諾貝爾文學獎得主高行健先生新編戲劇《八月雪》於2002年在台北國家劇院首演，2005年和法國馬賽歌劇院合作演出成為跨國界的盛事。本文共分為參章節；前言：一、高行健風潮在台灣的前奏曲、二、臺灣製作《八月雪》及其製作群、三、《八月雪》法國馬賽歌劇院演出。第壹章是對高行健新創《八月雪》禪劇的分場解析；一、雨夜聽經－慧能與無盡藏的對話、二、東山法傳－弘忍傳慧能衣缽、三、法難逃亡－慧能點化惠明頓悟、四、風幡之爭－慧能點化眾僧、五、〔一〕、開壇－小沙彌神會、〔二〕、受戒－慧能弘法、六、拒皇恩、圓寂、大鬧參堂。第貳章：《八月雪》劇場藝術所呈現的創作群理念：一、高行健的「四不像全能戲劇」形塑京劇演員為「全能演員」、二、許舒亞將京劇板腔溶入歌劇詠嘆的「無調性」音樂、三、聶光炎「非常抽象，極端寫意」的舞台、四、葉錦添打造「超脫京劇色彩，達到無色簡約」的妝扮。第參章：筆者針對高行健《八月雪》諸多表演藝術諸創新理念與實踐提出個人的看法：一、背景情境音樂〔一〕、會說話的精靈音符、〔二〕、道白進行時的補充音樂、〔三〕、情節進行時的氛圍襯托。二、中西融唱三重性、三、吟白與合唱、四、劇情交疊進行性、五、中西融唱多重性。高行健先生新編的禪戲劇《八月雪》，舉足輕重的提供了二十一世紀戲劇發展的新方向。本文希望能做為引玉之磚。
Nobel Laureate Gao Xing Jian has lately woven a drama, Snow in August, at the National Theatre in Taipei in 2002, and in 2005 at the Marseilles Opera House in France. Thus the play became a great international event. This article is divided into three parts. Chapter One is a "prelude to Snow in August": Gao Xing Jian's earlier plays as performed in Taiwan. Chapter Two comments on the Taipei production and its production team. Chapter Three looks at the Marseilles production of Snow in August. Chapter One consists of an analysis of the scenes in the play. Chapter Two looks at the creative idea in the theatrical art of Snow, particularly 1) Gao Xing Jian's reformation of the Peking Opera actor into an all-capable performer, in differentiation from the established four categories; 2) The composer's melding of Peking Opera music to European operatic rhythms, becoming atonal music; 3) The scenic designer's visual setting: "very abstract, extremely spiritual"; 4) the makeup designer's surpassing the Peking Opera's combination of colors to reach a colorless simplicity. Chapter Three presents my personal views of various innovative ideas in practice; 1) the background situational music (communicative music modes, supplementary music during the dialogue, and atmospheric music); 2) The threefold Chinese/Western combination singing; 3) Recitative and choral singing; 4) The progressive unfolding of story structure; 5) The multilayer quality of melding Chinese and Western singing. Gao Xing Jian's Chan Snow in August influentally provides new directions for 2(superscript st) Century theatre & drama. It is hoped that my humble article provides a foundation that others will build upon.
