Abstract: The subject of this article is the stichera of the chant book of Twelve Great Feasts and the principles of arrangement of stichera therein. The object is the musical and poetic compositions of festive stichera. The research material contains manuscripts of the XVII – early XVIII centuries from the collections of the Russian National Library, Russian State Library, Library of the Academy of Sciences, and State Historical Museum. The study employs the methods of musical analysis, linguistics and literary studies. The author dwells on the poetic and musical-imagery motifs present in the stichera of the Twelve Great Feasts. Special attention is given to the literary techniques used in the text and chanting of stichera. The main conclusion lies in establishment of the pattern in using poetic and musical techniques in the composition of stichera. The novelty of this research consists is in determination of the types of composition of stichera of the Twelve Great Feasts depending on the poetic and musical-imagery motifs contained therein: mono-motional, multi-motional, and composition with elements of other genres. All three types of composition manifest on the level of single chant, micro-cycle of stichera, festive stichera, and stichera of the book as a whole in the poetic text and chant. This article is firs to conduct classification of festive stichera based on the use of elements of non-changing liturgical genres in the poetic stichera texts. The stichera are divided into doctrinal, homiletic, and scriptural compositions. The revealed compositional patterns in the stichera of Twelve Great Feasts are an important stage in further research of festive stichera.

Keywords: composition, genre, microcycle, stichera, znamenny chant, The twelve-hundredth holidays, motif, homily, voice, automelon

Abstract: This article is first to conduct a comparative analysis of the biographies of two prominent Soviet painters – A. M. Gerasimov and S. V. Gerasimov. Emphasis is placed on the vectors and stages of the institutional biography of the artists, rather than their creative and personal life. People of the same generation, same education, virtually same life length, they were inscribed into a single system of cultural institutions, sought to achieve career success as the Soviet painters. At the same time, Aleksandr Gerasimov became the personification of the Stalinist era in art, having received all the highest posts and awards in the country, while Sergei Gerasimov throughout the 1930s – 1950s, although was officially recognized as a talented master, caused suspicions among the country’s leadership due to "proclivity for formalism". Thus, being a fairly successful artist, pedagogue and administrator, he was significantly inferior to his namesake in hierarchical ranking. A long life (both masters lived for about 80 years) allows considering the variations of the fate of the “elite” Soviet painters at the turn of eras. The “Thaw” was the time of “overthrow” of one artist and the “rise” of the other. Previous tremendous career achievements of Aleksandr Gerasimov were interpreted as a reflection of unscrupulousness of the painter, and less grandiose successes of Sergei Gerasimov were perceived as a sign of his behavioral reservedness. The fates of two outstanding Soviet painters demonstrate the invariants of institutional biography of the Soviet artist. Different proportions of talent, conformism, ambitions, and strive to achieve material wealth became the key components that led to different formulas for career success and different perception of such success by the contemporaries.

Keywords: career, Khrushchev Thaw, Stalin era, social realism, institutional biography, status, reputation, conformity, hierarchy, painting

Abstract: The subject of this research is Jean-Christophe Maillot’s interpretation of the images of Katherine and Petruchio in the context of ideological-imagery parallels with the original text – W. Shakespeare’s comedy "The Taming of the Shrew". The article determines the expressive means and choreographic elements used by the choreographer to stage the lead roles, as well as their contextual comparison with the original literary text. The theoretical framework leans on the principles of ballet analysis developed by the ballet theoretician and historians Dobrovolskaya, Krasovskaya, Slonimsky, and Surits. The works by Lopukhov serve as the methodological basis for analysis of the shape and choreography. Other sources include video materials from the archives of Monte Carlo Ballet and Bolshoi Theater, recordings of staged rehearsals that took place from April to June 2014 (author's archive). The research employs the methods of ideological-artistic analysis, semantic analysis of construction and choreographic solution of the roles of Katherine and Petruchio, as well as method of included observation (personal participation in the performance). The novelty lies in revealing the innovative and modernized classical elements of choreography and staging developed by Maillot (leitmotif plasticity combinations, transforming symbolic moves). The detailed semantic analysis of the composition and choreography f the images of Katherine and Petruchio became the main instrument of research and allowed making the following conclusions. Interpretation of the images of the protagonists in the first act is conceptually similar to Shakespeare's text and slightly adapted in accordance with the expressive potential of ballet art and authorial artistic tasks. In the second act, the choreographer shifts the compositional and plotline focus, highlighting not the final scenes, but the full-scale duet of the protagonists, where the plasticity solution is transformed depending on the changes in their emotional states. Namely abstract and visual plasticity ideation individualizes the choreographic style of Maillot and underlies his interpretation of the profound plotline of Shakespeare's comedy.

Keywords: Bolshoi Theatre, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, comedy, Dmitry Shostakovich, William Shakespeare, Jean-Christophe Maillot, The Taming of the Shrew, Katherina, Petruchio, choreographic interpretation

Abstract: The subject of this research is the creation of Circassian written language in the Russian and Ottoman Empires. Based on the theory of the British scholar M. Billing, this article demonstrates that the process of creation of writing was an integral part of Circassian nation-building during the XIX – early XXI century in the conditions of the absence of own national state. The study leans on the historical, ethnographic and linguistic works of the Russian researchers of that time period, materials of the Circassian newspaper "Guaze" published in the Ottoman Empire at in the early XX century, and the research results of the Soviet, Russian, and foreign (including Turkish) scholars. The Circassian case was taken as an example for several reasons: Circassians are currently undergoing an active phase of nation-building; they live in their historical homeland (North Caucasus) and in diaspora (mainly Turkey); they feature competitive national projects, which allows tracing the dependence of linguistic processes on the national processes. It is established that the creation of writing has become an important phase of Circassian nation-building. In the conditions of interaction with the Russian and Ottoman society, Circassians started to develop their own written language; however, depending on their living conditions and sociopolitical situation, they chose different alphabets, which were perceived as cultural orientation. Writing was developed by Circassians for different languages: universal Adyghe or Kabardian in Russia, universal Adyghe, Adyghe-Abkhaz-Abaza, universal Caucasian, Ubykh in Turkey; different dialects were compiled accordingly. These first attempts of creating written language, which were largely of external nature in Russia, which laid the groundwork for the subsequent variative development of the development of Circassian nationalism that manifests in the command of native languages by the Circassians in Caucasus and diaspora, as well as in communication between Russian and Turkish Circassians.

Keywords: North Caucasus, Caucasians, Circassians, Adyghe, language building, nation-building, alphabet, writing, Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire

Abstract: The subject of this research is the book illustration by F. Infante in comparison with his graphics and easel works. The object of this research is the image of space in the book illustration by Francisco Infante. The research employs the popular science and science fiction publications illustrated by Francisco Infante, as well as his graphics and painting. The article examines the specificity and uniqueness of the image of space in the artist’s works. Attention is given to comprehensive comparison of this image in the book illustration with the more extensive context F. Infante’s works. Based on the example of book graphics and analysis of theoretical concepts of F. Infante, the article aims to reveal the distinctness of his representations of space from the perspective of the utopia of relations between man and the Universe, as well as to determine how illustrations on this topic fit into the general context of the works of the artist. The main conclusion lies in description of the unique approach of F. Infante towards the indicated topic. The artist referred to the main motifs from his graphics and easel painting; however, modified them according to the specificity of plotline of the illustrated publication. Special attention is paid to the artist's preferred shapes: spiral and dot, with allowed reflecting the idea of the infinite space. The novelty of this article consists in reference to the material that has not yet been used for comprehensive scientific work in the field of art history. The author is first to introduce into the scientific context the book illustration by Francisco Infante on the space theme.

Keywords: soviet illustration, science fiction, graphics, Infante, space image, book illustration, Soviet Nonconformist Art, spiral, dot, space utopia

Abstract: The article is devoted to an adapted medical series as an integral part of a professional franchise on a modern television screen. The main subject in the adaptation of a foreign original is the transformation of the modern image of a doctor. Using the example of the serial series "Dr. House", "Dr. Richter", "Hekimoglu", the image of a modern doctor is analyzed in the context of archetypal images of the past. The adapted series, which is a legalized remake of a foreign original, is a fairly new phenomenon. The main principle of attraction among the audience is the originality of the character, which is a combination of archetypal images of the past in a modern reading, devotion to the image of national traits. The types of heroes, their archetypal images were considered and correlated, the casting of the actors of the original and adaptation were analyzed. The series with a strong transformation of the plot are analyzed using the example of "Without Witnesses". The reasons of failures and as a consequence of low ratings are revealed. Despite the fact that the topic of medicine is universal, eternal, nevertheless, it is necessary to take into account the mental characteristics of the country of origin, since not every plot can be adequately transferred to another national soil. At the moment, the adapted series has not been the subject of a detailed cultural or art criticism analysis. A detailed comparative analysis of existing serial samples will allow us to develop a methodology for carrying out an adequate transformation of the original plot under the national mentality of the country of the franchise buyer. The success of the series consists of many components. One of the main elements is a high-quality casting of actors with getting into the image. The cast should create an ensemble of combined images. When adapting, it is required to provide the national viewer with the usual tempo, picture quality. The reasons for the success of existing serial adaptations on a medical topic are studied. It is concluded that careful study of the scenario for the national mentality allows you to create a liquid national product.

Keywords: professional narrative, national mentality, Hekimoglu, Dr. Richter, Image of a doctor, medical deductible, Dr. house, modern popular culture, soap opera, Russian adaptations

Abstract: "A characteristic feature of the Eastern model of comprehensive thinking is a common concept and universal connection /…/ The statement about "Heaven and man are one" is the highest and most complete embodiment of the Eastern comprehensive model of thinking " [2, p.149]. The idea of "Heaven and man are one" is one of the main spirits of traditional Chinese culture. This main idea influenced ancient Chinese politics, ethics, life art, and also penetrated into ancient Chinese aesthetic thought and works of art.The idea of "Heaven and man are one" is the traditional wisdom of the ancient Chinese people.This idea was widely promoted by Chinese society in the 21st century. Comprehensive promotion of the idea of ”the unity of heaven and man" can improve the artist's understanding of the dimension and form of beauty, help break the old paradigm and promote cultural development and progress. This is embodied in artistic creativity, especially in the artistic creativity of Chinese painting, which focuses on the “artistic concept”, which allows artists to pay attention to understanding the general spirit of works of art without destroying the overall beauty because of a certain part. From this it can be seen that the idea of ”the unity of heaven and man" has strong guidance and significance in the field of aesthetic practice, such as artistic creativity. The purpose of this article is to correctly interpret the idea of “the unity of heaven and man” through the analysis of ancient Chinese literature and records in combination with philosophy, aesthetics and other fields. And thanks to the analysis of representative Chinese paintings that adhered to this idea in ancient China, it provides an example of how this idea can be applied to aesthetic practice. In conclusion, we will combine the experience of that time in order to see the positive meanings of this idea in the future.

Keywords: Chinese painting, nature, Heavenly Tao, The Human Tao, idea, Taoism, chinese art, chinese aesthetics, chinese philosophy, heaven and man