John Neumeier’s ballet “Liliom”: a cultural interpretation of the stage myth

Анотація

Relevance of the Problem. The timeliness of this study stems from the need for a cultural understanding of J. Neumeier's ballet “Liliom” as an interdisciplinary artistic phenomenon, in which F. Molnar’s dramaturgy and M. Legrand’s music are transformed into a choreographic cultural text capable of representing the existential and moral issues of contemporary culture. Neumeier’s ballet addresses the timeless themes of human guilt and responsibility, with the central figure of Liliom – a marginalized, traumatized individual, incapable of love, yet seeking justification. In the context of modern culture, this theme resonates with discussions on toxic masculinity, violence, and social marginality, while also highlighting how art aestheticizes morally complex characters.

Through his ballet adaptation of Molnar’s social drama, Neumeier creates a timeless model of human existence by employing motifs of the afterlife, cyclical patterns of events, and ritualized scenes. Consequently, the study of Neumeier’s “Liliom” from a cultural perspective is important for understanding how modern culture and art use stage myth as a means of exploring crises.

Methodological Framework of the Study. The study employs cultural studies, interdisciplinary, interpretative-hermeneutic, semiotic, musicological, and axiological approaches. The ballet “Liliom” is analyzed as a cultural text and a form of stage myth, revealing the transformation of the dramatic source by Ferenc Molnár into a choreographic work by John Neumeier. Particular attention is paid to the recoding of the verbal text into corporeal-musical language, the synthesis of drama, music, and dance, and the polystylistic features of the music by Michel Legrand, which contribute to the reinterpretation of humanistic and ethical values in contemporary culture.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in providing the first systematic analysis of the ballet “Liliom” by John Neumeier as a cultural interpretation of a stage myth, revealing the mechanisms of reinterpretation of the literary source within the context of contemporary culture.

Practical Significance. The findings of this study may be used in further cultural studies research on ballet and contemporary choreographic practices.