장르의 경계를 가로질러 : 쇼스타코비치의 <므첸스크의 레이디 맥베스>

Abstract

D.D.Shostakovich is unarguably one of the most brilliant composers of the twentieth century. Yet, his output in opera is surprisingly scarce, only two completed. This paper looks into his second opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (1934), from largely two perspectives. First, I will reconstruct the socio-political background against which the opera was produced to meet the doomed fate. In brief, this opera proved to be avant-garde and dangerously clever for the omnipotent dictator Stalin who kept the Soviet Union in his iron grip. What is more interesting for us, though, lies in Shostakovich&apos;s approach to the generic transposition of Nikolai Leskov&apos;s tale "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" (1865). Borrowing the plotline as well as the title, Shostakovich did not faithfully repeat Leskov&apos;s tale. Apparently, Shostakovich is an artist of different ideas, philosophy, and inspiration. In this regard, the second half of this paper attempts to investigate the aesthetic aspect of the opera: what transformations have occurred as Shostakovich, a Soviet composer, changed the Russian writer&apos;s literary piece into an opera opus. In comparison with Leskov, the Soviet artist interpreted the heroine strikingly differently, which is most vividly captured in the arias expressing the heroine&apos;s rich inner life. In addition, Shostakovich incorporated political message as well by attributing musically satirical motives to the class of haves. Overall, the break with Leskov&apos;s tale comes in Shostakovich&apos;s artistic and political inspirations in keeping with the ideology of the new Soviet society.