Svetlana A. Serova on Life, Science and Chinese Traditional Theater

The names of specialists in Russian Sinology associated with independent research area are rare. This short list includes Svetlana A. Serova, a sinologist, theater historian, and theater expert, who devoted her academic endeavor to Chinese traditional theater. Deep historical roots of the Chinese theater, specifics in the simultaneous coexistence of dozens of its regional varieties, completely different from Western aesthetic views, stage embodiment and perceptions of this theatrical art — these are just some of the common features inherent in the genre of traditional theater. In Svetlana A. Serova’s seven monographs Chinese theater consistently appeared in its most diverse forms. Among them are genres of Beijing musical drama Jingju and Kunshan drama Kunqu (both became popular nationwide), acting skills and stage art, creative views of playwrights who influenced the development of Chinese theater as a whole, historical retrospectives up to the ancient ritual origins of the theater, parallels with Western theater, etc. It is obvious, that even the most objective and impartial scientific work is the result of not only professionalism, but also the personality of the scientist, his worldview. But when we deal with such a subtle and ephemeral matter as art, the author involuntarily steps at the avant scène, being forced to pass all the material through himself. Therefore, our interest in a researcher of such magnitude as Svetlana A. Serova is dictated not by a common interest, but rather by a need to understand her life values, providing additional opportunity to obtain more holistic view of her heritage.