戏曲剧本的文献价值与“以戏证戏”

Documentation Value of Opera Scripts and "Script-based Approach to Opera Studies"

古典戏曲剧本不仅是研究故事情节和人物形象的依据,其中的点滴信息也反映出舞台艺术、演出形态等演剧特征,具有珍贵的文献价值,对戏剧形态发展演变的研究和戏曲语言与戏曲文学的考证有着重要的参考价值。重视戏曲剧本文献价值的研究方法叫"以戏证戏",是学界前辈自觉运用的方法,值得今天的研究者借鉴。以戏曲脚色研究为例可以看出,运用这一方法,中国戏曲史的研究将会获得新的文献材料,得到新的创获。

Scripts of classic operas are the basis on which the plot and the characters are researched,and,more importantly,the details therein usually exhibit the stage craft and performance art of operas.Therefore,they are of high value of documentation to studies of the evolution of opera forms and the opera language and literature.This emphasis on the documentation value of opera scripts,known as the ＂script-based approach to opera studies＂,used to be a method adopted consciously by earlier scholars,and is worth using for reference by today＇ s researchers. A case study of opera characters indicates that this approach will offer new documents and discoveries to the study of Chinese history of operas.