At the finish line of the 11th Vilnius City Opera season - VA Mozart's opera "Visos jas tykisi"! May 2-6 we will see the most talented young opera soloists in the performances on the stage of the Congress Palace. It is true that not much time has passed since the premiere in Vilnius in 2013, but the world and the context to which this performance returns today have changed a lot. Since the 18th century, the lively and unfailingly popular piece has already become chrestomatous, and its name - "They are all like that" - is an everyday proverb. However, hearing this phrase today makes us feel uncomfortable. The strong women of the 21st century, their work and courage that resulted in the #metoo movement, have touched and changed us all.
So how do we take this piece today? Mozart is a twisted composer. None of his operas are really what they appear on the surface. This, first of all, is his music for the listener: light, filled with frequently recurring themes. However, when we start going deeper, we may unexpectedly find out that the "musical" we just heard really touches on serious and deep topics. In his work, Mozart constantly combined contrasts, thus in his own way echoing the world around us, where "according to the clothes you agree, according to the mind you melt".
This expression is particularly relevant in the opera "All of them are like this", where two guys who are proud of their girlfriends are involved in a kind of reality show by a friend. Not believing that their lovers can betray them, the guys pretend to go on a long trip and start making love to each other's ladies, disguised as immigrants from another country. No matter how hard they try, in the finale the women give in to "strangers", the men's hearts are left broken, and the friend celebrates his truth: "They're all like that." It would seem that such a plot is completely unacceptable for today. But, looking deeper, without the sitcom-like "who, where, with whom" plot, Mozart cleverly hides what is undeservedly forgotten in the background. These are circumstances or "friends" that make us question our loved ones, our values, and ultimately, the truth itself.
Having persuaded the men, Don Alfonso is like Iago, who came from Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello", whispering in their ears, saying things that are not there, encouraging mistrust. He is introduced to the company by Despina - a girl friend, perhaps not as beautiful, rich or successful, or simply as unsympathetic - who, intentionally or unintentionally, contributes to Iago's plan. These characters represent those who often feel forgotten, inferior, or simply dissatisfied with their lives and push others into tragic situations with their comments. And after all, you don't need much - in life we are always one step before a catastrophe and there will always be such "friends"...
Today, Mozart's opera is primarily about the fact that we must always believe in our truth, have our own way and hold fast to our convictions. If you are loved, believe it and be happy, don't organize loyalty "exams" for someone else, because in the end it can turn against you. Of course, at the same time, this work does not "look" in too serious circumstances, so the scene of the action in VCO's production is moved to the island of Capri in Italy, and all the characters become carefree rich people, "golden youth", whose problems interest us like the life of the Kardashian family. 21st century the reality show obsession, the distorted desire to watch other people's lives through the keyhole and especially their misfortunes, forms a very modern background for Mozart's classic story. In this way, "All of them are like this" becomes a great satire, showing how the tests based on the reality show principle and the desire to get the truth through deception end, but most importantly, it reminds with a smile that the relationship between men and women has been a sticky swamp of misunderstandings throughout the ages.
The journey started ten years ago by the director of the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, maestro Gintaras Rinkevičius and director Dalia Ibelhauptaitė, in order to bring young faces to the opera stage and hall, will get another new lease of life this spring. Young people who started their musical careers in the VCO ensemble and those for whom their debuts with the VCO at the very beginning of their careers were stepping stones to the next stages are already returning to sing the main parts.
Back in 2011 As a student of LMTA, Laura Zigmantaitė created several episodic roles in "Bohemian" plays, and now she will shine in the foreground and play the part of Dorabela. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in London, which changed her life, in 2017-18. she spent a season at Scottish Opera as an emerging soloist.
In the role of the indomitable Despina, we will see Marija Nazarova, whom the young VCO audience will remember from the production of "Jono & Greta". in 2014 It was Marijos Gretutė's first role on the professional opera stage, but since her last visit to Vilnius, a number of important changes and achievements have taken place in the career of this soloist. Today she is a soloist of the prestigious Vienna Staadsoper, she has already performed the role of Despina both here and at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, and this summer she will make her debut at the Salzburg Festival.
It is not for nothing that Mozart is the composer and teacher of every young vocalist. Edgar Montvidas, who created the romantic Ferand in this performance, has repeatedly told about the benefits of his music for vocals. He will be replaced on stage by the young but well-known Tom Pavilionis, who has collaborated with the Bohemians since the alternative VCO Rock project. Both maestro G. Rinkevičius and the director interviewed Tom a few years ago to prepare for this role, so they are looking forward to his debut. Well, this time, the unforgettable kurt Guljerma of Kost Smorigin will be played by the soloist of Russian origin Ilya Kutyukhin, who is currently a participant in the young vocalists program of the prestigious Salzburg Festival. In addition, this baritone has already made his debut on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, and performed the part of Guljerm at the Glyndebourne Festival in Great Britain.
Well, the whole story will be "turned up" and the debutants will be overseen by the irreplaceable boss of VCO - Tadas Girinikas, without whom not a single (not only "bohemian") performance can be imagined lately.
