From that opera: A unique collaboration between MO and Vilnius City Opera
„From that opera“ – an unique project collaboration between MO Museum and Vilnius City Opera
From the 3rd of September, MO Museum together with Vilnius City Opera invites you to an exhibition, which explores stories of those, who will take any “no” as an invitation to create their own world.
Visitors of the museum will be able to discover the secret side of opera theatre in the new exhibition “From that opera”. Everyone will be able to examine and experience opera from a new perspective here, in exploration of carefully protected backstage area, full of scenography and costumes.
The personalities of “bohemians” are the backbone of the exhibition
Lithuania’s opera scene was shaken by the “La Boheme” plays at Vilnius Congress Hall in 2006. The troupe, which acquired the name of “bohemians” after showcasing their debut play, both never stopped surprising their audience and made sure to distinguish their name in the history of Lithuania’s professional opera, which marks its 100-year anniversary this year. With the initiative of Dalia Ibelhauptaitė, Gintaras Rinkevičius and Juozas Statkevičius, Lithuania’s youth opera talents became a huge success, which has taken over the prestigious opera scenes worldwide.
The idea of the exhibition originated from these particular personalities and their portraits. Mindaugas Meškauskas, who works with an exceptional 19th century technique of cold collodion, dedicated three years of his life to keep seeing the “bohemians” while waiting for the right moment to capture the portraits of creatives. The photographs began drawing many stories and facts towards themselves as if they were frozen time capsules. Visitors will be able to see scenography elements by Marijus Jacovskis and Dick Bird, costumes by J. Statkevičius, exclusively for „From that opera“ exhibition made projections as well as light, sound and video installations by a multimedia artist Rimas Sakalauskas.
The partnership of MO and VCO brings art and opera closer to the people
“Cooperation of MO and VCO emerged from the similarities of our values. VCO aims to popularize and de-elitize the genre of opera while MO proceeds to actualize modern and contemporary art through new contexts and forms as well as bring it closer to the people. This ideological similarity has acquired the form of exhibition, which invites the audience to experience the opera world differently and experimentally”, – says Milda Ivanauskaitė, Director of MO Museum.
It is no secret that this collaboration between MO and VCO is not the first. There have been several joint events staged, which connected the visual arts and opera, during the MOrathon of museum’s opening events. One of them is “Revived paintings” – a fantasy by Rimas Sakalauskas, which uses paintings of Andrius Zakarauskas with the sounds of string quartet and countertenor voice. One of the VCO soloists Ieva Prudnikovaitė has partaken in one of MO events while the project “Three acts and Silence“ took place in museum‘s lobby to connect installations by sculptor Nerijus Erminas and costumes from VCO plays.
Self-opinionated „bohemians“
To disclose the hidden side of opera as well as reveal the peculiarity of VCO theatre became one of the main aims while preparing for the exhibition. Some might be astonished by opera‘s scenography being displayed in MO small exhibition hall. However, the „bohemians“ here felt at home as this particular space is extremely similar to Vilnius Congress Hall stage, where the legendary plays were born.
“If anyone had told me that on the Congress Hall stage we will spend 14 years I would have called them mad. Our work scale has always been massive while the space was never fit for any type of scenic art. The decorations must be cut up into door-sized bits to fit through the entrance and then assembled again on the stage as if they were a thousand-piece puzzle. One must be a virtuoso to be able to navigate the maze of backstage area, where not only the soloists but 50 members of choir, 12 dancers and 10 stagehands find themselves sharing the space during the play. There is less space here than in a crowded elevator but we still must rise and create those wonderfully beautiful air-castles… However, our main value has always been and remains to be the people – the best in the opera field, and perhaps not only in Lithuania. It is those people, who create miracles with their hard work. We are both a home without a roof and a school with no education as well”, – laughs Dalia Ibelhauptaitė, VCO opera director.
The opening of the exhibition – discussions with soloists and a concert
The opening of the exhibition will be taking place at MO Museum on the 3rd of September, during which two of VCO creatives – Dalia Ibelhauptaitė and Gintaras Rinkevičius will lead a talk. An exceptional, creative partnership between the theatre director and conductor, which has lasted for more than 20 years, is an extremely rare and perhaps one-of-a-kind phenomenon in the opera and theatre world. It will be disclosed, how the artists created an alternative for the ordinary opera theatre in nontraditional ways as well as in spaces misfit for the theatre. They brought together the back then forgotten Lithuania’s youth and inspired them to aim for worldwide renown.
There will be a chance to see soloists, who have performed at the biggest scenes of the opera world – Aušrinė Stundytė, Kostas Smoriginas, Vida Miknevičiūtė ir Justina Gringytė. Young talents of “bohemians” will finish the night with a musical performance.
Exhibition “From that opera” and its varied team
A wide team of people contributed to the exhibition “From that opera”. Exhibition director – Dalia Ibelhauptaitė, exhibition curator – Algė Gudaitytė, architect – Ieva Cicėnaitė, author of the photographs – Mindaugas Meškauskas, creator of video projections – Rimas Sakaluskas, light artists – Andrius Stasiulis and Eugenijus Sabaliauskas, exhibition designers – KlimaiteKlimaite. Find more information on the exhibition HERE.
