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D.Abaris became known as in 2014. Author, screenwriter and director of the idea for the opening ceremony of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. 2018 He was the director and author of the project “Glory for Lithuania” dedicated to the centenary of the independence of Lithuania, who came up with the idea to present the sound of the hundred most important Lithuanian bells in the nation. For this memorable project, D. Baris received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit for Lithuania.
– I wonder how these previous experiences will react to the construction of “Flying Dutchman”.
– I am event director, and the management of mass events is very different from opera and drama productions. Therefore, R. Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman” performed at the Klaipeda State Musical Theater is a great challenge for me. On the other hand, I came up with an experience of managing open-air spaces that allows the opera genre to be complemented by something that may not be common in the theater scene.
As a rookie in the opera genre, I can be delighted to be surrounded by a very experienced and creative team. It’s really calmer when the opera professional – director Gediminas Šeduikis – is around. His musical and stage knowledge allows me to focus more on the means of expression and the technological solutions of scenery, because I know that Gediminas will take great care of the characters created by soloists and other artists.
Ž. Punksne / D. Abaris photo
– Where did you get your ideas for the vision of the opera?
– Ideas? They are all inspired places, one of the most unique in Klaipeda. And, of course, the very stage of R. Wagner’s life that connected the composer with the fantastic legend “Flying Dutchman”. The theater, by inviting me to this project, expected more than just a production in the usual “box” on stage, and wanted to do something for a long time in Klaipeda.
In preparation for this production, it was necessary to analyze not only the musical material but also the history. The idea is to turn the mystical plot of “Flying Dutchman” into a more earthy one, adapted to space, architecture, time and at the same time to create the most impressive spectacle for the spectators. The large outdoor space dictates certain “rules of the game”. What you would pay on the stage of the theater would go unnoticed in a space of this magnitude, on the other hand, there are ample opportunities to use what would be difficult to implement in a camera space. So enough room for fantasy.
– Will you try to take into account nuances as unpredictable as wind, rain and other natural elements?
– When you go out to work outdoors, first ask yourself whether you should close in a standard setting and work safely, regardless of rain and other natural disasters, or risk and invest a lot to get out of it.
We chose the second option, more complex. Therefore, a great deal of effort and resources are focused on making all technologies work in all weather conditions. For example, soloists are sent double protection microphones from Norway specifically for this performance. In order to prevent the wind from “blowing” the sound, not only each musical instrument of the symphony orchestra, but also each choir artist will be probed separately. All technical lighting and sound systems must be protected from rain. Working on the beach requires doubling or even tripling the protection against wind gusts, so the scenery structures are designed to withstand not only gusts of wind but also gusts of wind.
Working on the beach requires doubling or even tripling the protection against wind gusts, so the scenery structures are designed to withstand not only gusts of wind but also gusts of wind.
Artists face a big challenge: They will have to work in any weather conditions, and in this case, not the roof or the covered walls, but the costumes created by Sandra Straukaitė will help. He had the difficult task of creating not only stylish, but also practical, rain-proof, quick-change and at the same time non-restrictive clothing with which it would be convenient to scale vertical constructions or move in narrow corridors.
The musicians of the theatrical orchestra may feel more secure, as they will be the only ones who will have a roof during the performance. Everyone else, soloists, choirs or mimans, will have nowhere to hide. In addition to the natural conditions, they will still have to pass the tests at height, since some of the opera scenes will be performed in the upper part of the shed, at a height of 17 m. It is treated as on the roof of a six-story building …
Another difficult challenge for the interpreters is that, when singing, they will not see the driver directly, from which they will be separated by distances, sometimes even several tens of meters. Therefore, giant screens are specially installed not for the spectators, but for the artists, so that they can see the broadcasts of the master Modesto Pitr desdenas from any position.
– How did the opera scenography solution come about? What technology was used for it?
– The scenery, like all the production of our Flying Dutchman, was inspired by the place. The constructions of the old elingo dictated a scenographic whole, which will be very different from current fashion trends: the aesthetic minimalism transmitted by one or more objects. We create a great cacophony, but with very clear rules and adaptation to action. There will be many metal structures that seem to resemble the restoration of the shed, but if desired, you can also see the ship’s repair dock, the container terminal, or even the ship’s hold.
Stage designer Sigita Šimkūnaitė goes to great lengths to make this huge building a decoration. For some time now, the decorating shop has been working hard to produce stage props that will be artificially aged to match the textures and colors of the design.
The ship’s appearance in “Flying Holland” is probably not surprising, but the actual ship does not appear in operas infrequently. And with us, he will be real. In addition, we will try to make it move, but how and where, only the premiere audience will see it. This is one of the most important elements of the acting set, so let’s keep the intrigue going. Do not hesitate, it will be effective! In addition, there will be a series of maritime-themed accessories that will fill the stage as a whole.
Probably, many connoisseurs of this opera are curious about how the main scenes will be resolved: a furious storm, choral episodes, the final aria of Zenta … I can say that there will be everything: real water (hopefully, the public does not know will get wet), lots of objects going up and down and of course a brilliant final accent. We hope that all this responds perfectly to the music of R. Wagner.
A host of challenges await light artist Andrius Stasiulis, one of whose tasks is to transparently and securely incorporate modern equipment into the open space of the stage. Some of the waterproof equipment for this purpose is shipped especially from Germany. Some of the lighting technicians will become characters during the performance and at the same time perform their direct role: controlling the lighting equipment.
Photo by L. Sėlenienė / shipyard shed
– Will the “wandering Dutchman” on the banks of the lagoon fulfill the composer’s original ambitions?
– Since the production of the opera is shown in an open space, it is natural that it be adapted to a specific place and time. Klaipėda residents and guests of the city will see a slightly shorter version of “Flying Dutchman” on the night of August 1. M.Pitrėnas, the musical director of the production, carefully coupled this opera, which was written as a single musical work, and any intervention in it is quite risky. We hope that the minimal corrections made will not impair the musical and dramatic flow of R. Wagner’s work.
We tried not to change the plot lines: adapting one of the scenes, transforming the other a bit, creating a unique version of “Flying Dutchman”, keeping R. Wagner’s creative imagination.
– Do you like working in the water?
– It is always fun to work on the beach. And not only because the sea and the sun are here, but also because the people here are calmer, more sincere. The team at the Klaipeda State Musical Theater was pleasantly surprised: specialists who work professionally in their field, who understand and rationally evaluate our creative ambitions.
Theater people have to deal not only with the artistic and technical nuances of construction, but also with the management of environmental factors: for example, turning off city lighting in a certain area, lowering boats that will disturb the spectators, creating outdoor spaces (makeup, changing rooms), ensuring stable stability, operation of electrical environments … Many different municipal and port services contribute to this. Our entire creative team is grateful to you for that.
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