PMT | opera-poema STRAZDAS – ŽALIAS PAUKŠTIS

Bronius Kutavičius, Sigitas Geda

Opera-poema

THRUSH – GREEN BIRD

Director Jonas Vaitkus
Music director and conductor dr. Imantas Jonas Šimkus
Set designer Arvydas Gudas
Costume designer Kristina Kruopienytė
Choreographer Inga Fontez-Sakurako

Roles and performers:

Strazdas - Arminas Skirvainis
Bird woman - Gunta Gelgotė (10.03), Salomeja Petronytė (09.11 and 11.20)
Priests, women and men - Panevėžys musical theater choir artists
Organ part - Arsenijus Esaulkov
Panevėžys musical theater orchestra, chief. conductor E. Pehk
Panevėžys Broniaus Vaidutis Kutavičius School of Folk Instruments Ensemble

When the man returned to the Bird,

The Bird went to the Man.

Created by outstanding artists Broniaus Kutavičius and Sigita Geda the opera-poem "The thrush - green bird" reveals the subtle poetic powers of the word, the vivacious power of nature and love, the beauty of music and the importance of the nation's history. The image of the peasant singer Strazdel (Antanas Strazdas-Drazdauskas), which grew out of the metaphor of wings, the bird-like surname of the poet and his unique personality, is transformed into the character of the Birdman in the play created by director Jonas Vaitkaus. The performance uses various elements of expression, dance, folklore, and traditional songs to talk about the rapprochement of man and woman, the depths of the spirit, the boundaries between nature and man, the meaning of being.

In the fall of 2023, "Strazdas – žalijas paukštis" was revived in the hometown of Broniaus Kutavičius, in the Panevėžys musical theater. The play, like the first time, was staged by director Jonas Vaitkus. This time, the opera-poem is performed live, without audio recordings. The music director is the talented conductor of the young generation Imantas Jonas Šimkus.

First Sigitas Geda wrote the poem "Strazdas" (1967), then the composer Bronius Kutavičius - an unusual oratorio, calling it a "drama of sounds", later renaming it to the opera-poem "Strazdas - žalijas poukštis" (1980), and Jonas Vaitkus, based on these works On the stage of the Kaunas Drama Theater in 1984, the cinematographic version of the performance was created. That year, "Strazdas" seemed to invite us to withdraw from "politics" into the realm of pure art and immerse ourselves in the flow of images of refined beauty that unites the aesthetic principles of Lithuanian folk art and traditional Eastern theater.

(Antanas Strazdas-Drazdauskas) painting, which grew out of the metaphor of wings, the bird-like surname of the poet and his unique personality, is transformed into the character of the Birdman by director Jonas Vaitkaus. By the way, Strazda's original personality and works inspired many Lithuanian artists to create great works. Music lovers are also well aware of Vytautas Kernagis' work based on the same Geda poem "Strazdas".

Bronius Kutavičius' work covers a wide cultural context, uncovering the layers of peoples' history and prehistory buried in the depths of centuries, materializing the pure archetypes of mythical and religious consciousness. His harmonious, sometimes even complicated sound systems are always filled with life, the power of feeling. Kutavičius' work overcame the barrier of mistrust and public harshness towards modern music. The composer had a wide range of modern creative tools at his disposal, but the most significant, the greatest influence on the style was the unique polyphonic technique of repeated voice leading common in North-Eastern Lithuania. It was a conscious "turn" to paganism, which is also spiritually close to Geda's work.

Geda modernized Lithuanian poetry, Kutavičius became a symbol of musical renewal. Their joint works are canonical signs of Lithuanian modern art, which also formed a new phenomenon - pagan avant-gardeism.

The project is financed by the Lithuanian Culture Council.

On the AllEvents portal you can always Buy tickets to an event Theater PMT | opera-poema STRAZDAS – ŽALIAS PAUKŠTIS, Panevėžys, Panevėžio muzikinis teatras November 20

* The description translation is done automatically. There may be inaccuracies. Be sure to check the event description on the ticket store website when buying tickets.