Mej Lan-fang a európska avantgarda
Mei Lan-Fang and the European avant garde

Summary/Abstract: From the early 20th century onwards, the West became much more intrigued by oriental theatre cultures. In several instances they became a source of inspiration for avant garde stage directors. For the proponents of avant garde drama the theatre performances originating in Bali, China, Japan and India gave credence to their own artistic way. Among the theatre professionals having a profound impact upon the European avant garde was Mei Lan-Fang, one of the premiere performers of Beijing Opera. His guest performances in the USA (1930) and the Soviet Union (1935) were received with great enthusiasm by Stanislavsky, Meyerchold, Eisenstein, Brecht, Chaplin, and others. We have been left with their testimonies of appreciation of his art and mention of the profound impact it had upon heir own creation. In several cases, notably in Soviet Russia, Mei Lan-Fang‘s performances served as a model example of the existence of the metaphoric, sign and poetic theatre alongside the official socialist realism theatre.

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