论清末民初的昆剧创作

在清帝国腐朽不堪和民初社会曙光未现的背景上,昆剧作者在创作中表现了对现实的极度不满,然而,对未来又信心不足,剧作流露出浓郁的哀伤与绝望的情绪。由于多数剧作者是有政治抱负的文人,所以,他们自觉不自觉地将昆剧创作当作思想宣传的一种手段,因此,说教大于形象。又因为他们缺乏舞台经验,故不遵守昆剧规矩、言语晦涩、情节平直,成了许多新剧目的通病。但他们大胆创新的精神有值得肯定的地方。总的说,清末民初的昆剧创作,使更多的观众对昆剧失去了信心,加速了昆剧的衰败。

On writing of Kunqu opera in late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period

Faced with the corrupting society at the end of Qing Dynasty,the playwrights of Kunqu opera in that period expressed in their works the bitter sadness,deep dissatisfaction and disappointment toward reality,and the lack of confidence for the future.As most of them were intellectuals with political aspirations,they used Kunqu opera as a means of popularizing their ideas,which resulted in the function of moralizing rather than of entertainment.Owing to their lack of stage experience and disobedience of the traditional rules,many new operas suffered insipid language and flat plots,though the playwrights' innovative spirit still deserved some respect.In a word,the writing of Kunqu opera in that period failed to attract the audience,thus speeding up the decline of this folk art.