The Plot of Cao Xueqin’s Novel «The Dream in the Red Chamber» as the Basis of The Opera of the Same Name by B. Sheng and D. G. Hwang: Historical and Artistic Context

The purpose of this article is to explore the historical and artistic connections between the novel and opera «Dream of the Red Chamber». Cao Xueqin (a Chinese writer of the Qing Dynasty) wrote the novel “Dream of the Red Chamber” based on his life experiences, family history and the realities of feudal society. Chinese-Americans Bright Sheng and David Henry Hwang created the self-titled opera based on Cao Xueqin’s novel, which is an ideal example of Chinese and Western cultural integration. The novel and opera “Dream of the Red Chamber” use some moments from Cao Xueqin’s family history. The prototypes of the main characters were Cao Xueqin himself and his three wives. The plot of the novel and opera, which is based on the relationship between Baoyu, Daiyu and Baochai, shows different sides of the relationship, as well as the peculiarities of people’s lives in a feudal society. Set designer Ye Jintian created the costumes for the characters in the opera based on the description of clothes made by Cao Xueqin in the novel “Dream of the Red Chamber”, which allows us to understand the social culture, customs, and personalities of the Qing Dynasty better. The novel and the opera are based on true history, depicting the rise and fall of families in Chinese society, love stories between characters, and traditional Chinese customs and traditions. At the same time, the plot of the novel and the opera criticizes the principles of feudal society, which is aimed at constant political rivalry and the harsh, peremptory enslavement of the people.