Page 306 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
P. 306
opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama
This activity soon bore fruit: operettas contributed not only to the mo-
bilisation and education of singers, but also to the promotion of commu-
nity coexistence based on culture, and not only on nationality. Meanwhile,
in Lithuania, the operetta did not have to play that role and therefore was
intended for amateurs instead, and considered just as a threshold ‘not pro-
fessional enough’ that had to be quickly crossed on the journey to some-
thing better.
In Lithuania, Petrauskas tried to transpose his vision of operetta as
popular art, accessible to all. As early as 1919 he was possessed by the idea
that “it was necessary to educate people,” and proposed to “set up 2–3 troupes
of operetta singers to bring music to every corner of Lithuania.”30 In 1925, he
deepened this desire in a press article explaining why the creation of a ‘pop-
ular opera’ or an ‘opera of the people’, which he defined as ‘operetta’, was
important:
a. The Popular Opera will be a cultural factor among young people.
b. The Popular Opera will promote and support Lithuanian art.
c. The aim of the Popular Opera is to offer artistic food to the public,
and above all to arouse the interest of young people, because here
young people, young artists, have the opportunity to act, develop,
and perfect themselves in the field of art.
d. The centre of the Popular Opera is in Kaunas [...] but the whole
direction is defined so that, during the summer, it will be possible to
visit all Lithuanian cities and villages [...]. Young people, take an in
terest! This is your first and best opportunity to study the art of mu
sic and move forward.31
Unfortunately, this idea did not resonate in Lithuania. Critics and the
public responded unfavourably to the work of Petrauskas, and did not un-
derstand the meaning and usefulness of the creation of the Popular Opera.
Kaunas’s audience, having already seen many high-level perfor
mances of the State Theatre [...], had the same requirements for the
Popular Opera as for the professional opera, despite the fact that
these were the first steps of the amateurs on stage.32
30 Burokaitė, Mikas Petrauskas, 20.
31 Ibid., 72.
32 Ibid., 20.
304
This activity soon bore fruit: operettas contributed not only to the mo-
bilisation and education of singers, but also to the promotion of commu-
nity coexistence based on culture, and not only on nationality. Meanwhile,
in Lithuania, the operetta did not have to play that role and therefore was
intended for amateurs instead, and considered just as a threshold ‘not pro-
fessional enough’ that had to be quickly crossed on the journey to some-
thing better.
In Lithuania, Petrauskas tried to transpose his vision of operetta as
popular art, accessible to all. As early as 1919 he was possessed by the idea
that “it was necessary to educate people,” and proposed to “set up 2–3 troupes
of operetta singers to bring music to every corner of Lithuania.”30 In 1925, he
deepened this desire in a press article explaining why the creation of a ‘pop-
ular opera’ or an ‘opera of the people’, which he defined as ‘operetta’, was
important:
a. The Popular Opera will be a cultural factor among young people.
b. The Popular Opera will promote and support Lithuanian art.
c. The aim of the Popular Opera is to offer artistic food to the public,
and above all to arouse the interest of young people, because here
young people, young artists, have the opportunity to act, develop,
and perfect themselves in the field of art.
d. The centre of the Popular Opera is in Kaunas [...] but the whole
direction is defined so that, during the summer, it will be possible to
visit all Lithuanian cities and villages [...]. Young people, take an in
terest! This is your first and best opportunity to study the art of mu
sic and move forward.31
Unfortunately, this idea did not resonate in Lithuania. Critics and the
public responded unfavourably to the work of Petrauskas, and did not un-
derstand the meaning and usefulness of the creation of the Popular Opera.
Kaunas’s audience, having already seen many high-level perfor
mances of the State Theatre [...], had the same requirements for the
Popular Opera as for the professional opera, despite the fact that
these were the first steps of the amateurs on stage.32
30 Burokaitė, Mikas Petrauskas, 20.
31 Ibid., 72.
32 Ibid., 20.
304
