 May 2025). (In Russ.)

3. / Poster for the opera “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” (NCPA, Beijing, 2015, Available at: https://www.chncpa.org/jmsc_237/yzjm/201510/t20151027_42201.shtml (Accessed 5 January 2025). (In Chinese).

4. / The SPbGUPTD hosted a gala concert of the OPERA & PODIUM project, Available at: https://sutd.ru/novosti_i_obyavleniya/announces/27083/ (Accessed: 20 May 2025). (In Russ.)

5. / Tan, Czyan’pin (2015), Opera “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”: score and libretto, National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing, Premiere version, 1 score. (In Chinese).

6. / Tan, Czyan’pin (2016), Opera “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”: score and libretto, National Performing Arts Center, Beijing, Second edition, 1 score. (In Chinese).

7. / Beijing Daily. This Original Chinese Opera Captivates the World’s Most Discerning Audience, Available at: https://www.chncpa.org/zxdt_331/zxdtlm/mtsj_334/201809/t20180920_190981.shtml (Accessed 6 January 2025). (In Chinese).