The role of the Kharkiv Wagner’s Society in the promotion of modern musictheatrical culture

Statement of the problem. Richard Wagner’s creative legacy today remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration not only for creators of modern music-theatrical art, but also for music lovers and art critics. The emergence of the Wagner’s Society in Kharkiv was caused by the interest in the work of the German master, which manifested itself in different ways: through the initiation and implementation of concert and musicaltheatre projects, the organization of various musical and educational events, in particular, of joint viewing of video recordings of the most interesting musical and stage interpretations R. Wagner’s operas and their discussions, the generalization of this experience in scientific research, the preparation for participation in leading opera festivals, etc. The experience of live creative communication of musicians, accumulated over the 26 years of the Wagner Society’s existence, needs scientific understanding and generalization. Recent research and publications. It must be stated that the study of the experience of the Wagner’s Society in Kharkiv is at an initial stage. The vast majority of published materials belong to the author of this article (the reference to them see: Cherkashyna-Hubarenko, rot – Boulez, Kupfer – Barenboim) to provocative irony (Kirchner, Rosalie – Levine) and postmodern simulacrum (Flimm, Wonder – Fisher, Castorf – Petrenko, Schwartz – Meister) in the frames of such trends as reduction and deconstruction, demythologizing and de-romanticization and their intersection in the counterpoint of meanings and approaches. The main features of comprehending Wagner’s heritage by creative youth both in performing practice and through its theoretical understanding are outlined. The role of Wagner’s Society activists in the creative project of Kharkiv National Opera and Ballet Theatre – the ballet performance “Pandora’s Mysteries” with R. Wagner’s music was noted. As a conclusion, the significance of the results of the Society’s activities for more than a quarter of a century of its existence in Kharkiv in the matter of popularizing not only Wagner’s legacy, but also modern music and theatre culture in its various aesthetic manifestations is emphasized. In particular, in creating conditions for understanding a wide variety of directing and scenographic research in modern musical theatre as musicologists and performers, as well as music lovers, expanding opportunities in cognition of Wagner’s creative heritage, both in performance practice and in its theoretical understanding. The consistent acquaintance with the parameters of postmodern music and theatre aesthetics contributes to the enrichment of personal cultural experience, the music and theatre thesaurus, to the formation of a more flexible artistic perception and thinking, the adequate renewal of artistic and aesthetic ideals and tastes.