ON THE DEFINITION OF THE NOTION OF NATIONAL IN SLAVIC OPERATIC PRODUCTION.

The study explores evolution of national element in selected Slavic cultures - Russian, Polish, Czech - in their history with particular emphasis on the 19th century, and in Slovak case from the 19th to the first half of the 20 th century. It outlines common features of national emancipation movements among the above nations, as well as their differences. Particular focus is given to the effect of the quest for national emancipation on the development of national operas in the given countries. The authors examine the features that might, in the given context, define the operatic production as national. Given its utterly specific evolution, Slovakia receives particular attention: socio-political circumstances delayed national emancipation, hence the tardy emergence of national opera. That brought thought-provoking aspects to the nascent Slovak national opera and European music drama production of the first half of the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]