On 2, 3 and 10 March the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre is presenting its newest opera premiere “Post Futurum”. Three authors of the new opera, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania’s independence – composer Gintaras Sodeika, writer Sigitas Parulskis and director Oskaras Koršunovas – have already collaborated in the past. On stage, we shall some of the most prominent historical personalities, who will allow both the audience and the creative team to see the events of that time through a different perspective. Knowing the creative style of opera‘s team, one can surely expect some rough edges, irony and sarcasm in music, libretto and directing. Other creators of “Post Futurum“ include music director and conductor Robertas Šervenikas, conductor Julius Geniušas, set designer Gintaras Makarevičius, costume designer Agnė Kuzmickaitė, video designer Rimas Sakalauskas, choreographer Vesta Grabštaitė, chorus master Česlovas Radžiūnas.
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Sigitas Parulskis (Author of the Libretto):
Classical opera is first and foremost a story made out of emotions. The latter are very direct, perceived through sounds. Verbally, these emotions may be rather trivial and poor – words usually serve as mere references, destinations, and this is why music, voice, performer‘s temperament are far more important than words. At least this is how it works in classical opera. This is why I always knew or at least felt the specifics of writing an opera. It was entirely clear to me that I’m writing words for music, not the other way around. A composer should not illustrate the words – they only aid music in reaching the heart and mind of listeners.
Gintaras Sodeika (Composer)
While writing the music for “Post “Futurum” I was interested in discovering how much life was there still left in opera today: what can one still do with this half living, half dead genre? The actuality of opera is also discussed in the libretto, in a dialogue between God and Satan. The latter is offering to display all events of the past through the form of an opera; God retorts that he hates opera, for it is a dead art. And although this problem is not displayed in the foreground, it is still yet another provocation. On the surface, we are retelling a 100-year-old story, and yet the chosen musical language, the expression of a synthetic work initiates a discussion whether opera may still live today and remain interesting. Can we repeat the epoch of Verdi, when people would come to theatre and fully understand what the characters on stage were talking about? Is it still possible? This question is very important and interesting to me.
Robertas Šervenikas (Music Director and Conductor):
As the rehearsal process for Post futurum began, there was a great deal of uncertainty – after all, it is an entirely new piece, the style of which is very different from the one we’re used to, the language of music is different, and it needs to be performed in a certain way. (…) “Post Futurum”, the opera-mystery as we call it, is dedicated to the Centenary of Lithuanian Independence. In this opera, the main ideas about independence and freedom are expressed by God and Satan. We shall leave it to the theatregoers to evaluate the result of our work.
Oskaras Koršunovas (Director)
One needs to exercise modern thinking, modern point of view, to see relevancy in classical opera. One must understand what one sings, to understand the situation, and not attempt to connect singing with mimesis (this, by the way, is a certain “fashion”, a tendency that pollutes the genre in our days). It is singing itself that dictates emotions, but it only works when the performer understands what he sings and why. When one is singing correctly, the necessary expression naturally appears by itself. Opera “Post Futurum is dedicated to the Centenary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania. Thus, its main subject is freedom. Freedom is very important, it is essential. Of course, the process of freedom is very complicated. Even now we don’t yet know how to live freely and are not liberated. Freedom is first and foremost the ability to think freely, when one’s thinking is not being usurped, attacked or influenced, when one’s soul is not being castrated.
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