With the accelerated modernization of China’s cultural industries, musical theatre-an integrated performing art that synthesizes music, drama, and dance—has increasingly become a vital medium for artistic innovation in the new era. This dissertati...
With the accelerated modernization of China’s cultural industries, musical theatre-an integrated performing art that synthesizes music, drama, and dance—has increasingly become a vital medium for artistic innovation in the new era. This dissertation investigates the original driving forces of China’s musical theatre industry. Drawing on a multidimensional perspective that encompasses the broader cultural landscape, historical evolution, aesthetic structures, regional dynamics, and mechanisms of Sino-Western integration, it aims to explore how Chinese musical theatre positions its unique industrial value and cultural identity between inheritance and innovation.
The development of originality within China’s musical theatre industry does not stem from a single factor; rather, it emerges from the interplay of multiple historical conditions—“timing, geographical advantage, and human factors”—as well as the interactions among cultural narratives, market logic, and aesthetic frameworks. Such originality constitutes not only a trend of aesthetic transformation but also a composite force shaped by brand construction, audience demand, cross-cultural communication, and the expanding entertainment economy. To achieve industrial upgrading and global dissemination, it is essential to reconstruct the industry’s original momentum through three key dimensions: cultural genes, narrative mechanisms, and industrial ecology. On one hand, structural elements embedded in traditional folk operas and regional theatrical forms should be extracted and transformed into contemporary narrative resources, thereby nurturing original works imbued with Chinese aesthetic sensibilities. On the other hand, the industry must consciously draw on the experience of Western musical theatre in stage technology, marketing strategies, and production management, integrating the strengths of both traditions. Furthermore, establishing cross-disciplinary thinking and systematic creative-management mechanisms can promote effective collaboration among playwrights, directors, performers, production teams, and audience needs, ultimately contributing to the formation of a Chinese musical theatre system characterized by national identity and international influence.
In conclusion, the transformation of Chinese musical theatre from “external imitation” to “self-establishment,” and from a cultural phenomenon to a structured industrial system, requires grounding in Chinese aesthetic traditions and the narrative spirit of traditional theatre. By reaffirming originality and navigating the dialectical tension between xieyi (expressive abstraction) and xieshi (representational realism), Chinese musical theatre can develop new modes of expression and construct a paradigm suited to contemporary contexts and global aesthetics. Such a paradigm signals not only artistic innovation but also an intrinsic driving force for the sustainable development of China’s cultural industries.