PMT | opera-poema STRAZDAS - ŽALIAS PAUKŠTIS

Bronius Kutavičius

Opera-poem

THRUSH - GREEN BIRD

When the man returned to the Bird, the Bird went to the Man

The opera-poem "Strazdas – green bird" created by prominent artists Broniaus Kutavičius and Sigitas Geda reveals the subtle poetic powers of the word, the refreshing 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 Bird Man in the play created by the 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, and the meaning of being.

"Thrush - green bird" was revived in the hometown of Bronius Kutavičius, in the musical theater of Panevėžys. The show, like the first time in 1984, in 2023. directed by Jonas Vaitkus. The newly created opera-poem sounds live, without audio recordings. The music director is a talented conductor of the young generation, LMTA doctoral student Imantas Jonas Šimkus.>Director Jonas Vaitkus

Music director and conductor Imantas Jonas Šimkus

Set designer Arvydas Gudas

Costume designer Kristina Kruopienytė

Choreographer Inga Fontez- Sakurakos

Assistant Music Director Martynas Bražas

Lighting Artist Romualda Petrikaitė

Sound Director Žilvins Baronas

Production Manager Renata Lokcikienė

Roles and performers:

Thrush - Arminas Skirvainis

Bird Woman - Gunta Gelgotė

Priests, women and men - Panevėžys musical theater choir artists

Organ part - Arsenijs Esaulkov

Panevėžys musical theater orchestra

Panevėžys Broniaus Vaidutis Kutavičius school of folk instruments ensemble

First Sigitas Geda wrote the poem "Strazdas" (1967), then the composer Bronius Kutavičius - an unusual oratorio, calling it a "sound drama", later renaming it to the opera-poem "Strazdas – žalidas paukštis" (1980), and Jonas Vaitkus, based on these works, created an unforgettable ceremonial, sacred spectacle on the stage of the Kaunas Drama Theater in 1984. A cinematic version of the performance was created in the 1990s. "Strazdas" of those years 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 connecting the aesthetic principles of Lithuanian folk art and traditional Eastern theater.

The picture of peasant singer Strazdel (Antanas Strazdas-Drazdauskas), which grew out of the metaphor of wings, the bird-like surname of the poet and his peculiar 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 well aware of Vytautas Kernagis' work based on Geda's poem "Strazdas". layers of history and prehistory, materializing pure archetypes of mythical and religious consciousness. His harmonious, sometimes even complicated sound systems are always filled with life and 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 and greatest influence on the style was the unique polyphonic repeated voice-leading technique 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 common works are canonical signs of Lithuanian modern art, which also formed a new phenomenon - pagan avant-garde.

On the AllEvents portal you can always Buy tickets to an event Theater PMT | opera-poema STRAZDAS - ŽALIAS PAUKŠTIS, Panevėžys, Panevėžio muzikinis teatras November 10

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